JUBILEE OF ANGLICAN CONSTITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 14 June 1907, Page 2

JUBILEE OF ANGLICAN CONSTITION.

CJ2LKiiU.ino.NS AT KK\Y i'JAALOI 111. Tin. 1 jubilee of tile signing 01 tin. 1 eonsliuinioii of Ulo Anglican Ciiurch in I he I'l'mime ut Al'W Zealand, diocese cll Auckland, was celebrated at Si. Mary's Clmrcii, New Plymouth, yesterday, in the morning there was a celebration of the Holy Communion, ami at night a largo congregation at'ien.lcd a special service. The clergy of Taranaki were represented as follows: Von Archdeicon Cole, New Plymouth; iiev. J. J.. Jjrocklchurst, .St. Mary's, New I'iymontli; l!cv. C. A. It. Watson, Stratford; Uov. W- Kecve, Inglcwood; iiev. T. Fisher. Okato; licv.l/itter, Ilenni; Rev. Faval, Missioncr; anil iievs. Taiianuku Timie, Tainni. and Roperc, native missionaries. The choir was strengiheiial hv represenlalives from the district cinu'ches, and the congregation was .representative of the district. Tiie recond lesson was read in Maori and in English. Veil. Archdeacon Cole pivaenan eloquen; sermon, tracing the history of (he development of the Anglican Church from its earliest days until now, end its great sphere of inlluence, taking as his test, "One is your .Master, even Christ, and all ye are tireihren.'' The service concluded with nho professional liyiun, " Jiejoice, ye pure in heart." .

ill 1807, just 100 years ago, the Rev. Samuel Jlarsdcn, the chaplain of the convict station ill New South Wales, went to England and persuaded (lie

Church Missionary Society to send missionaries 10 New Zealand. Accordingly, two men, Mr W. Tlall, a shipbuilder and Mr J. King, who was aciiuainlcd with llax-drcssing and agriculture, wur<

appointed as catechists, and sailed in IHU7 with Marsden, for Sydney. The Maori chief Ruatara was among the crew, and lie became the fricud and helper ul U.c missionaries. -Mr liall and a Mr Kendall went to the Jiay oi Islands, where ihey remained a sliuri time, and th ai returned to Sydney, taking Kua-

Una aml live oilier Alaori chiefs with tilein. fteven veai'S al'Lei' his visit (o England, ISainuel' Marsden, with Hall, King, ami Kendall, arrived in Uio brig Active, and on Christmas Day, 1814, Rev. .\lursden preached 1 lie Gospel in Rua-

Lara's village, on flic spot which is now

marked by the ilarsdcn Cross. Soon after tills lie retunud to .Sydney and

left the three catechists at their workIn 1842, Bishop Selwyn, described by Canon llaselden as "the great- master builder of the Church of this land," arrived. There was at this time a large white population in the district, but tho missionaries hud no ollicial position with the white settlers, and Bishop l-'el-wyn had lo organise services, ami lay the foundation of the Church of New Zealand. His headquarters were in Auckland, but he travelled all over New

Zealand, and even to Melanesia. On June Kith, lS.j7, a conference assembled

in St. Stephen's Chapel, Judge's Bay, Parnell, and put forth the constitution, and solemnly declared and established certain great: principles and provisions for the ruling and guidance of the Church of the Anglican communion. Since that memorable occasion much has happened, and the Church lias nvidc great progress. Notwithstanding many drawbacks and failures, the Church has prospered and grown. In the Auckland diocese alone the communicate can be counted I by the thousand; there are nearly 8000 Sunday-school scholars, over (100 teachers, (IS clergymen, and 108 lay readers, and the tot;il receipts for all purposes connected with the Church are about £30,000 per annum. The constitution provides that the General Synod sliill be an organising body, and every act of the General Synod must have the eonsent of the majority of the bishops, the clergy, and the laity before it can _ become law. It lias stood the test of time, and has not been found wanting.

l'er Press Association. Duncdin, June 1.1.

The jubilee of the constitution of the Anglican Church of New Zealand was celebrated at Duncdin to-day. There was a special service at St. Paul's Cathedral to-night, all the local clergy being ■present. A sermon explaining the significance of the Constitution was given by the Primate, Bishop Ncvill. "There was a large attendance. The sermon concluded with the words: "Young men and maids, old men and children, this is the special message to each and all on this celebration of our jubilee: Bo thankful for what has been done for you, for in Christ we also are buildcd together into a habitation of God and the Spirit." Nelson. June 13. The jubilee of the Anglican Church was celebrated to-night by a large gathering, over which the Bishop of Nelson presided. Speeches were delivered by Judge Keniiev, i\fr. Wilson Heaps, and Rev. 11. N. Baker, and a large clioir rendered the "Gloria" and the "Hallelujah Chorus."