ARCHDEACON COLE RESIGNS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 78, 11 July 1910, Page 4

ARCHDEACON COLE RESIGNS

REV. P. G. EVANS ACCEPTS THE APPOINTMENT. Before beginning his sermon yesterday evening at St. Mary's Church, ilie Vicar- made the following announcement:—

"After eight yeara of earnest and strenuous work, Archdeacon Cole naa asked the Bishop to accept iiis resignation as head of this Archdeaconry, owr ing principally to the increasing work in connection with his position as Superintendent of the Home Mission of the Diocese. During his eight years of work in Taranaki, fclie Archdeacon has given his services for the church unstintingly; he has spared neither time #or means in his great endeavour to uplift the whole of his large Archdeaconry to a higher spiritual standard. He na* taken the deepest interest in the welfare of the whole community—Maori and European, townspeople and settlers —and he has done his best to bring the ministrations of the church within their reach. Indeed, it may be said with perfect truth that his work will bear the test of time, which is the most trying test of any work. And now he is retiring from his labors in Taranaki, to devote himself more entirely to that work that is so near his heart—the organising of the work of the church in the backb'ocks of this immense diocese.

"The Bishop has asked me to accept the position vacated by this grand man; and although I feel diffident about undertaking so great a responsibility, yet. I have agreed to accept it, and to endeavour to do what I can to build on. the foundations already so well and truly laid, in absolute dependence upon the Most High. But I have done so on one condition, viz., that a definite sum per annum shall be raised in the Archdeaconry towards the actual expenses of. the position, viz., travelling, house Tent,, pen-inn and correspondence. Thq only unsatisfactory point in connection with Archdeacon Cole's work has been that it has not been paid for. He has defrayed all his expenses during these years ungrudgingly, but he has always felt, it to be an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Experience has taught us that,, sroncrally speaking, what costs people nothing, is valued at nothing; and much as it goes against my grain to appear mercenary, I have detormined not to continue what must be an unsatisfactory state of things, and so I have made the arVangement I have mentioned a condition of my acceptance of the office of Archdeacon of Taranaki.

"T am perfectly willing and shall indeed be happy to give my services without 'fee or reward, but I cannot think it right that I should also pay all the expenses connected with the work. It may be asked why the Archdeacon of Taranaki requires to be paid, while the other Archdeacons receive ■nothing bevond -£ls per annum towards expenses of correspondence: and, in replv, I may sav flint the position of the Archdeaconry of Taranaki differs very materially from that of the other Archdeaconries of the diocese. It is geographically isolated, and separated from Auckland, where the centre of the diocese is. As a result, an extra amount of responsibility rests upon the Archdeacon here, and it is almost absolutely necessary that lie should not be at the same time vwar of a tinr-'sh, as is the case of the northern Archdeacon. As a rule, our Bishop is oplv able to visit us once everv vear. aivl nt all other times it is through the Arehdenpon he must, a»t. And this must- ahvavs be so until we become a separate diocese, with n bishon of our 0" -, i. The ot.hor ftrehdencons ore all + triph of Auckland, and p«n with travel to Auckland to nmu-'H Tfwlion when nece== fl rv. H : . .wivfiUa flmt the nari«h of St. M,.-—'a should lie n«l."od to contribute tl,r> ,\rphilp<if>rwv. I""""*" of flip Vimvv l>urd"n lai<l """" VaT*"'* fljn n>if-'l'3+vu.t.. fit** .1, flipy eTP (splf-siiTW^intf. +n be in 0 'Tipypjl sin rr pnniilM'on will pniplovnipnf of 0 larger stiff fov *' ,n nnrish. whiph of eon' -l e mpnna n,l,litinnnl o p rpflp l ' oo to of tl' n Awhdeneonrv. it v«"=nnflhln fn -vivpt, thnt f'P Mitlvlnr ™.,fvn 0 clifxnM ««" someth'n'" l,! a nvnollflpo. oar,o"iallv a? ~{ nf trnvellin" ,r '" ~n SnvAlvo/l in vi«-!*!nrr fhO«C VPH' n»rt« "