ANGLICAN CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1919, Page 4

ANGLICAN CHURCH.

TARANAKI ARCHDEACONRY BOARD. CONSTITUTED BY THE BISHOP. A special service was held in St. ."Mary's Church, New Plymouth, lust night when the newly-formed Archdeaconry Board was formally constituted by the .Bishop of the Dioceso (Dr. A. W. Averill). After the Processional Hymn, the names of the members of the Board were called as follows: Clergy: The Right Rev. the Bishop, the Ven- Archdeacon- Evans, ithe Revs. C. Addenbroke, A. 11. Barnett, 11. A. Favell, C. Gavin, F. C 4. Harvie, C. W. Howard, T. H. C. Partridge, R. ,T. Stanton, and H. We Kaipo; laity, Messrs. E. B. Kingdon, 8. iW. Shaw, and W. H. Skinner (St. Mary's), G. W. Childerstone, L. N. Pairhall, and S. 0. Grover (Te Henui), E. Marfell, E. C. Middleton, and E. S. Rutherford (Stratford), F. IT. Brown, G. H. Hunter, and H. Olscn (Inglewood), W. Ackland, R. Greenwood, and C. R. Stead (Waitara), G. Gibson, and W. .T. Gray (Okato), H. W. Bovis and TV. Good (H.M. East), ,T. M. Butt, and S. T. Smith (H.M. Coastal) When, the members present had answered to their names, tha Bishop declared the Board duly constituted. An appropriate service'followed, in the course of which Bishop Averill gave a very inspiring address dealing witn the objects of the Board, stressing the need for unity, and appealing for a higher ideal in life than that of merely getting on in the world, urging that a, strong passion for Jesus Christ was U>e only thing that could really help the world in its present need. DANGER OF SECTIONALISM. The addres* was based on the words of St. Paul's letter .to the Corinthians: "For the body is not one member but many members," In welcoming fh.> members to the first meeting ni the Board, his Lordship said lie desired to remind them of some of the under'™* principles whieh had to he lnjpt* in mind if the Board was to accomplish what it was believed to be capable oi accomplishing. He first uttered a warning against the danger of developing sectionalism. Trade unionism had done good in the direction of bringing into prominence the claims of those who abored with their hands, great stimulus had been given to industrial enterprise by the formation of joint stock companies, but the aim of these had not been to benefit the State, but some section or class within the State. So ong as they did not interfere w'th the liberty and welfare of the Stat" as a whole they were praiseworthy and honorable institutions. But some people were apprehensive of serious danger from the habit .of sectional 'organisation. The duty of the Church was to promote comradeship. The conception of the Church as a body, with many members, was without meaning, if it was not recognised that each member had his appropriate office and function, and that | the whole body could not be healthy unless all the members worked in cooperation, and. further that all members had not the same office. It had been said that it was of no use thinkiim the world would be made better merely by pious aspiration' and lofty words. These were needed as the iri«piratton and impulse to stir hearts and conscience, but what the wor!d wanted w3° deeds and actions. OBJECTS OF THE BOARD. The _ Archdeaconry Board, continued the Bishop, was intended to increase the efficiency and organisation of the Church in T.aranaki, and thereby !he work of the Church in the Diocese as a whole. The division of the Diosase into archdeaconries v.-as for the purpose of bringing the Bishop into closer tou'cli I with the whole Diocese, through the I work of Hie Archdeacon. The work .if the Archdeacon, therefore, was to consolidate the unity of the Diocese, and to keep the Arehdeaeonrv in living and sympathetic touch with the Bishon. Th» purpose of the Board was to cement +he unity of the Arehdeaeonrv, to strengthen the bonds of comradeship, to seek causes of weakness and remedies for them, and to catch a new vision of duty and responsibility. The cry of to-day to "think Imperially" was not adequate to the needs of the world, nn.l the Church must think in terms of the world.

The Bishop made a strong appeal for broader vision—for thought not merely of individual parishes, or even of Taranaki, but earnestly and intensive.lv so that the Board's deliberation would 'contribute, something which would be useful to the Diocese and the whole Church of God. He said, he had enough faith to believe that the Dominions and ihe Church in the Dominions had a considerable part to play in the rebuilding of the social order of the Church of fcrod in the world. In regard to th» seojw of the Board's powers, he recognised tha+. while they possessed only" such powers as the 'Bishop conferred* (until the Synod ordered otherwise) there was ample room for a degree of home rule, and for what he called domestic legislation, without the Board infringing in any way upon the prerogatives of the Synod.

THE SPIRIT OF THE CHURCH. ' He regarded them as most valuable bodies in small assemblies which could voice the need of Diocesan legislation in certain directions, and so urge needed reforms or organisation in the Synod, with the consciousness of having tnc weight and support of the Archdeaconry at their hack. He then proceeded to remind tho members that organisation alone would not save the situation i'. the right spirit was -wanting. The great work of the Church was in the realm of the spirit and her great responsibility was to contribute to the creation of the new spirit which alone could create the new world of which all had visions. The Church as a Church knew none of the artificial barriers as between class and class. The sacraments make no distinction between classes as a great democratic body in which all had equal rights and mutual responsibilities. Among important questions of the present time the Bishop said there was none more important than that of th-3 religious education of the young, which should be directed towards the development of character. He expressed his thankfulness for what was done in Taranaki in this respect. He ihen appealed for a greater missionary and evangelistic spirit and an effort to reach those who are yet uninfluenced bv the Church, and in conclusion, said "may tho Lord give us a vision to see the things we ought to do and give ub courage a nd strength,tp do those things." At the conclusion of a very imprMsivo service, the members of t!>o Aich-

deaconry Board were entertained by Mi 99 Wade. The Board will meet Sn session today in the Parish Hall at 10 a.m., 2.30 p.m. and 7.30 pm. There will be a, celebration of Holy Communion at 8 a.m. in St. Mary's.