BISHOP NELIGAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1922, Page 4

BISHOP NELIGAN.

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST. MARY'S. HIS LIFE AND WORK. A memorial service to the Right Rev. Moore Richard Neligan, D.D., Bishop of Auckland 1903-10, whose death in England was announced in England in Tuesday’s cables, was held at St. Mary’s Church, New Plymouth, yesterday morning. The service was very impressive, the Bishop of Auckland (Dr. A. W. Averill) delivering a short panegyric on the life and work of Bishop Neligan. Archdeacon F. G. Evans was bishop's chaplain, being assisted by the Revs. E. H. Strong and G. A. Young. Mr. K. N. Renaud presided at the organ, whilst Master Eric Lomas acted as crossbearer.

After the singing of the appropriate hymn, “God of the Living,” and prayers, the Bishop took for his text 13 Hebrews 7: “Remember thou them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God.” The death of such a very good friend of the diocese, though his end was expected, left a blank, said the speaker. It was like the snapping of a link. The speaker had known the late Bishop thirty years ago when they were both curates in almost neighboring parishes in England. He had come to realise then some of the energy, the enthusiasm, the missionary zeal, and the optimism diapl&yed by Bishop Neligan. Then, when the speaker came to New Zealand, he temporarily lost sight of his friend till his appointment as Bishop of Auckland in 1903. The speaker thought that the people as a whole did not realise the tremendous difficulties Bishop Neligan had to face on coming to this new land. First there w’as his own inexperience of colonial ways and ideals. He had comp, too, to a diocese which had naturally suffered owing to the age and infirmity of the late Bishop Cowie. The Auckland diocese at that time was one of strong feeling and strong prejudices and other unanticipated difficulties confronted the Bishop. For instance, beside* being a diocese of Europeans, Auckland was also a diocese of Maoris, and at that time, owing to file after-effect of the war and the treatment subsequently meted out to them, the position of tlie Maoris was very unsatisfactory. The scattered nature of the country districts and the difficulties an the way of supplying ministrations were other obstacles, whilst added to all these was the fact that an overwhelming amount of business connected with provincial jnnd diocesan trusts was centred in Auckland and claimed much of the Bishop’s time and energy. Therefore, the speaker felt a lot of sympathy for a man coming out to New Zealand from the Old Country, for it was inevitable that he must make mistakes. Auckland was in an especially peculiar position, being largely cut off from the rest of the provinces, and such isolation was apt to breed idiosyncrasies, somewhat akin to the position of the old British Church to the wider light of the church. But. to Bishop Neligan’s honor be it said, lie brought wonderful enthusiasm and optimism, wonderful cheerfulness and brightness into his work, which he tackled in a very wonderful way. He had not the advantage of a large number of young and active clergy to back him up, but later some young men were brought out from England to replace those who had grown old in faithful service. Bishop Neligan had done a lot for the backbloek settlers, and for the secondary education of girls by the establishment of a high school in Auckland. Looking back on the seven year’s of the Bishop’s episcopate and remembering all the difficulties he had to contend with, it must be admitted that those were seven wonderful years of progressive work of a foundation kind upon which it had been possible to build in later years. Then, when practically a young man. a serious breakdown in health came and this wrecked his life. He returned tn England, where he was made rector of Ford, in Northumberland. Here he rendered considerable assistance to other bishops and helped greatly in missionary work. When the war came he offered his services, which were accepted, and ministered to the New Zealand boys in hospital, being anxious to do all he could for those who had come from the country he had learned to love. His illness grew more pronounced and he resigned his living at Ford. He grew weaker and weaker till at last lie was taken to his rest, and out of his weakness into that life which St. Paul had said was life indeed. The speaker thanked God for the inspiration given by the life of Bishop Neligan and expressed sympathy with his sorrowing relatives.

The service concluded with the playing of Chopin’s Marche Funebre, a most impressive work well-rendered by Mr. Renaud. Commencing softly and mournfully the sound of the organ slowly increased in volume till the final triumphant notes reverberated majestically through the old stone church.