THE WAIKATO DIOCESE

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1926, Page 9

THE WAIKATO DIOCESE

BISHOP DESIGNATE ARRIVES ARCHDEACON CHERRINGTON. A FORCEFUL PERSONALITY. The Bishop-designate of Waikato, Archdeacon C. A. Cherrington, reached Auckland on Wednesday evening from England by the Mahana and is now the guest, of Archbishop Averill at Parnell. He is to be consecrated at Hamilton on December 12. A man of vigorous physique and obvious energy, Archdeacon Cherrington scarcely looks his 47 years. His tanned complexion suggests a love of the open air. He is unquestionably a personality, and in any company would be identified at once as a leader of men. It is safe to say he will at once gain the full respect of his people in the newly-formed diocese. In a brief interview on the ship as she lay at anchor off Motuiti, states the New Zealand Herald, the Archdeacon said he appreciated the messages of welcome, by letter and by wireless, that had been sent him from the diocese. His plans were, of course, indefinite. “‘I know nothing of New Zealand and its people,” he added, “so everything is in the future.” MEMORY OF BISHOP SELWYN. When his connection with New Zealand through the diocese of Lichfield was mentioned Archdeacon Cherrington told of an incident which linked him with early church history. “I once met Bishop Selwyn,” he said. “I was only a small boy at the time. The bishop had come to our part of the diocese for a confirmation or something, and he was visiting my father’s house. I can quite well remember being taken into the room and introduced to him. In later years I met his son, Bishop John Selwyn, and other members of his family. For a time I lived in his house and have sat in his chair.” Before sailing for New Zealand the archdeacon spent only a hurried month in England, to which he had come from Mauritius. Speaking of his work in the island he said the diocese was an independent one under the Archbishop of Canterbury. There were about 80 European families, and the population consisted mainly of about 250,000 Indians with some Creoles. The Indians were time-expired indentured labourers and their descendents. As he had been away from England since 1923 he did not pretend to be conversant with church affairs there. The bishop-elect was greeted at the anchorage by an old Lichfield friend, Archdeacon Simkin, secretary of the diocese of Auckland, whom he had not met for 16 years. On arriving at Auckland by launch he was met by Archdeacon MacMurrSy and Mr. A. B. Robertson, on behalf of the Archbishop, arid taken to Bishopscourt, where he will stay until the eve of his consecration. It is probable that Archdeacon Cowie, commissary of the new diocese, will confer with him at Auckland to-day. Under present arrangements it is unlikely that Archdeacon Cherrington will go to Hamilton before the end of next week. MRS. CHERRINGTON’S DEATH. It is much regretted by everyone that the archdeacon’s arrival is overclouded by the death of his wife, which occurred in England last Thursday. The news was communicated to him by wireless, togethel with the sympathy of the Waikato Diocese. Mrs. Cherrington was in ill-health when her husband left England, and it was believed the trouble was a form of rheumatism, but her death was not feared. She had been of the greatest possible help to her husband in his work, and would have assisted him materially in his new and enlarged responsibilities. Archdeacon Cherrington, who is a B.A. and B.D. of the University of London, was made deacon in 1896 and priest in 1897. After holding various curacies and the chaplaincy of Birkenhead School, he became chaplain and lecturer at Lichfield Theological College in 1904, and vicar of Tunstall, in the same diocese, in 1909. From 1916 to 1918 he was temporary chaplain to the forces, and thereafter he was on special service for the War Office until his appointment as Archdeacon of Mauritius at the end of 1922. THE CONSECRATION CEREMONY. The consecration will take place in St. Peter’s Church, Hamilton, the future cathedra), at 9 a.m. on Sunday, December 12, and will be performed by the Archbishop and bishops of the province. The sermon will be preached by Archdeacon Mac Murray, of Auckland, who had much to do with the formation of the new diocese. The bishop will be enthroned at 7 p.m., and will afterwards preach. A special meeting of the Diocesan Synod is to be convened the following day to welcome him. A garden party has been arranged for the afternoon, and a civic welcome for the evening. The ceremonies will be attended by a large body of clergy and laity from Taranaki, which is included in the diocese. The New Zealand Church has many points of contact with the diocese of Lichfield. In addition to Bishop Selwyn and his son, the second Bishop of Melanesia, two former primates, Bishops Cowie and Nevill, were associated with the diocese, having held livings there. A number of the present senior clergy of various New Zealand dioceses have either worked in Lichfield or received their theological training in the college with which Archdeacon Cherrington has been associated.