THE BISHOP OF DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 243, 26 September 1872, Page 6

THE BISHOP OF DUNEDIN.

From the Staffordshire Advertiser of June 1, we Lain that Dr Nevill formally bade farewell to his lato parishioners at Shelton on the Sunday previous.. On that day he preached two sermons in St. Mark's Church, the services being full choral. There were large congregations. In the morning bis lordship 'received his seven year's work in the parish, and congratulated the parishioners, on the improvements which had been effected during that time. He observed that the "tone" of Churchmen was very low when he came to Shelton, and many appeared jto regard it as a matter of indifference whethjer they attended Church or any other place of worship. How, the tone of Churchmen was raised, and most Churchmen could give 1 a reason for the faith that was in them. At one of the first meetings be attended in the town, he was told that the Church was njot the establishment of Haoley; but latterly there had been less of that triumphant tone amongst those who were not of the Church than there was seven years ago. He gave his parishioners all the praise that was due on account of the improvement in this respect. He had been asked why he left the important work of that parish, where 'so much remained to be done ; and he replied that he believed he was called upon by Gbd to the new charge he had undertaken ; ;and that He would find men to continue theworkjhe was leaving. He prayed for a continuance of peace, unity and good-will amongst them, and tbat the- good work would increase and prosper. In the evening the Bishop rtferred to the work which he had undertaken for the future, remarking that he was forcibly reminded that it wasAwelve months that day since he • was consecrated Bishop of Dunedin. I c described his diocese as a wilderness, waiting the arrival of spiritual laborers to be converted into a beautiful and prosperous garden. 'I here were but ten clergymen in the whole diocese, and in many p'acea the people were from thirty to forty miles from any clergyman or church. He desired to supply this deficiency as far as possible by taking out as many clergymen ai he could and founding an institution at Duuedin for the education of young men for the.ministry.

He had a principal for tne college, and » good proportion of the amount required, towards establishing it. He appealed to the congregation to assist him in raising the remainder, observing that in him, as having charge of a diocese on the other side of the world, they had a reminder of the catholicity of the Church, which he believed to be the purest and truest Church upon earth. He warmly acknowledged the kindness which he had received from all classes since he had been in Shelton. The offertory, morning and evening, realised L 22 16s.