Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1893.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4402, 25 April 1893, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1893.

A little storm in a clerical teapot is brewing over the selection of a new Bishop for Wellington, We should liavo been quite content to permit the reverend members of the Diocesan Synod, and the immaculate laymen thereof, to settle'the lithe matter for themselves; but lo pur surprise we liave been asked by a Synodsman, from another part of the Diocese, to assist in fomenting an agitation against the choice of Mr Ingram. The Bishops of New Zealand, with one exception, are at the present time a somewhat inferior Jot, being reputed stronger in their gaiters than in their

heads, It is, tbei efore, very desirable tliat the present vacancy should be filled by an able man. Such a man is admittedly not available in the

Wellington Diocese, and those who are crying out for the election of the colonial, as against an imported article, pin their faith on Dean Hovell, of Napier, and the Rev. W. Harper, of Christchurcb. The choice practically liefl between Ihe Rev. Mr Ingram, of the Church House, Lon-

don, and the two looal celebrities whom wo have named. A number of members of tho Synod have held a caucus end pledged themselves to Mr Ingram, and it is belieyed that they will carry this gentleman against the local candidates, if an agitation be not got up against imported divines, and lazy Synodmenarenot roused to attend

the Sjtiod next month. There is, to our mind, some slight indecency in making the choice of a head of the Episcopal Church, a matter of electioneering tactics. It would be more becoming if the members of the Synod ; settled their little differences at ■ aj

higher court than a parish meeting, Our owu opinion, as we have been invited to express one, is distinctly in favour of the Church House candidate. It happened to us last year lo travel for some weeks with a young clergyman trained in the London Church House, and we gathered from him that this particular establishment is turning out a somewhat new type of clergyman who is better fitted to cope with the special work of religious teaching and preaching than the old Eohool pattern. We understood from our friend that the Church House people were actually able to I" run" successfully against the Salvation Army and to win the confidence of castaways whom the earnest and devoted officers of General Booth could not gain. The Ohuroh House

metliods and tbo Suivution Army methods differed, but both wero attended with a considerable measure of success. Our friend who was a mere junior in the Church House nould himself, if hn were not too youtigjfor gaiters, make an admirable Bishop and we f<-el quite sure that if a picked man from that institution, a I senior member of it, became Bishop of Wellington, the diocese would flourish under his care, It seems to us lo matter little where the new Bishop comes from, but to matter very much that ho should bo a man who would win tho hearts of all classes in 'lie community. We do not know Dean Hovel! and we have never seen the Rev. W. Harper. They may k fit and proper persons for the position, hut if they cannot hold their own in competition with Mr Ingram of Chinch Houbo, excepting on tho "ground that they have had colonial experience, tbey do not deserve to wear gaiters.