The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-01-29 00:00:00

CONSECRATION OF THE BISHOP OF

OXFORD.

Tuesday being the Festival of the Conversion of St. ,
Paul, the Rev. John Fielder klaftkarzuss, rector of ,
Honiton, was consecrated in Westminster Abbey as
Bishop of Oxford, in succession to Dr. Wilbetforce,
translated to the coo of Winchester.
The rervice commeocel at eleven echoes, and, al- I
though the eceasion excited by no tneans so great an
interest as tb' c msemation of Bishop Temple last
month, yet the Abbey was completely filled.
The cousecTation sf roost was prea :lied by the Rev.
C. W. Furze,ivicar of Sniiines, an old schoolfellow of the
Bishop at Eton and an intimate friend at Oxford, who
took for his text the WPM. of St. Paul, 2 Corinthians,
xi., 29, "Who is weak and I am not is-oak? ?rho is
offended and I burn not! In an eloquent discourse,
which, however, teemed occasionally to hint some-
what clearly at the shortcomings of the Episcopal
bench as it is, he drew out a picture of a model Bishop
- the father friend and guide of his clergy, deservedly
looked up to anti reverenced by nil his fikkle on
account of his preeminence above them in experi-
mental religion and in the spiritual life, and one who,
while he valued highly his exalted position as a Prelate
of a national Church, set a still higher store on his
spiritual character, and did his best to cherisheach and
all of those good works whieh contribute so largely to
the wellbeing of his diocese and of the Church at
large. He ended by expressing a prayer and a con-
fident anticipation that these hopes would be realised
ill a high degree in the person of the new Bishop of
Oxfmd.
At the conclusion of the sermon the Canonid verger
conducted the Bishop-elect to the Islip Chapel, where
be put on his rechet, the anthem, "Oh, where shall
Wisilom be found" (Boyce), taken from Job xxviii.,
12- 28, being sung by the choir during his absence.
This done, the Bishop elect was met by the assletsnt
Bishops at the entrance of the Sacrarium, and led by
them within the altar rails, where tee consecration
service was proceeded with Fy the Bishop of London,
sitting in the Archbishop's chair before the holy table.
The Litany having been &anted at a faldatool by two
of the Minor Canons, the Bishop of London put to the
Bishop-elect the appointed questions. At the con-
clusion of the questions the Bishop-elect retired to put
on his episgogal robes, while an anthem, "0 praise the
Lord" (Goes), taken from Psalm mazy., 1,2, 3, 19,
and 29, was sung by the choir.
The Bishop of London and the other offiidating
Bishops then proceeded with the laying-on of band.,
while the Beni Creator wam sung. At the end of the
consecration service Bishop 111 ickarness took his place,
with the other Bishops, within the altar rails, and the
communion office was proceeded with, the offertory
being collected by the Minor Camas and otherofficers
from the general congregation. The Dean then read
the Prayer for the Church Militant, and the general
congregation withdrew. A large number, however,
both of the clergy and the laity, remained to partake
of the Communion, the officiating Bishops, assisted by
the Dean and Archdeacon Jenuiugs, administering the
consecrated elements. _

At the end of the service the procession was re-
f, rmed, and the members et the Cathedral body and
the Bishops resented, in the same ceder as before, to
the Jesusa.em Chamber.

The offertory, which amonst•ff to a con•iderable
nun, was handed over to tho " Westminstsr Spiritual
Ail 'Fund."

-
Daring the service, which lasted three hours, con-
siderable interest was excited by the presence of the
Greek Arehbishep Lycurgus, who is now on a visit to
this country. He came into the Abbey in state, at.
tended by his three chaplains, and was ace immodated
with a sett near the altar•table. He wore a magnificent
flowing robe of violet and white silk or satin, striped
and broadly bordered with geld, and adorned with le-Its
along the lower fringes. The Archbishop is a tall,
portly man, with a long beard and magnificent presence;
and Li "a. ei,tatice "at this consecration will, no doubt,

be ha lei in noire quarters th In one as a symbol of the
real and subitantial unity which exists between the
Greek and the Anglican Churches in spite of all our
differences in doctrine and ritu sL