The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-16 00:00:00

THE BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER ON

CHURCH WORK.

The Bishop. of Gloucester and Bristol, in an address de-
livered before the Conference of clergy and laity at Ciren-
cester yesterday, said : What I wish all to feel is this, that
these conferences are the natural results of the healthy
organisation, that both is now, and for some time past
has been, beneficially operative in this diocese. Our ruri.
decanal meetings, which have included laity, have now
naturally expanded into large mixed conferences
such as the present ; friendly invitations 'have opened the
way for definite lay representation. We are thus, as I said
at Gloucester, neither imitating other dioceses nor acting
under any sense of apprehension, but are simply following
out previously adopted courses and principles, thankfully
and humbly obeying the guidance which it is not presump-
tuous to believe the Holy Spirit is vouchsafing to our local
Church. As regards the composition of this conference, there
must naturally be much difference of opinion, especially in
reference to the modo of electing our lay representatives
The lay representatives have been elected not merely by
the clergy, but by the clergy and laity of each ruride-
canal conference, and having been so elected will now, I hope,
be pleased to continue in office, and unite from time to
time with the clergy and churchwardens in discussing the
Church matters of the deanery, and in filling up the vacancies
in their number. Thus we shall have, not only in readiness
bit in habits of co-operative action, all the component parts
of the present conference. We shall be able easily, at any
time that need may require to re-assemble, and may hope-
fully look forward to continued reunions as large and as
hearty as the present." Adverting to the co-operation of
the laity with the clergy, the bishop pointed out four
ways in which that assistance could be rendered. In
evangelising as a lay reader in the cottage gathering of
the isolated hamlet, or in the schoolroom of the crowded
city—as the lay-reader, preparing the way for more formal
ministrations, and leading touched hearts back again to
the Church, from which, it may be, they have become long
and mournfully estranged. In visiting—as tho kindly and
sympathising seeker-out of the sick and the suffering. In
teaching—as the helper of the pastor in that place where
his influence, it may be, tells most, his parish school or
his Sunday-school. In general administration—as the
collector for the spread of the Lord's name whether at
home or abroad, as the ready dispenser of alms to those
that need, as the secretary of the local charities, as a lay
deacon in its best and truest sense. Lastly, in giving faith-
ful counsel, as one of the recognised advisers of the clergy-
man, in all more important matters affecting the interests
spiritual and temporal of the parish. Alas ! how few of us
have formally gathered these helpers round us. How few
could point to a regularly-formed parish council, at which
the earnest and the helpful would find a welcome place, and
to which the pastor might rightly submit all contemplated
changes or improvements, and by the support of which he
might be enabled to carry out in the services of the Church
all that ho had promised to do, all that he might regret to
have left so long undone. I know a few instances—but I
regret to say a few only—where the clergyman has this
sort of lay council round him ; but from these instances I
can clearly enough infer how very different would be the
hold of the Church of England on the hearts of the people,
if, in every parish large or small, co-operation of the laity
in this wholesome and primitive form was really called out
and organised. If the early Church had its long list of
accredited helpers, can we now, eighteen centuries nearer
to the Lord's coming, safely dispense with lay aid and co-
operation ? With all the signs arouund us of momentous
changes and. startling developments, are we, the clergy
either from professional timidity, or professional exclusive-
ness, to shrink from rallying round us lay helpers, by
whatever name known, to aid us in the mighty working
whereby, not only century by century, but even year by
year, the kingdoms of this world are becoming more and
more the kingdoms of the Lord au 1 of His Christ ?