The consecration of the Rt Rev. W. P.
Roberts as Bishop of Shanghai was carried out with traditional ceremony yesterday in impressive manner. The canonical minimum of three consecrating Bishops whose ages totalled 218 years was duly secured, despite the dim culty of communications. ' Bishop 'Norris was able to arrive from Peiping, Bishop Sing from Ningpo and Bishop Graves completed the number required to consecrate his successor. The Rt, Rev. Frederick Rogers Graves' forty-four years' administration of the diocese of Shanghai thus comes to an end. 'That regime has.seen the original diocese, modified by the creation of the separate] Bishopric of Hankow which in turn produced! another separate sce of Anking in due course, 'An authoritative account of these episcopal' developments has already explained the' circumstances in which the Bishopric 'Shanghai under a concordat arranged under} Bishop Graves' auspices leaves the admini. stration of the Holy Trinity Church to the Bishop of Chekiang at Hangchow, So Shanghat has the distinction of being served by two Bishops and only the dislocation of the communications between Hangchow and) Shanghai prevented Bishop Curtis from participating in yesterday's ceremony. similar disability prevented the attendance of the Bishops of Hankow and Anking who would otherwise have made certain of their attendance. The retirement of Bishop Graves} evokes special gratitude for the magnificent! efficiency and devotion with which he has so long ruled his diocese. By general consent} he has been what is known as a strong Bishop and that does not—in this part of the world all events—imply a frequent appearance in the forefront of current controversy. It rather connotes a strict attention to the administrative requirements of his charge, as} well as to those spiritual duties which de~ mand the nice ce-operation of practice with] precept. On those grounds Bishop Graves has commanded general confidence and esteem. It fifty-six years since he first came to China as a missionary at Wuchang, after graduating] at the General Theological Seminary in his! own land, Except for two years as Professor: of Theology at St, John's University, Shanghai, he remained in Wuchang until 1893 when he! returned to Shanghai to be consecrated as] successor to Bishop Boone. In addition to! the Doctorate of Divinity accorded to him in the United States of America in 1893. he! received in 1908 the same distinction at the hands of Oxford University. He carries into] retirement the good wishes of all his friends in China, Bishop Graves was 35 when he assumed! charge of the Shanghai diocese. His newly-consecrated successor is 49 with twenty-three years' service in China to his credit. Bishop Roberts first came to this country in 1914 having graduated at Yale. He had experience at St, John's University, Shanghai, and also at Soochow before being transferred for the second time to Nanking in 1923. He has worked in the capital until he accepted the} charge with which he has now been duly invested. Bishop Roberts comes to his see at 'a time when it is under the cloud of a distressing and ravaging war. Nearly every part of his wide territory has learnt of the] horrors of modern warfare during the last] few weeks. He cannot for the moment make himself fully known to his people in his new capacity. In that situation he is assured of general sympathy. In his judgment and) Jeadership the diocese will trust for guidance} as it faces the present dislocation and even-_ tually addresses itself to the work of rehabilitation, Despite the upheaval the spirit of] {its fellowship must steadily continue to] exercise its influence, overcoming the obstacles which prevent physical contact and communion, Indeed it well may be that the new Bishop, sensing the significance of the alli tion around him, will consider the opportun now offered him as a source of abundant inspiration. His experience has been gained in the very heart of the new China which is today groping for encouragement. He will thereby be greatly endowed with the perception of the spiritual needs of those who come: under his episcopal charge.
These are difficult days for men and women of the Christian faith, whether in China or further afield. They know that many of the deep-rooted principles of their profession are; being assailed on this or that ground of expediency. They cannot but feel that the doubts by Which the world become afflicted! are in themselves portents of failure or lack of resolution in their community. 'This depression should not lead to despair or even to endorsement of doubt. It should rather stimulate the discipline of self-examination fon which the Christian creed is so Armly based. As the humours of modern civiliza~ tion's malaise' involve nations and individuals in actions which sani to belie the humanity of the race, guidance should be sought on. the best manner of adjusting the mind and thought to the situation thus created, Intolerant indictments of human error, incoherent rebellion against the. mischances of fate and precipitate counsels of] despair should be rejected. The Christian may find that the conception of his faith has to be developed on newer lines of.a universal appeal which may imply adoption of the code: Humani whil a me alienum pute. Therein lies the-way to re-establish that greatest
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.