CHAPTER XV.

1879-1881.

Twenty-fifth Year of Episcopate-Address of Clergy-Memorial Fund established-Excessive Work and Anxiety-Church and School Lands-Tokens of Progress in Diocese-License refused to a Clergyman-Diocesan Synod, 1880-Report on Sunday SchoolsReport ordered on Progress of Diocese in Twenty-five YearsRaikes' Centenary-Arrival of Bishop of Newcastle - Twentysixth Anniversary-Serious Illness, Partial Recovery-Departure for England, 1881 Letter to Clergy - Voyage and Arrival in England-San Remo-General Synod in Sydney, 1881-Letter from Members of General Synod and Bishop's Reply.

THE 30th of November, 1879, marked the close of the twenty-fifth year of the Bishop's episcopate. Falling on Advent Sunday, it passed without any special recognition of a diocesan character; but on the following day a large number of the clergy assembled in the Church Society's House to present to him an address of congratulation, and to express the sentiments of affection and esteem with which he was regarded by them and the clergy of the diocese, nearly every one of whom had attached their signatures to the address. As an historical document, it is given without abbreviation; it was as follows:

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, FREDERIC, LORD BISHOP OF SYDNEY AND METROPOLITAN. DEAR LORD BISHOP,-We, the undersigned clergy of your lordship's diocese, desire, upon the twenty-fifty anni

versary of your consecration to the high office which you hold, to give expression to those sentiments of warm attachment and affectionate regard which we entertain towards you, and to record our deep thankfulness to the Great Head of the Church for having preserved you so long to preside over us.

When we look back to the condition of the diocese at the time when it was entrusted to your care, and reflect upon the manifold progress of the Church within it during that period, and upon the efforts made by you to promote its spiritual advancement, we cannot but feel how much is due, under the Divine blessing, to your wisdom and energy, your zeal and prudence, for the position which it now occupies, and for its having surmounted so many difficulties.

By the establishment of the Church Society soon after your arrival, an impulse was given to Church extension which was felt to the remotest parts of your diocese, and its agency ever since has been productive of the most valuable results.

The creation of the Dioceses of Goulburn and Bathurst by the subdivision of your own—thus following in the steps of your revered predecessor, Bishop Broughton-and more recently the formation of the Diocese of Northern Queensland, are important features in the work which you have been instrumental in accomplishing. The necessity for these bishoprics had arisen from the growth of the Church under your fostering care, and the requirement of a more effective oversight of the increasing number of clergy and congregations located in places so remote from the centre. The attainment of these great objects owes much to your own personal and persevering efforts.

The introduction of synodical action, by which the laity have been brought into the councils of the Church, and its successful working under your lordship's wise and fatherly guidance, is another important event by which your episcopate has been distinguished.

The completion and consecration of the cathedral, its

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constitution having been previously determined by the Diocesan Synod, the provision made for the training of the clergy with a view to securing an adequate supply, with other measures minor in importance, but all tending to the upbuilding of the Church of which you are the chief pastor, may be referred to, but upon them we do not dwell.

We rejoice to know that, in grateful commemoration of the benefits derived from your lordship's presidency over us, a movement has been commenced for the establishment of a fund to be called, 'The Church Buildings' Loan Fund for the Diocese of Sydney.' We assure you that this fund has our hearty sympathy and our best endeavours will be given to render it successful.

In conclusion, we earnestly pray that the great and gracious Master whom we serve in the Gospel may be pleased yet more abundantly to prosper your labours for the edifying of His Church, and to grant to your lordship and ourselves such measures of His grace that we may be ever found striving together for the advancement of truth, peace, and godliness to the glory of His holy name.

We remain, dear Lord Bishop,

With strong feelings of regard and esteem,

Your faithful and affectionate servants.

The fund spoken of in the latter part of this address was initiated shortly after in a meeting of clergy and laity convened for that purpose in the Church Society's House. At that meeting the sentiments expressed in the address from the clergy, were warmly reciprocated by the laity, and a resolution was unanimously adopted, 'That a fund, to be called the Barker Church Buildings' Loan Fund, be established in commemoration of the completion of the twenty-fifth year of the Bishop's episcopate, and the benefits conferred upon the diocese thereby.'

The principle of the fund was to make loans to parishes for limited periods upon approved security, for the purpose of aiding them in the erection of Churches and other Church buildings, repayment to be made by instalments, without interest, at regular intervals until the whole sum borrowed had been returned. The fund has proved to be of great value to the Church. Numerous loans have been thus made, and the amounts have been regularly repaid as they became due without any losses incurred. The peculiarity of the fund is that it is always enriching others, itself undergoing no diminution. Practically it gives largely, yet loses nothing by giving. In September, 1887, the fund amounted to 9349%.

The year 1880 proved to be the last of the Bishop's active service for his heavenly Master, and the record of that year's service, month by month. and week by week, shows both the extent and variety of his engagements and the untiring assiduity of his labours. With the exception of a partial rest of not quite three weeks in the Kurrajong with Mrs. Barker in the months of January and February, he appears to have taken no other relaxation throughout the year, and there can scarcely be a doubt that the complete breakdown of his health at the close of the year was the natural consequence of the too severe strain which had been put upon his physical and mental powers.

In the early part of the year the Public Instruction Act was still under discussion in the Legislature, and he bestowed upon it much time and attention in the hope of saving the Church of England schools from

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extinction. With the clergy and laity who were anxious for their preservation he held many meetings and conferences, and was engaged in endeavours to secure this end, though with how little success has been already told, and it was no small discouragement and anxiety to him when the final decision of the Parliament was pronounced against the continuance after the year 1883 of State aid to denominational schools. It was discouraging, because of the special efforts which he had made to improve the quality and raise the standard of teaching in those schools in the expectation of their being permanent; and a source of anxiety, because of the loss which would be incurred by the young in being deprived of the privileges of religious training which they had hitherto enjoyed.

There was another question which, at this time, was also a source of anxiety to him, and which, notwithstanding all the efforts which he made, with the advice of the Standing Committee of the Synod, was decided in a manner which he could not

consider either equitable or just. It was the disposal of certain lands known as the Church and School Lands, from which the Church of England in the colony, in common with some other religious bodies, derived an annual revenue. A Bill had been brought into the Legislative Assembly to declare these lands waste lands of the Crown, and to appropriate the income derived from them to purposes of public education.

In order to elucidate the claim of the Church to a portion of the revenue derived from the leases of these lands, it is necessary to state that in the year