accorded, acknowledging with gratitude the liberality of the English contributors; appealing for support to the members of the Church, and urging upon the inhabitants of Melbourne especially, to aid in the completion of St. Paul's.
The new church at Brighton was opened October 12th, when the Rev. Mr. Brickwood officiated, and towards the end of the month the Rev. Mr. Robb left Gippsland for Van Diemen's Land, receiving an address and testimonial prior to departing. The Rev. J. H. Davies, recently arrived, was appointed Archdeacon, and accepted the pastorate of St. Peter's. Archdeacon Macartney was appointed Dean and transferred to St. James' (Melbourne).
On Sunday, the 2nd November, what was described as "an outrageous occurrence" happened in Gippsland. The Rev. Mr. Bean announced at a service at the Mitchell River that he should officiate there again, either on Sunday, the 7th, or Sunday, the 14th December, when a person named Ward excitedly exclaimed—"Sunday is not the 7th, but the 8th—no! the 9th." There was much commotion, and the vociferator was only saved from rough treatment by the tact and forbearance of the minister, who happened to be right in his reckoning of the calendar. The Rev. A. A. Strong, for some time in charge of St. James', decided upon returning to England at the end of the year, and on Sunday, 28th December, addressed a valedictory discourse to his parishioners. At the opening of 1852 the following changes were effected:— Dr. Macartney, Dean of Melbourne and Minister of the Cathedral of St. James', vice Strong ; Rev. W. Merry went home on account of ill health; Rev. C. T. Perks translated to Richmond, was succeeded at St. Peter's by the Rev. Mr. Handfield; Rev. E. Collins, of Geelong, was given three months' leave of absence, his place to be filled by the Rev. G. Drummond; Mr. J. Potter was admitted to Holy Orders, and stationed at Williamstown; and the Rev. J. S. Gregory had been for some time detached as a Missionary to Mount Alexander, then revolutionised by the untold golden treasures of which it was the unconscious holder for centuries perhaps uncountable. The Bishop had announced that he would hold his primary visitation for the Archdeaconry of Melbourne at St. James' Cathedral on 21st January.
The Census taken on the 2nd March, 1851, showed the number of Church of England worshippers in the colony as 37,443, and of these there were 10,945 in the City of Melbourne. The gold discoveries, before the year had run out, unexpectedly disarranged all the calculations of the statists, and whirled religion as well as every other public institution along the railroad of life with a more than express speed. Dr. Perry kept at the helm through times of great peril, and remained faithfully at his post until increasing years and arduous exertions warned him of the prudence of handing over his episcopal trust to a younger and stronger hand. H e accordingly did so, and, on the 26th April, 1874, departed from the colony.
In 1881, the Church of England population of Victoria numbered some 325,000 persons, and there were 172 registered clergymen, 573 churches, providing accommodation for 76,402 worshippers, 44,825 of whom usually attended at the 29,199 services approximately performed during the preceding year.
The items referred to in the foregoing paragraph are thus stated in Mr. Hayter's Statistics for l886-7:— Population (estimated), 356,420[1]; Registered Ministers, 201; Churches and other Buildings used for Public Worship, 883, providing accommodation for 103,185 Worshippers; Services, 46,143; Average Attendance, 58,862.
- ↑ Including Free Church of England and Protestants not otherwise defined.
