Vicar of Conisborough – Institution and Induction

Vicar of Conisborough
Institution and Induction

The office for the admission of a priest to a Cure of Souls, one of the most solemn and beautiful of the quasilegal ceremonies of the Church of England, was duly performed in the fine old parish church of St Peter, Conisborough, on Tuesday evening, when the Bishop of Sheffield, assisted by the Archdeacon of Doncaster, instituted and inducted the Rev Harry Lee, B.A., lately vicar of Denaby Main, to the vicariate of Conisborough, vacant by the death in October 16, 1926 of the Rev William Alfred Strawbridge, M.A., who was vicar for 29 years.

The church was carried to its fullest capacity, and the congregation included large contingent from the neighbouring parishes of Denbigh Main and Mexborough, in which the new vicar at previously served, and when he had made many friends.

The Ceremony

the service was according to the form approved by the Bishop, and commenced with a processional hymn after which the oath of allegiance to the King and cannonical obedience to the Bishop, and made a declaration of assent to the 39 articles of Religion and the Book of, Prayer.

This was followed by the ceremonial institution, and after prayers and singing, the Bishop Brennan sealed the letters of institution, and bless the new incumbent.

Then followed the ceremony of induction. The new vicar was accompanied to the church door by the Archdeacon, who then inducted him into the “real, actual and corporal possession of the church, and all the rights, profits and appurtenances thereto belonging,” adding “The Lord preserve thy going out at night coming in, from this time forth forevermore.”

The new vicar thereupon told about a signifier to the parishioners at large that he had taken possession, and he then visited the font, Fred S, the lectin and the altar, the Bishop the while reciting appropriate passage of Scripture following each case by the Episcopal admonition.

During the ceremony the choir and congregation sang appropriate sections of the, “We love the place, all God.”

Following the vicar’s pledge to God and the Church, and the congregation’s pledge to the vicar, the Archdeacon offered the appointed prayer for the blessing of God Almighty on priests and people.

The Bishop then made is address included reference to the previous and new vicar:

The Late Vicar

“You have come tonight to very definite stage in your parochial history. There is nothing so important in any parish of the coming of a new vicar. You have had for many years the Ministry of one was a very good scholar, who had a very considerable knowledge of the interpretation the right meaning of God’s All the Work, and was very particular about all the matters connected with the administration of the parish, and I called to mind is a very vivid memory of the early days of my espiscopate that I reopen this ancient and beautiful house of God are six restoration being undertaken by your vicar, which means bountifully supplied by you.

That was a very notable incident in the incumbency of any man, a very great achievement.

This is the first time in a member nearly all of you that there has been an institution of a new vicar in Conisborough. I always think the last vicar was a very happy in the manner of his death. I should like to die like that myself, to pass, nearly direct from the house of God in which I had honoured, to stand in the immediate presence of the Saviour. I think it is very touching that almost the last thing he did was to put up a record of the Vickers of Conisborough for a very long time past, after preparing the listeners into trouble and original research.”

The New Vicar

“Now you are going to have as your vicar one who is no stranger to you. I imagine there are a good many people present who know your new vicar very well indeed. The living Conisborough is in the gift of the Bishop of the dioceses, and I think that your parochial Church Council will bear me out when I say that I took great pains to ascertain what would be the wish of the people of this parish with regard to the appointment of a vicar. I never like speaking much about a man in his presence, and, as you know your new vicar so well, there is the lease need to do so. I believe that you, my dear brethren, will ‘watch for their souls.’ This

I think I may say that that is what I have seen proof before this, and that you will be diligent and devout in your administration; that you know that you have got to give an account of it one day.

“I should like to say here that I’m very grateful to the churchwardens of Conisborough for the pains are taken during the interregnum, a very good test both the churchwardens and congregation. They have taken great pains to see that the services were thoroughly well maintained and carried on during the vacancy. I wish especially to commend the work of your own lay reader, was most faithfully and successfully laboured amongst you, and I’m sure he will continue his good work; also the lay reader – one of our dive scene lay readers – from outside, who has conducted the services with the very marked approval of the congregation. What we should do without these lay readers, I do not now.

It is comparatively a new thing in the Church, and it is a very good thing. I do not know what we should do without them today.”

A Helpmeet

“I am very thankful that the work of the women, especially young women, will not be neglected under the new regime, because your vicar is blessed with a good helpmeet had home.

There is nothing more important for a parish and that there should be a good woman at the vicarage, one who can help her husband that his work is very few who can help their husbands in other walks of life.

Here is your new vicar, dear people, and I commend him to you. I know you will work hard, and I believe that he will diligently watch for your souls. I hope and believe that when you and he and I and all others have to give our account before God, we shall not regret having this day held its most beautiful and solemn service, and ask God’s blessing on this new ministry.”