But Bishop Moorhouse's selection of him for the latter post was primâ facie evidence of his confidence in him, and augured well for the existence of happy relations between Bishop and Dean, relations which, as a matter of fact, have always been most happily maintained since.[1] At one move, it will be seen, there became vacant the Archdeaconry of Manchester, the Rural Deanery of Rochdale, an Hon. Canonry and the living of Rochdale. The choice of the Bishop fell upon the Rev. James Maurice Wilson, the distinguished headmaster of Clifton College, who became at once Vicar of Rochdale and Archdeacon of Manchester.
Dean Maclure's appointment was the subject of unlimited comment, which is not to be greatly wondered at, for it afforded one of the few examples of a parish priest stepping straightway into the Deanery of his own Diocese. By this time the new Dean had won for himself a reputation as a judicious “High Churchman,” but more especially as a hard and strong-minded worker.
- ↑ At a visitation of the Cathedral body held on April 2nd this year (1902), the Bishop referring to the Cathedral and its relations to the City and Diocese observed:—“There is yet another advantage still left to the Diocese by the existing constitution of the Cathedral. Fortunately, in undertaking the cure of souls with which he has been charged in the residuary parish, the Dean has abundant assistance, and thus he is at liberty to do important work in this city. To him I desire to express my personal thanks for welcome and most valuable co-operation. People sometimes forget that I am responsible for the spiritual oversight of more than 2,000,000 souls outside the boundary of Manchester and Salford. But the Dean does not forget the fact, and often when I am absent in other parts of the Diocese he supplies any lack of service to both churches and institutions in the city.”
