Moorhouse then became curate to Canon Harvey at Hornsey, the beginning of a great friendship, and in 1861 he was appointed select preacher before the university of Cambridge.

His sermons, which made a great impression, were published in that year under the title, Some Modern Difficulties Respecting the Facts of Nature and Revelation.

He was much gratified to receive an invitation from his old college, St John's, to sit for a fellowship, but was obliged to decline the honour as on 12 September 1861 he had married Mary Lydia Sale,[1] the daughter of his former vicar.

His income was small and the parish was a drab one, but his preaching attracted well-to-do people from other parts of London, who took sittings in his church.

Moorhouse's distinguished record and many notable publications led to an offer of the see of Melbourne, vacated by Charles Perry.

Consecrated at Westminster Abbey on 22 October 1876, Moorhouse was installed on 11 January 1877 at St James's Cathedral, William Street, Melbourne.

Before the discovery of gold 25 years before, Melbourne was a small provincial town, it was now an established city with a quarter of a million inhabitants.

Much as the churches had done it had been difficult to keep pace with such progress, and Moorhouse realised that men of ability should be encouraged to become clergymen, and that they should be properly trained.

Trinity College had recently been built and affiliated with the university, and Moorhouse decided that if possible all candidates for orders should reside there for three years and take a degree.

It is interesting to know that practically within the span of Moorhouse's life Trinity College contributed six bishops to the Anglican church.

He began delivering a series of lectures in the autumn of each year on the Bible, on the gospel and city life of Corinth, on religion and science.

After much discussion the site was chosen as the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets and William Butterfield as the architect,[1] but the raising of the money became a great problem.

He was heartened by a gift of £10,000 from Sir William Clarke, and even more by the receipt of £5000 from an anonymous Presbyterian, who was subsequently found to be Francis Ormond.

The foundation stone of St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne was laid on 13 April 1880 and the building was completed except for the spires in 1891.

His preaching and lecturing lost none of its force and fervour, but after he reached 75 years of age in 1901 he began to suffer from bronchitis and loss of sleep.

He was a tremendous worker and student, he had a clear logical mind, a sense of humour, great sincerity, and a natural gift of eloquence.

His name is commemorated in the series of Moorhouse lectures inaugurated in 1910 by Dr Green, Bishop of Ballarat,[7] and perpetuated by Arthur Headlam,[8] J. Stephen Hart,[9] and others.