A DEPARTING MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 784, 6 April 1910, Page 9

A DEPARTING MINISTER.

FAREWELL TO REV. W. J.\WIL- :. ; i ;■:■■"•'■•': ' LIAMS. '. ...'" A social gathering was held in Trinity Methodist.Schoolroom, Newtown, last evening to take leave of' the Rev'. W. J.. Williams and Mrs. Williams, Mr. Williams having, /been transferred .to Oamaru. .Mr. J. Jamieson presided over a crowded . attendance. . Apologies were read from fellow-ministers and others, i • Mr. T. Fathers, superintendent qf the Sunday School, 6poke'of Mr. Williams as a tower of strength behind that institution, and: Mrs. Williams as a strong assistant in: its actual working., He thought that the Church had failed to-realise-the high ideds which Mr. Williams had set /himself inhisministry., By: many of the young people the, influence of Mr. -and Mrs. Williams would : hever-be forgotten, and the scholars, teachers, and officials of the • Sunday -School united to wish them the richest.:blessing' on their work- at Oamaru. (Applause.):J. P.;,bhand, .speaking for the con--riegatibni -that, they appreciated the faithfulness, of Mr. Williams to them : an<r,jtlie,- uplifting,- character or his;preaching.",'lThey thanked him forliis sympathy; and'the example which he had always set.; Mr. Williams's work had been far-reaching, and. he.wished to! .say ' ■farejvell" ;to, Mr. and "Mrs..'. Williams,, not in the:sense bt good-bye; but in the older literal,sense of the words. : Mr. G; Martin;.representing the trustees' and officers:of the church, thanked Mr. and Mrs. Williams, for the work they had done, and wished them "God speed■' in their new circuit. He Referred to tho high spiritual atmosphere which. Mr. Williams had promoted inthe.ohuroh and the lofty ideals which ho had set before the young people. Mr. Martin also referred to the.- financial circumstances of the'church,'.and .said, it was hoped that when the next balance-sheet was made up a sinking.fund;.would be,created which would gu towards paying off the debt. The trustees, had pledged themselves to erect an up-to-date Sunday school as soon as they were in a position to do so. On behalf of the No-License members and friends of the'congregation, he wished to express to Mr. Williamstheirgreat gratitude for; his fearless fight against the liquor traffic.

. Mrs. Boxshall spoke of the unremUtinj kindness arid labours of Mrs.: Williams. The congregation were parting with" true and tried friends. On .behalf of the members of Trinity Church,- Mrs. Boxshall presented Mr. and Mrs. Williams with a silver cake-stand, silver cruet, and silver entre dish, as tokens of their affection and esteem. .>

Mr. Williams; in • returning ' thanks, urged, upon parents the importance of attaching their-children-to the Church. : Be. was glad'that the church member-: ship had been considerably strengthened. There were great possibilities before the church ;if minister and people. , would work together 'for spiritual ends. He was glad; that "his successor, the Rev. Josiah Ward,,was an: enthusiast for.'NoLicense. ..:' '';

Mrs. Williams .also ' returned -thanks very feelingly to • the- congregation' in general, and to the special classes and organisations in particular, for. their sympathy and assistance, and also for their gift. Mrs. Williams, who has been the leader of the "Young.Women's Bible Class in the Sunday School, was presented by the class on Sunday with a silver epergne. Mr. and' Mrs.' Williams leave for Oamaru next week. ■ . •

N.Z. ALLIANCE FAREWELL. / The Rev. W. J. Williams arid . Mrs.' Williams were entertained yesterday by the New Zealand Alliance at a farewell tea in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms. The Rev. A. Dewdney (chairmaa of the New- Zealand Alliance Executive) presided, and among other guests : present were Mr. and Mrs; A. B.'Atkinson, the Rev. J. and Mrs. Dawson, Mr. and Mrs. Low, the Rev. W. I and Mrs. Coinrie, the Rev. J. J. and Mrs. North, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Finlay, Mr. and Mrs. Helyer, the' Hon. C. M. and Mrs. Luke, Mr. -and Mrs. -R. Denton, Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.,' and Mr. J.' P. Luke, M.P;, '...'■" • : ; ! Mr. i Dewdney expressed the regret of the Alliance Executive at the departure of 'Mr. and Mrs. Williams, and. their appreciation Of. the services rendered by both to the cause while in Wellington. Mr. Williams had an. intimate inside knowledge of the history of the No-Li-cense movement in New Zealand and. elsewhere, and a. sanity of judgment that had made his counsel most valuable. He was now going to live in Oam aru, where he would no longer have need, for aggressive work>.but would be able to'see the happy results of work that ho and others had already done. .He wished Mr. and Mr.s. Williams all success and happiness. Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P., spoke of his long acquaintance with Mr. Williams, and of the very high esteem in which he and his wife were held in Newtown. / ' Mr. A. R. Atkinson said that Mr. Williams had for years rendered invaluable help to. the No-License party, and espemally had he done so by his journalistic work. His articles dealing with the question had always been admirablo, and he had a genius for writing timely letters to the papers. The party recognised the help ho had given during the six months prior to last poll by the series of letters published in The Dominion. . The Rev. T. Fee also spoke. Mr. Williams, after thanking the speakers, spoke of the advance the NoLicense cause throughout the Dominion had made during the last four, years, and of the necessity for a constantly fearless aggressive policy. Mrs. Williams, in a charming little speech, thanked those who had expressed such warm appreciation 'of what she and Mr. Williams had been able to do for No-Licenso in Wellington. j