LATE SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1872, 4 October 1913, Page 6

LATE SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL.

TRIBUTE BY BISHOP AVERILL. The following reference to tho lata Sir William Russell as a ohurohm&n was mado by the Anglican Bishop- of Waiapu (Dr. Averill) in his address to tho Diocesan Synod at Napier yesterday :— The sudden, unexpected and lamented death of Sir William Russell will leave a blank in the ranks of tho Church militant which it will bo very, difficult to fill. Although his many publio duties prevented him from serving tho Church in tho \ capacity of synodsman, yet bo willingly, put bis high administrative capabilities and powers at tho disposal of tho Church, and at tho timo of his death was a trustee of To' Auto C-ollogo Trust Board, a truoteo of tlio Bishopric Endowment Fund, and a member of tho "Bishoprio Endowment Fund Business Csmmittco. His life as a pslitician and public man has.been an object-lesson and an inspiration, and his namo will go down to postority not only untarnished by any blots bnt associated with tho higliost ideals of -honour, integrity and chivalry. Ho could only be what ho was, for his wholo lifo was the truo life of a Christian English gentleman, and he lived up to the standard of bis inbred instincts. Hawko's Bay will miss him, New Zealand will miss him, many lessor souls struggling to livo above tho lower ideals antl conventionalities of lifo will miss tlio inspiration of bis lifo and. example, but it is good for us all that ho has lived and let his light shine before men, for ho has shown us something of tho real meaning of life, and the possibility of living a real life of service in tho world and for tho world, without being conformed to the world and losing touch with tho true source of all noble and unselfish service. We mourn his loss, and wo thank God for his life. Wo believe that his namo will bo "writ largo" in the pagos of tho history of New Zealand, and wo dare to believe that his namo will be written in tho Book of Life whioh will still exist when tho world and all its records have ceased to be. I dosiro to express tho sympathy of tho diocese with Lady Russell and family in their sad bereavement.