ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1988, 19 February 1914, Page 6

ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH.

HONOURING THE PASTOR,

I'he congregation of St. 'Andrew's Church mot, in St. Andrew's Hall last evening to bid farewell to their minister, the Rev. J. Gibson Smith", wlio iB leaving ,04 a six months' • holiday, for England. .Tllo Rev, A.. 0. W» Standidge presided.

11. Browii, session clerk of:' St. And row' a' Church, referred in very worm terms, to .'the good. Work, done'by-.'Mr. Smith) and to the high esteem in which ha was. held by his congregation. Mr, Brown asked Mr. 'Smith to accept, on behalf, of the Board of Managers and congregation, a purSo of sovereigns, a? a token of thoir feeling towards him. • Mr. Smith s.qid that, lie could not find words to express his deep gratitude for' their' great kindness to }iim, not only for the tangible token with which they had presented him., but: for tho kind .way in. which .the. speakers' h.ad referred'to him. Ho whb glad, ho said, to .bo able to soy that nis short furlough in tho south haA done mueli to recuperate his health, and ho hoped that when be returned from England he Would feel fit an(jb capable to again take up his' work among tnom.' Ottjer speakers were the Rev. E. H. Harries, who is to ocdupy the pulpit at St. Andrew's' while Mr. Smith' is away, and the Rev. J. Kennedy Elliot, Moderator of the . Wellington Presbytery. ■

During the everting a programme of ■items -was' Riven, tile following contributing;: Miss Smith and IJes'srs, Kenny,Newton.; Lillicrap, and Goiidie. Later hi thp evening a social' was lielrl, and Sir. Smith took the opportunity of pcrsouaJiy saying farewell to members'of his congregation.