OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2266, 28 September 1914, Page 4

OBITUARY

THE REV. JOHN STILL. A FRIEND OF, THE SELWYNS. Before commencing his sermon at St. Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral yesterday morning the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott; stated that he had received a letter from Miss Still announcing the death of the itov. John Still, who was vicar of St. Paul's," Wellington, from ISBS to 1891. The Bishop said that Mr. Still was taken ill at an early celebration of the Holy Communion and diod in tho church., Mr. Still was one of the Bishop's (Joininissaries in England, and tho Bishop stated that the fact that the standard of the clergy of the Diocese of Wellington had become the highest in New Zealand was in no small degree duo to the great care Mr. Still took in the selection of clergy for vacant parishes whenever his assistance was callod upon. On behalf of those parishioners who knew Mr. Still ho would convey to Miss Still an expression of their deepest sympathy and their great regret at Mr.- Still's death. The following "in memoriam" notice, over the initials "S.J.S." appears in. the "Guardian" of August 20:— "There always seems to be an e'arly, Eucharist atmosphere about your father." So wrote one who loved him to John Still's daughter, and it was at the early Eucharist on Sunday ; week, just as he had prayed for all those who through the war were in trouble or sorrow, and had commended the 60ula of the departed to the mercy of God, that ho was himself called into the peace that passeth understanding. John Still was born on May 8, 1845, at Sutton, Surrey. He was educated at Winchester and Caius. His fame on the river at Cambridge is imperishable. Four times he rowed against Oxford, and was it not he who when "seven" in the Cambridge crew of '69 fell ill on the Friday before the raca, came up from Cuddesdon after being down for nine months, rowed a full course on the Saturday, and the race itself on the Wednesday, and, as the papers said: "Mr. Still was not by any means the worst oar in the boat at the end of the race"? It was at Cambridge that he formed the friendship of his life—with John Selwyn, also a rowing Blue, afterwards his vicar, then his bishop, ever and always his .dearest friend. From Cambridge he went to Ouddesdon; in 1869 ho was ordained deacon, and in 1870 priest by Bishop G. A. Selwyn at Lichfield. In 1871 John Selwyn became Vicar of St. George's, Wolverhampton, and John Still at once went, to him. And that parish, hitherto distracted and torn asunder, received as vicar and curate two of the merriest and most cheerful souls in England. With Frank Waters (now Prebendary of Lichfield) to help them; the tempest of men's passions was assuaged, and, to quote John Selwyn's jest, the barque of-the Church sailed "in Still Waters." But only for a short wliilewere they to remain in England. In 1872 Bishop Patteson was martyred, and Still and Selwyn instantly volunteered to go out to Melanesia. There together they worked for six years—years of trial, of sadness, of loss, but ever cheered by the love each bore for Christ and for the other. In 1876 John Still married Elizabeth Nihil!, herself the daughter of one whose short life ended as a mission, ary in the South Pacific. In 1877 John Selwyn became-his Bishop; .both then looked forward to an unbroken life's work together—but it was not to be. In J879 Mi's. Still's health forbade her living anv .longer in Norfolk Island, and to his/intense' r grief.he had to give up the work.' But his name is not forgotten, nor will be in Melanesia.

From Me!anesia i Still returned to England to work for'six years in Wiltshire —then once again to the Southern Cross to take charge of St. Paul's Pro-Cathe-dral, Wellington., from 1885 to 1891: After that came yeare of especial trial —first the long continued illness of his wife, whom he nursed' with a tenderness too sacred to he spoken of, till she was called to her rest in 1594, while the second great Mow fell in the death of John Solw.vn in 1898. From Wiltshire ho was- called by his College to livings in the Norwich Diocese, where he won the hearts of the' people as truly and as fully as hfe had won the eager lada at Ulawa and the- gentler-natured West Countrymen, as was evident to those of us who on Wednesday stood by the 'open grave at Hethorsett and saw that great gathering of clergy and peopla' and knew their common sorrow. SUDDEN DEATH OF ARCHDEACOr* GOULD. (By TeloeraDh —Press Association.) ' Dunedin, September 27. 'Archdeacon Gould, Vicar of Sfc Paul's Cathedral, died suddenly thia morning. When a servant entered the dining-room of the vicarage at 7 o'clock she was horrified to see the archdeacon lying on the floor quite dead._ He had evidently been sitting in a chair, and apparently feeling unwell, had risen either to get something for himself or to call for assistance, and fell forward, bring-* ing the chair over on top of him. The Very Rev. Henry George Gould was born in Wolverhampton, England, in 1851. He arrived in Lyttelton in 1873,) was ordained deacon in 1874, and priest in 1877. He was appointed to Oamaru in 1890 as Archdeacon of Oamaru.. Several years ago, at the invito* tion of Bishop Neville, he came to Dunedin, and had resided here ever since. Tho archdeacon had not complained or feeling ill and as he had not recently, been attended by a, medical man an m« quest will be necessary: