A POPULAR CLERIC

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2536, 10 August 1915, Page 6

A POPULAR CLERIC

$ . ARCHDEACON HARPER TENDERED A FAREWELL SOCIAL There was a very large attendance in rst. Peter s .Schoolroom last. nHit "hen a social evening was tendered to j-vichdeacon and Mrs. Harper, w ], ™ killing shortly lor England. Tho ocei ■s.'on was taken to make the presen v ° , a cheque to Archdeacon Han or and this, with ;.n accompanying letter' iias handed over by Mr. R. 'Wilberfoss' paushioneTs churchwarden. Th" letter expressed, on behalf „f the pL|J *f bt Icier s and St. Michael's, Kelburn the sorrow Jelt because Archdeacon Warper had, lelt compelled to ! his connection with the parish 'Tho present satisfactory position 'of the church work- was felt to be dun (w l • untiring efforts, and the ma r ke(l j ' r.ieased attendances wero proof of the ■''hie of bis ministrations. Tha letter »as signed on behalf of the\es ,T a <>f Te Aro > Kdburn, parishioners. SOl1 ' tlii Sir. Wilberfoss said Hmf i,„' n grofc ieifc not only by the nori-iimM-but by many people outside the" 1 church' worl-'wfT H!lrper ' s departure. His woik had been most strenuous -ind no call upon him had over been neVcct ed. He would h e missed tlirouEimnt the province. Mr. Wilberfoss "neonfusion, expressed sincere at tlio Aiclidoacon s departure, which ho hat) pened to know was due to his stro, , sense, of duty. itro "!= Mr. H. E. Evans, on behalf of tho churchwardens and parishioners of St Micha-ol s, Kelburn, said Hint muiv people at kelburn would have occasion to remember special deeds of kindness ex ended to then, by Archdeacon Harper llioy.hoped that very shortly his oik there would be rewarded by tho erection at a suitable church buildin" ■Jhero was one thing that should bo specially recorded, and that was Archdeacon Harper's work in respect to tho present war. This was a timo when tho churcn was looked to to keep alive tin f'iifl ' . worH ', a " d koe P ali ™ the faith and power which would survive the present struggle. The church lad one of tho greatest opportunities it eier had of reaching the hearts of the people now, and those who hid come in contact with Archdeacon Har«<,ul'illg ! ho imt l;iiow flntv nn'i c,ll, " cl ' Perform its duty and impress that opportunity. Ihe.v parted with him and with Mrs Harper with great regret, and hoped to neai that ho had been appointed to a position of responsibility, not becauso a position of responsibility was a position of honour, but because such a position would allow Archdcacon Ifarper to put into operation that princip o ol sacrifice and work which ho bad always practised here. The Bishop of Wellington (Dr. vSprott) said that ho hcartilv agreed with all the previous speakers had said. Wo. did not think it would bo easy to hnd in New Zealand any man 'who would bo so much missed in many svays as tho Archdeacon. Ho had held maiiy olnces in their diocese and in tlio Church' of New Zealand generally, and they had all been filled with supreme success. (Applause.) He had-abound-ii'S physical energy, and combined with that great mental alertness, and, a quality rarely found in the clergy, great business capacity. _ Along with those lhreo_ qualities, which wero very seldom combined, ho ako possessed in a high degree the qualities of a parish priest. (Applause.) His work in Patoa, Palmerston North, and St. Peter's ,had been solid and lasting, and been dono with supremo excellency -and success. Mrs. Harper had been a great helper in every way, and as Archdeacon Harper himself would say, a largo part of the work had been duo to Mrs. Harper. (Applause.) He joined with tlioso present in wishing that God's richest blessing should be with him and his, now and always. (Applause.) Archdeacon Harper, in responding, said that it was just a littlo over five years since ho came amongst thorn. Somo people might think that a long period, but he thought that if a parish priest was to do some good ho should not he in any hurry to leave. He could say, however, that in his 21 years' work in the diocese ho had only been in three parishes. A warm ivclcomo had been extended to him when ho arrived, and that wclcomo had been carried out with tho utmost consistency. lie could not 'help feeling that tho "position St. Peter's held in Wellington made tlio ivork second to none, becauso they touchcd such a large portion of tho population, and many of their congregation lived in rooms or boardinghouses. With regard to tlio vicerago there was none that they could have lilcod so much as they had liked tlio vicerago hero. He did not think that ho deserved quite everything that had been said, for he had been supported by splendid workers and colleagues, and it was tho lay workers that desorved tho credit for tlio work that had been done. In conclusion he said t'hat he would never forget tho earnest response made to any lead ho may have been able to givo in connection with the terrible war they wero r.oiv experiencing. The remarks in'ade by the Bishop with reference to Mrs. Harper were perfectly right, for sho had given great intimate assistance in _ his work. He thanked all for their kindness, and for tlie_ tangible evidence tliey had given of their good wishes. During tlio evening numerous musical items were given by the choir and others.