PRESENTATION.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2649, 14 August 1871, Page 2

PRESENTATION.

AJargehumber of gentlemen assembled at the City Council Chambers to-day to witness the presentation of a testimonial from the ‘ Protestants of Dunedin to the Rev. Father Moreau, who is about to leave for the North Island. Amongst those present we noticed the Mayor, the Revs. E. G. Edwards, and E. H. Grainger, Messrs R. B. Martin, J. Logan, T, Kempthorne, C. Reeves, Duncan, &c. Mr H. J. Walter made the presentation, and in doing so stated that he had been requested by a large number of his fellow Protestants to present the ■ Rev. Father Moreau with a small token of the esteem in which the rev. gentleman was held by the Protestants of this City. Having lived in Dunedin for a considerable time, he bad had opportunities of meeting the rev. gentleman engaged in the good work of charity; and for himself he could testify tha the, character given him in the testimonial was fully deserved. He regretted that some one more able had not been selected to make the- presentation—one. who would have been able to do the matter justice—but the work having fallen upon him, he should be wanting in duty were Ife not to make the attempt. A small purse of sovereigns'had been collected, amounting, he believed, to LSI ss—(Applause.) He would briefly read the testimonial, which was as follows : To the Rev Father Moreau, We, the undersigned Protestants of Dunedin, beg to present you with the accompany, ing testimonial of our esteem and respect for your kind and genial feeling towards all classes during your long residence amongst us : and we trust that you may be long spared for a life of similar usefulness. -We beg to remain, &c. [Here followed over 100 signatures.] He had merely to observe that the rev. gentleman’s departure was viewed with regret by all classes of the community. (Applause.) The testimonial would be illuminated and forwarded to the rev. gei - tleman after his departure. In conclusion, he had to convey, on behalf of the committee, their thanks to the Mayor for granting the use of the Council Chamber. The Rev. E. G. Edwards desired to be allowed to add a word or two to what Mr Walter had said. He would like to say, on behalf of the clergy and members of the Church of England, that they united in wishing Father Moreau long life and happiness. They thoroughly sympathised with him in the disasters which the rev. gentleman’s Church in Franca had sustained, and especially in the heavy losses it had sustained in the death of the clergy of that Church, and more particularly in tlie death —lie might say the heroic death — and he might add the martyrdom, of the Archbishc p of Paris.—(Applause). • There was one thing he wished to mention, and it was this. That throughout that most unhappy war, which he hoped was now ended, a good feeling had prevailed between the Roman Catholic and the Protestant clergy.. It was only the other day that he was reading an account of a wounded French soldier being taken to a hospital. The clergyman in attendance was a Roman Catholic clergyman, and on finding out that the soldier was a Protestant, he at once sent a message to the Protestant minister, and attended to the wounded man until that clergyman arrived. Similar acts were performed by Protes'ant clergymen for Catho.ic soldiers. He thought this was one of tlie very few bright features in that most unhappy war. He would aga<n assure the rev. gentleman that he had took with him the hearty good wishes of tlie clergy and members of-the. Church of England.— (Applause). Mr J. G. S. Grant respectfully requested, on behalf of the outside public, to be allowed to expr ss to Father Moreau the almost universal feeling of sorrow and regret at his departure from Dunedin, after a lengthened period of usefulness in this the first City in the Colony. (Applause ) He did not know what other people might think of the rev, gentleman’s deportment throughout his stay here, but he (Mr Grant) had never seen his angelic presence amongst them except to dir3 pense benignity and charity. To him, the rev gentleman had seemed to be almost a reappearance of that distinguished French p elate the Archbishop of Gam bray, whose whole life and labors had been in the cause of charity. It was greatly to be regretted that Father Moreau was leaving Dunedin, because he (Mr Grant) had a mournful presentiment that the (ires of sectarian bigotry were to be rekindled here—lires whch had invariably pioduced disasters in and despoiled many old countries. For himself he had never yet spoken in approbation of any man in this Colony, but he could not help expressing his heartfelt sorrow that they were about to lose the rev. gentleman—not so much because he was a member of the most ancient Church, but because he was a distinguished ornament of our common humanity.—(Loud applause.) He could assure the rev. gentleman—whatever differences of opinion there might be about his (Mr Grant’s) peculiarities—that he was most heartily sorry at his departure. He could only add, “ May God’s peace accompany you.—(Loud applause.) Father Moreau, who spoke with very great difficulty, said in effect ; He was very sensible and grateful for the honor that had been paid him by such a large number of his fellow-citizens. Of course, he had little to say about himself; his residence in Dunedin had been so lengthy that its inhabitants were able to judge of his conduct for themselves. It was twenty-nine years to-morrow since he left France to come to New Sealant! ; and now he was leaving Otago for another part of the Noith 'slaud. He was at the first sent to labor among the Maoris ; and in all probability would return to labor among them/ He was very thankful to the subscribers for the testimonial, which would be of material help to him in his work. This mark of esteem from the citizens of Dunedin recalled to his mind the many kindnesses lie had received from all classes in 1859, and the kindnesses he had met with in travelling through the country districts on different occasions during his sojourn here, Refeiring to what the Rev. Mr Edwards had said, he hoped the disastrous wavs of France were over, and that she would soon recover from their effects. She unfortunately was now a large field for the exercise of charity. Regarding what Mr Grant had said, he had to state that he came here by obedience, had remained here by obedience, and returned to the Moith by obedience. On leaving here he f it that the charge of the pariah was in better hands ; and he hoped that there would always be peace in the Church. Considerable interest was manifested in the proceedings. The credit of getting up

the testimonial is, we believe, mainly due to Mr W. Strachan, of the Victoria Brewery. A deputation of the French Catholics in Dunedin waited on Father Moreau on Saturday, and presented to him a silver patens, as a token of respect. The inscription on the palene is “ An ptre Moreau. Souvenir d'esthne et de respect dcs Franea'is rieidant d Dvncdin. 9 Auiit, 1871.