CENTRAL MISSION

Evening Star, Issue 20134, 26 March 1929, Page 16

CENTRAL MISSION

FAREWELL TO REV. W. WALKER The Trinity Church, S'tuart street, was filled last night when the congregation and friends of the Central Mission gathered to bid farewell to the Rev, W, Walker, who is leaving Dunedin to occupy the pulpit of the Pitt Street Methodist Church, Auckland. Mr D. C. Cameron presided, and with him were a number of the representatves of other churches. Mr Cameron commenced by thanking tho minister (the Rev. H. hi. Belllionse) and tho trustees of the Trinity Church for allowing them the use of Trinity Church for tho farewell function. It was another evidence of the good feeling that existed between the Trinity Church and the Central Mission. He read a number of apologies from friends of the church. Mr Walker, he said, had put in six years’ magnificent work in this city, and although they were sorry to lose him they felt that the best years of his life were ahead of him, and the Pitt Street Church would have the benefit of his services.

The Rev. H. E. Rellhouso (chairman of the Otago district) said that he felt keenly the separation that was pending between himself and Mr Walker whom he had known for many years. Some sixteen or seventeen years ago ho had nominated Mr Walker as a candidate for the ministry, and later he helped to ordain him. A few months later ho helped to unite -him to Mrs Walker. All the years he had known Mr Walker he had cherished the deepest friendship and esteem for him. Me had always found him a loyal colleague and would miss him. The Central Mission would also miss him- In his judgment, aiid he was sure all would agree with him, Mr Walker had rendered Trojan service as superintendent of the Central Mission during tho past six years. He Found the mission in a healthy state and he (Mr Bellhouse) ventured to say that he left it in even a healthier state. He had proved himself an efficient minister in the Mission, and Mr Bellhouse thought that the work lie had done financially had been sufficient to entitle him to their utmost thanks. He had cleared off £5.000 of the £II,OOO debt which existed on the Mission property when he, came here. Mr Walker had been a very faithful minister, and he (Mr Bellhouse) had had .10 more faithful assistant in the Methodist Church in Dunedm than AT; Walker. He would be missed in the Synod and in tho various works of the church. He had been a real force in the city during Ins stay, and had just completed a year as chairman of the Council of Churches. Mr Bellhouse also spoke highly of the work Mrs Walker had done, and ol the assistance she had given her husband in her work. lie congratulated Mr Walker 011 the opportunity that had been given him of carrying cn his good work in Pitt Street Church, which was not as strong a church now as it once

tvas. Mr Wilson, speaking on behalf ol the directors of . the Young Men’s Christian Association, referred to the work Mr Walker had done in connection with tho Y M.C.A 11 conducting services and in other ways, and he wished them every success in their future sphere. On behalf of the veterans of the Mission, Mr W Hoskins referred to the early days of (he church in Dunedin, and to those ministers who had preceded him. Mr Walker helped to lift the Mission to 11 high pinnacle, and they were proud of him. His success here was cine largely to the fact that lie had been sincere. , Another veteran, Mr \\. Pans, added his tribute to the work of Mr and Mrs Walker. They were not sorry that Mr Walker was going away, because they considered that he had been honoured in being given charge of one of the biggest churches connected with the Methodist 'Church. Air Paris said he had been a member of the Mission for thirty-four years, and lie did not think it had eve' 1 been in hotter heart, Unit was undoubtedly due, largely, to the work of Air and Airs Walker. Air E. Bush, superintendent of the Sunday school, speaking for what he called the most important branch ol the church work—the Sunday schoolspoke of the influence Air Walker had left on the lives of the young people, which would be lor the great good 61 the Mission. He hoped Air and Airs Walker would return to them at a later date. . Air F. Pellctt on behalf 0! the choir, and Air C. A. Martin, also referred to Mr Walker’s work in connection with their departments of the church. Sister Hazel, deaconess of the Alission. spoke of the assistance she had received from 3\l r Walker, who luid made her work in the Mission comparatively easy. Ou behalf of the young women of the Mission, Miss Gcinmell referred tol the assistance the young women s Bible class had received from Airs walker, who bad acted as leader for a jear before Sister Hazel’s.arrival. She made a presentation to Airs Walker from the Bible class. The Rev. Air Lawrio. of the St. Hilda Methodist Church, in bidding Air and Mrs Walker Godspeed, said that the people of St. Hilda greatly admired Mi- Walker, and he congratulated him on the opportunity time was being given him to widen his sphere of work. Airs Chapman, on behalf of the Indies of the congregation, said that much had been heard that evening ot the work Air Walker had done 111 reducing the debt of the church, hut she did not wish Airs Walker to he jorgotten in that connection. She had done a great deal ol work in the tv ay assisting at bazaars, and when one remembered that she had a lainily ol “ live wires ” to look after, her friends wonderecj how she did it. Airs Chapman then presented Airs W alker .with a handbag, cheque, and gold wristlet watch. ~ . Mr 11.. H. Johnson, treasurer nt the trustees of the church, dealt with the financial aspect of the church, and ol the great work .Mr Walker had done since he came to Dunedin. I he debt had been reduced by about £I,UUO a .year in that time, and surely that would serve as a monument to the work of the mission in Dunedin. The Rev. W 7. A. Hamblett (president of the Council of Christian Churches) and Mr Field (young men’s Bible class) also spoke ot Mr Walker s good work in the city and in the mission. Mr D. C. Cameron said that about six years ago, when Mr Eaton lelt the mission, it was his duty to nominate a successor, and the name or William Walker flashed through Ins mind at once. They had made no mistake when appointing him. It was thought when Mr Eaton left that the attendances at the mission would fall off, but the congregation now was as large as it had ever been. One reason of Mr Walker’s success was his absolute sincerity, and another was that lie always struck.a high spiritual note in his addresses. There had been no catering for popularity in the pulpit of the mission. One thing .that bad endeared Mr W’nlker to the mission was bis great care of the o’d people, the sick, and the dying. With all respect to the other ministers, he could say that the. mission had never had a mb> ister who had taken such great care ol the elderly folk,, and had lent. llicm such a helping hand ns Mr Walker.

Mr Cameron also referred in appreciative ..terms to the work Mrs Walker had done in the mission. He then handed to Mr Walker a wallet of notes from the congregation. MR WALKER’S REPLY. On rising to reply, Mr Walker was received with prolonged applause. .He thanked them all very sincerely for their kindly gifts. What appealed to him most was not the monetary value of the gifts, but the love, sympathy, and good wishes which lay behind them. He appreciated to. the full their being present that evening. A' minister would be very callous, indeed, if lie could sit through such a gathering as that without being deeply moved. He also added liis thanks to the minister and trustees of Trinity Church for giving them the use of the church that night. He loved Dunedin—its hills and valleys—and he loved the people. There was something solid, something which was reliable about them. The character of the people of Dunedin was not light, it was sterling. There would always he a warm spot in his heart for the Central Mission, and no member of the mission would rejoice more than he would if it continued its success, and if tjie work of the mission advanced in the days to come. He thanked the choir for its loyalty to him during liis stay here, and said he had greatly appreciated the services of the soloists who had helped him tremendously. The fellowship and comradeship of liis fellow-ministers had also been an inspiration to him. He thanked the speakers for the kindly references that had been made to Mrs Walker, for none knew better than he the work she had done and the assistance she had given him in the vork of the mission. Mrs Walker said she_ very greatly appreciated the kind things that had been said, 1 and thanked those present ■for their gifts. She appreciated the love that had prompted the gifts more than the gifts themselves. During the evening songs were rendered by Miss Ava Cameron. Mrs Geo. Scott, ami Messrs Mortley Peake, W. G. ITilliker, and F. Pellett, and Miss Ilona Sdott gave a recitation. The Chairman announced that a prominent Dunedin citizen, not a member of the mission, had sent a substantial cheque which he handed to Mr Walker. The children of Mr and Mrs Walker had also received presents Ircm tlie Sunday school children.