A CHURCH “CALL.”

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 924, 24 June 1903, Page 2

A CHURCH “CALL.”

By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, last night. A largely-attended meeting of the congregation of the First Church was held las: night to consider what attitude the congregation should take up with respect to Dr Gibbs’ call to St. John’s. Wellington. The Rev. D. Dutton presided. There has been a great deal of opposition on the part of the congregation and many others to the idea of Dr Gibbs leaving Dunedin. Dr Gibbs had intimated to his officehearers last- Thursday that though with great pain aDU some misgiving he had come to the conclusion that it was his duty to accept the call, in the face of this the officebearers did not venture to resist him, and at the meeting to-night the congregation agreed to a resolution setting forth at leDgth the high esteem in which Dr Gibbs is held in the First Church as a preacher and pastor, and as one of the most influential works in the community, and agreeing to fall in with hi 3 wishes should he so decide at the meeting of the Presbytery to-morrow. A large number of those present spoke, giving utterance to the deep pain they felt at the prospect of losing their esteemed minister, and testifying to the splendid character of the work Dr Gibbs had done in the congregation, the l-.-eshyterian Church in the Southern provinces, and the whole community. |