VALEDICTORY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 12, 29 January 1937, Page 11

VALEDICTORY

REV. B. R BRIERLEY . On Wednesday evening , a social Avas held in St. Andrew!® Schoolruom, Port Ahuriri, . to bid .farewell . to. .the Rev. B. R. Brierley aud AXrs Brieriey. The Hall was crowded. Among those present were the Bishop of- Waiapu and Mrs Williains, the Mayor and Mrs Morse. The chairman, the Bisliop, sajd: "Mr Brierley has won ins way into your hearts. The seven years or his work at the Port have- been difiicult onOSj with the - earthquake and the years of dep'ression which i'ollowed. Seldom have I seen Mr Brierley depre3sed, and his cheerfulness has helped to hrighten us all. He , has done good" work and been the centre of your life here at the Port, arid he will tarry away with him the good wishes of you all." The' Bishop then called on Mr Frank Smith, as churchwarden, to speak: * *A£r Brierley's seven jeai'e-at the i'ort have been . seyen , years of hard work." he said, "both for Mr. ana Mrs . Brierley, but yoa say they have beeu seven of the happiest . years of your life. \Vhen we ask .what sort of a building Mr. Brierley has built on the atter-qunke foundationa, we have only to look round th'ia room this evening. , "He tackled all sorts oi joba alter the quake. A.H sorts of people, not merely our own people, eame to him for help, people who were suffering and iu need. I had the pleasure of going to Kaiwaka with him, and the people there said he had alter'ed the .tone of the district. I think the same may be. said of the Port. " The returned soldiers here have felt his steady belp and friendship. 1 have much pleasure in handing these sniall gifts "to Mr Brierley." Mr Smith then banded Mr Brierley a silver cigarette case and a wallet containing £31. Miss tirant said that in tfie absence in Australia, of Ali's Norinan who had taken a leaSing part in. the work of the parish, she had been esked to say a few words to Mr and Mrs Brierley on behalf of the women of the parish, her feUow vestry woman, .Mrs Heath, and the la'dies' committee^ who had made all the arrangemehts for this farewell. She thanked. Mrs Brierley on behalf of the women of the, parish for the way she had made, the vicarage the centre of the parish family life. She was never too busy to make old or young feel welcome and at home. Per home had been thronged * with the young folk of the parish, attracted by the atmosphere of - sympathy and understanding they fqund - there a"d she wanted to express to- Mrs Brierley how sorry they all were to lose hor and tQ thank her with all their hearts for

what she had been to them. . The wdnlen of the parish wanted, she said, to express to Mr Brierley, their appreciation and thanks for his work among them in the past- seien .years. They could never foi'get what his ministry had been to them, his friendship and his woric for the young folk, the inspiration he had brought them through the Mothers' Union Soivice, Holy Communion and through his prayers. They eould never ,forget how he was always ready, night or day, to stand by them in any time oi serious illness or trouble, and what his ministry had meant to those thev loved who had passed on. Mrs Williams presented «' Mrs Brierley with a silver teapot, cream jug and sugar basin on behalf of the parish Mr Hull then spoke. "We have learned . not only to admire Mr Brierley but to love hun," said Mr Hull. "His influente has been widely felt. Your outspokenness, iutegrity, unworldliness and unselfishueLs have carried you into our hearts," he continued, ' 'and we wil l follow you Into your new sphere with keen intex--est." Mr Morse said the Port was Josing a wonderful man, but those in Napier were losing a pal, and where he was going woifld gain a great deal. Mr Brierley had baeked his work m a splendid way At the hospital he was known as Uncle Bert, and his visits had been iooked forward to by every uurse at the hospital. "There are times when nurses cannot give all help needed," said Mr Morse, "and I know Uncle Bert has been able to'' render the help needed' In the social service committee he had rendered invaluable assistance, and I join with those here in giving our good wisheg to Mr and Mrs Brierley in their new sphere of work." • Mr Brierley said that he had been dreading this evening for months. He was quit© sure that the person thev had been speaking of was not i e ; it was like going to one's own luneral, where they all speak worthily of the corpse and he felt he was not worthy of what had been said. He had spent the seven happiest years of his lifo at the Port. He had oi'iginally ccn.u to the Port with his heart- in his mouth, but he had tricd with the vcnderful help of God and of a wonderful team .of helpers, the vestry, the Sundav school teachers, the "canaries^ in the choir. He had always sought toput God first, his people second- and himself any where. The test of hi^ work vvould be not what it is to-day, but what the parish would be like in seven years. He vvould do almost anything, except deny his God, to get out of leaving the place, but a still small voice said, "Brierley, you have got to go," and he knew he must. It was a bigger job in Auckland, one with less pay and more work. "There is no church with a better

atmosphere than you will find in tbis church. Any parson must have the backing of the people; it is not a oue man job and you are the parish," said Mr Brierley. "It warmed my heart to hear from the matron of the hosp tal that the men in Midgley and Stokes Wards and the Shelters had ->ubscribed to this gift. Every word said + o-night about my wife is absolutely true — I have loved the Port and what is wonderful is that they have loved we — 1 wish you good luck and an abundance of God's blessing,'' he coucluded. "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," was then sung and cheers given. The following items were given : Scotch danee, Ivan Southerland ; songs, Madame Mercer; recitation Jim McCarthy ; tap dance, Shirley Boardman.