MAORI-MISSIONS ORGANISER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 35, 25 February 1937, Page 6

MAORI-MISSIONS ORGANISER

jEanon Williams Leaves . Aramoho Parish TRIBUTES TO HIS WORK "A great characteristie of the J^iritual life ia this parish during tlie jpast six years has "been. the wonderf iil "©flint of fellowship that has pervaded the whole of .the work at St. Lauraites'a, and I do not think there could l)® found a more happy and united hody of people. Yicara come and *icars go, but the tradition ' of a parish goes on and it is you. people who »ariy out the -real work and .nphold the xeal tradition." Ia these words Canon W. G. Williams, who for the past six years has been vicar of St. Laurence's Anglican Church, Aramoho, and who leaves next .week for Napier, where he will carry »ut important organisation work in connection with Maori Missions, addressed parishioners and others who assembled to cnake a farewell presentation of .a handsome, enlarged photograph of St. Laurence 's Chureh. The social, evening was preeeded by a short service of thanksgivihg, when fpeeial prayers were offered and the vicar, in a short s'ermon, thanked God, for the devout unity and fellowship tvhich had prevailed throughout his Srinistry. At the social held subseguently,' Mr. F. Haywood, the people 's "Warden, presided and introduced. .the warious speakers, most of whom represented the clergy, and who paid' 'tributes to Canon Williams ' unselfish work for his parish and the Maoris Df the district. " Pastfor Godfrey Fretwell, oh behalf of the Wanganui Ministers' Associa-' tion, said he had frequently eome into personal and inticnate contact with the departing vicar. They had been elosely associated with Bible instfuctions to the children and he had alvrays found Canon Williams a courteous Ghristian " gentleman and ' a worthy representative of the Angliean Church. *AU"owed* to him a great debt and upon his' time many calls had been made. "We honour Canon Williams for so readily responding .to jsrhat he eonsidered a Divine call to vrorlc among the Maoris. We wish Khn God speed and ' God's ridhest fclessing in all he undertakes," Pastor Fretwell added. • Other members of the association Mso paid warm tributes to Canon Wil£ams's work* Ia H sincere and appreciative adfbea©, Canon Williams thanked all ©rho paxticipated in the farewell. He feferred to his six years at Aramoho m Ghj greatest experience in his aareen He admitted that six years ngo he was most concemed for the jrelfare of ihe Maoris Missions.. Hue, to ebeuntstances it was found neces-. •axy to discontingua this work to - a eertain extent, and he - had xegretted leeijr much that it was necessary for hinj'to give it np. Subsequent events had proved to him, however, that the Ohanga to Aramoho had dono him a irast amonnt of spiritual good. To-day he felt 10 years younger than he did atO years ago. It had been a wonderSnl experience to administer in a parish where he had met with such •yoapathyV honrage and affiection.