VALEDICTORY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 199, 8 September 1937, Page 6

VALEDICTORY

Sister Gladys Recipient of Presentation

ST. ANDREW'S FUNCTI0N In spite of a wet nigbt,' St. Andrew's hall was well filled ou Mondav evening on tlie oceasioji of tlie congrcgatiou's farewell to Sister Gladys, wlio bas beela Deaconess of St. Andrew's Churcli for nearly live years. ' Ihe llev. D. J. A. Shaw presided, aud on the, platl'orm with liijn were, Sister Gladys, Deaconess iJoimes, INIrs Ebbett and Messrs 11. D. Sutherland anj T. M. Crawford. Apologies for unavoidablo hbsence were receivcd lroxu tbe Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison, Mesdames H. W. C. Baird and D. J. Shaw and Messrs C. Griffiths, S. Ashcroft and D. G. Ford. After the singing of tlie National Anthem , tlie cliairnrin rel'erred to the fact that saying laiewell to a nnich loved friend and lielper was always a soniewhat trying experieneo. He appealed to those present to subdue tlie sadder aspect and tlius miniuiise the strain for the guost of ihe evening. He reud a letter Iroin the niayor, making eulogistic and gratefuJ rei'erence to the spleudid work Sister Gladys bad done iu connection witli tbe activities of tbe Mayor's Rejief Conunittce and in other splieros of tlie work of cbeeriug and helping tbe needy and lonely. Various lteius cf eiitertainment were then rendered as follows ; Vocal Quartette, "Maiden of the Fleur de Lis", by Mrs Lowery, Miss Ford anrl Messrs Baumgart and Adamson; solo, "O Ship of my Deliglit", Mrs Lowry ; violin solo, "A Itevelry'' (Elurlstone) Miss Both Thompson ; part song, "The Apple Woman," Girls Jntormodiate. Clioir; solo, 1 'Xhi tbe Itoad to Mandalay", Mr Cloiiston.

Alr T. ]\[. Crawford, in tlie absence of Mr Griffiths, spoke of the work of Sister Gladys in connection with tlie Sunday scbools of the congregntion. Her servioes had been of exceptional valup througli hor contact with parents and children in fthe homes and througli tlie direct help slie had given in finding Sunday school teachers and in helping

to train some of them. She herself started th'e Sunday school at Parkvale and had carried it on until assuming leadership of a Bible class. Mrs W. Ebbett spoke for tlie women' s organisations. In all of them Sister Gladys had taken a deep and effective interest. Througli Sister Gladys, tlie Mothers' Club had' been .started. She had also put Ihe Cradle Roll on a splendid l'ooting " and had organised two bands of "Busy Bees" and stirred the interest of tlie Women's Guild in those youiiger1 organisations. Mr R. D. Sutherland, for the officebearers, paid tribute to the worth of the 'departing deaconess as a woman whose Cliristian inllueiice had been an instiring force iu the liomes of tlie people, a i'riend ready to render help in any way possible and a worker whose uppennost desii'e always was to do her utmost for the building. un of the kingdoin oi God. Alr Sliaw, in pi'esentiug Sister Gladys with a Kubstantial cheque, made up of subscriptions spontaneousiy given frorti all the organisations of the cougrogation, referred to the high expeetatjons which he had clierished concerning hor coming to St. Andrew's nearly «-five years ago. Slie had'iar exceeded his higbest expectatious He felt that words were quite inadequatc as one sought to describe wbat Sister Gladys bad been to him as tlie miinster of the congregation and to young and old in all tho spheres of tbe chureb's life and work. She had liover sparod herself and frequently lie had thougbt it wiso to reinind Jier that "eveu her splendid strength might be overtaxed. She had a radiant personality which was an asset of great value. Her courage, resourccfnlness- and devotion were beyond tliat of tlie average worker. She had Jived her reTigion in their midst and, in addition to any lirect teaching work she bad dono, slie had tlius most ell'octivcly cominondod tbe Gospel of hor Maslor, Josus Christ. He nssuvod hor that Jior, work would still go on. bocaiise slie would be all'ectiouatoly romembered and tbe good secd slie had sown would still grow into somotbiug greater. In lianding tho ohoqiu: to hor, he said it ivas not a mere money gil't, but an expression of a great affection, a warrn gratitude and the very best oi good wishes for her future happiness in , the new sphere of labour in Auckland.

Sister Gladys was greeted with prolonged applause as she rose to reply. In thanking tlie, people of St. Andrew's she spoke of the welcome she- had received from minister and people when she eame to Hastings to' com.mence the work for which she had been trained. They had always given her a warm place in their henrts and homes and her work had afforded her niu ch pleasure. She made appreciative reference to iudividuals more closely associated with her in the work in wliich she had been engaged and tlianked all for the euc'ouragemeut ahd co-oporation so freely given in so maiiy ways. The supper adjournment gave those present an opportunity of less informal expressiQii of their appreciation betore the evening's proceedings were hrought to a close. Sister Gladys leaves Hastings on Friday morning for an extended holiday m the South before taking up" her new work in St. David s Church in Auckland, in Decembei.