A MEMORIAL TABLET

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1925, Page 4

A MEMORIAL TABLET

UNVEILED IN ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH. On Sunday morning a marble tablet in memory of the late Rev. William Douglas M.A., who was for twenty-six years Presbyterian Minister of this parish; was unveiled by his daughter. Miss Mary Douglas. There was a large congregation present. After the sermon, the preacher, Rev. 13. Hutson. stated that the friends of the late Mr Douglas, had taken the opportunity alforded, by the presence in the distrii t of Miss Douglas, to prepare the memorial that it might be unveiled by her before leaving the district. The congregation then sang the hymn, “New the labourer’s task is o’er.” After that, Mr Hutson said that in 1881 the congregation had shown its wisdom in calling the Rev. W. Douglas to be the Minister of the Charge, and in 1882 the General Assembly bad endorsed the wisdom of tlie choice, by appointing him to he Moderator of the Assembly, the highest honour in the church. He carried on the work for 20 years, ami the willing manner in which his lricnds had responded in supplying the cost of the memorial, and their presence there that day showed the esteem in which lie was held as a result o! his lahouis. It had been the privilege of the speaker to lie co-presbyter with him in Vestland, and also in Wellington, and it gave him great pleasure to testify to his worth as a minister of the gospel.

After prayer, the whole congregation .standing. Miss Douglas pulled aside the Idue curtain, thus unveiling a white marble tablet on which is inscribed in leaded letters: “To the Memory of Rev. Wil-

liam Douglas M.A.. 20 years Minister of this Church, (1881-lOOr) who died at Hastings, May 1920, A Good Minister of .Tesus Christ.” The singing of another hymn and the pronouncing of the benediction brought to a close a. very impressive services.