THE LATE MRS STEWART.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1093, 6 May 1913, Page 3

THE LATE MRS STEWART.

A memorial service was held in All Saints’ Church on Sunday evening last, to the late Mrs W. S. Stewart. Among the hymns chosen were her two favourite ones, “ Lead kindly Light and *• Peace Perfect Peace.” At the close of the service Miss Jenks played the beautiful funeral dirge “ The Garland of Flowers.” The vicar preached on the text St. John 11-23, and dwelt on the touching story of the death of Lazarus, and pointed out the characters of Martha and Mary. The vicar explained at some length the lesson of this incident in the life of the Master, and that was, Christ was the giver of life. Death was only a passing from this world into another nearer Himself. The words that rang out to them were w ords full of hope and comfort; ‘‘lam the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in Me though he were dead yet shall he live.’ 7 The vicar then referred to the late Mrs Stewart. He said she was indeed one who had been cumbered with much serving. She had always been ready to serve those in distress, she served the sick in her constant attention to them, she served the dying in watching by their bedside with unwearied vigilance, she served the mourners when she placed her hand in theirs, she served the young people in thinking of their enjoyment and she herself had often been the life and soul of innocent pleasures. This was her special gift and she used it to her uttermost. The vicar then mentioned that she had been a worshipper in the church for many years and a member of the choir, and In the social life of the parish she had taken an active part. The preacher then drew the lesson from the text, she was not dead but alive for evermore. In her last hours she bad struggled in the gloom and her prayer had been : “Lead Kindly Light amid the encircling gloom; Lead Thou me on.” And now she had opened the gate and passed into the light. It was only natural that those who loved her would indeed miss her, and like Mary the tears would come. Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus and thus consecrated sorrow as sacred. Sorrow was good, but sorrow could not be selfish and wish her back, she was alive now in a world of greater intelligence and greater happiness, nearer the great white throne. She had passed from the church militant to the church expectant, waiting for the coming of the Master, and then with all those who had believed in the* Lord Jesus she with us should pass on in glory to the church triumphant in Heaven.

The following forwarded flower tributes Miss Emily Symons, Mr and Mrs Patterson, Mr and Mrs Ball, Mrs Barber, Mr and Mrs Charles Robinson, Mr and Mrs A. Speirs, Mr and Mrs A. Boyes, Mr and Mrs A. Fraser and family, Dr. and Mrs C. L. Mandl, Mr and Mrs A. S. Easton, Mr and Mrs C. Easton, Mr and Mrs George Wright and family, Mr and Mrs A. King, the Old Boys, Mr and Mrs Walter Barber, Mr and Mrs F. H. Cook, Mr and Mrs Claris, Mr and Mrs John Robinson, Mr and Mrs O. Dawson and family, the Misses N. and I Maroni, the Old Girls’ Chums, the Boys from Mrs Wright’s Mr and Mrs Hamer, Mr and Mrs L. Wilson, the Tennis Club, Mr and Mrs Teviotdale, Mr and Mrs Eyons, Mr and Mrs Phillips, the Masonic Lodge, Mr and Mrs Donald Green, Mr and Mrs B. G. Gower, Huia Clemett, Mr and Mrs J. H. Robinson, Mr and Mrs Frankland, Mr and Mrs A. Ross, Mr and Mrs Edlin, Mr and Mrs Gibbs, Mr and Mrs Owens, Mr and Mrs Jno. Collins, Mr and Mrs W. Nye, scholars of Boston School, teachers of Boston School, children of the Sunday School, Good Templars Lodge 1.0.G.T., Mr and Mrs Podmore, Miss Amy Podmore, Mr and Mrs Berthold, Mrs Procter, Mr and Mrs Peter Robinson.

The funeral took place yesterday afternoon and was very largely attended by all sections of the community. The Masonic Lodge of which Mr Stewart is a member, and also the Good Templars’ Lodge, were represented and the cortege included children from both the State and Convent Schools. A service was held in All Saints’ Church and the Rev, G. Y. Woodward also performed the last rites at the graveside. The pall bearers were Messrs W. E. Cook, K. H. Furrie, J. G. Speirs and F. D. Whibley, who were pupils at the local State School during Mr Stewart’s term as headmaster, the late Mrs Stewart having expressed a desire that Foxton School old boys should perform these duties.