THE LATE MRS. C. H. SYMONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1176, 25 November 1913, Page 2

THE LATE MRS. C. H. SYMONS.

The funeral of the late Mrs C. H. Symons took place on Sunday afternoon, the cortege leaving her late residence for All Saints’ Church at 2.30 o’clock. At the Church, portion of the impressive service was recited by the vicar, - and the choir rendered the hymns, “When Our Heads are Bowed with Woe,” and ‘‘Peace, Perlect Peace.” The “Dead March” was played by the organist as the body left the church. The procession was considerably augmented after leaving the church, and included representative people from all parts of the district, and relatives from near and tar. At the graveside, the Rev G. Y. Woodward completed the burial service. The casket was covered with beautiful floral emblems and tributes of respect to the memory of the deceased lady. At All Saints’ on Sunday morning, the vicar preached on the text, Genesis VI., 9, “And Noah walked with God.” The vicar pointed out that it was this which distinguished Noah from the men of his time. Noah’s dream was his walk with God. That secret consciousness which he had iu his own heart alone with himself. The walk was in a steady continuance of well-doing, in a silent communing and intimacy with Deity, which only those who love God cau enjoy. It was this which gave him his distinction, that pointed him out as a God fearing man, iu an age when men and women had almost forgotten the Divine Presence. The vicar then relerred to the late Mrs Symons. He said she, like Noah, had walked with God —and this was the crowning distinction of her days. All through her long life she had a dream of a life with God, and it was that dream which made her what she was. This consciousness of the Divine Imminence was shown iu her simple faith. She had implicit trust in her Bible, which was her daily companion; from it she learnt dependence on a loving Father, hope iu a compassionate Saviour and inspiration from the Holy Spirit. This kowledge gave her a sweet disposition, which was shown iu her affection and gentleness and desire not to hurt anyone. One ®t her characteristics was tenderness, the result of her close walk with God. She walked with God —nothing could be said higher than that. From youth to a ripe old age she had lived in the Divine Presence and death simply meant the realisation of her dream. The vicar then spoke of her extreme patience during her last hours, and what a privilege it had been to him to watch her willing surrender and to know that she had caught the light at eventide.

The late Mrs Symons was born on June 20th, 1834, in Kent, England. When a girl of seven years of age her parents, the late Mr and Mrs James Nash, left England for New Zealand by the ship Bolton. On arrival at Wellington the party settled there for nine years, and then removed to the Manawatu and Paiaka districts. Mrs Symons was then sixteen years of age. The passage to Paiaka was made in the cutter “Fly” (Captain Cimino). At that time Foxlon as a township was not in existence. The township was situated at Paiaka, on the Manawatu river, near Koputaroa, and it was the custom then for sailing vessels trading to the Manawatu to sail right up to the Paiaka township. Four years later, on May 17th, 1854, at Paiaka, Mrs Symons was married to her late husband, Mr Chas. Symons. Her father, while at Paiaka, was engaged in the rope manufacturing trade, the rope being taken to Wellington together with produce from the district by the sailing ships, which in those early days were able to sail up the Manawatu river as far as Paiaka. These were also very troublesome days, since the Maoris were in revolt against English rule, and the Natives in the Manawatu were in an uneasy state of mind, some being very uncertain as to the side they would take. However, the turbulent years passed in safety for Mr and Mrs Symons at their home on the Manawatu River—“Huriangataitoka,” two miles from Foxton. Thirty years were spent at this home, where nearly all Mrs Symons’- children were born. Later, Mr and Mrs Symons moved to Hurston Farm, a short distance from Foxton, on the main road to Levin. In 1900 Mr Symons died, and four years later Mrs Symous removed to Foxton, where she lived with her daughter, Miss L- E. Symons, until her death. All Mrs Symons’ married life was spent in the immediate vicinity of Foxton, and she was one of the widest known and most respected settlers the place has known.