VALEDICTORY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3776, 5 April 1928, Page 2

VALEDICTORY.

FAREWELL TO MR. AND MRS

PERYMAN.

There was a large attendance at the Methodist Church on Tuesday evening, when a farewell social was tendered to Rev. and Mrs and Miss Peryman. Apologies were received from the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs Perreau) and Mr S. Poole. The Chairman (Mr J. Chrystall) called on Rev. W. H. Nicholas to open the meeting with prayer, after which he expressed pleasure at seeing such a large attendance present to farewell their Minister and family. The representative gathering, he, said, showed, the esteem and affection in which Rev. Peryman was held locally. Rev. W. H. Nicholas (Presbyterian Church) in referring td the guests of the evening, said that they were examples of the true spirit of Jesus Christ. They were (Christians first and Methodists second yet they never lacked loyalty to their own Church, but their faith reached out beyond its borders and took in all who loved and served their Master. He spoke of the kindly help given to the Presbyterian Church by both Mr and Mrs Peryman and, on behalf of his congregation, asked them to accept an oak dinner waggon for their new home, and. trusted it would remind them of their Presbyterian friends in Foxton. Mr D. Christie (President of the Horticultural Society) in a neat and appropriate speech, presented Mr Peryman with a suit ease which he trusted would be used for many years. He expressed the hope that Mr Peryman would be a champion exhibitor in his new home town.

Mr G. Huntley, on behalf of the Methodist congregation, spoke of the splendid work of both Mr and Mrs Peryman while in Foxton. Both Mr Peryman and his wife had been preachers of outstanding merit and the deep affection in which they were held in deep affection by the members of the Church.

Rev. W. H. Walton (All Saints’ Church) said he was pleased to be present and bear his testimony of the high qualities of the guests. Mr Peryman had often been of great assistance to the speaker and he referred to that gentleman’s ffne spiritual outlook and his cheery optimism which had helped to make his life and work brighter. He hoped both Mr and Mrs Peryman would be spared to give long years of service to their'Church and all the other social activities with which they were connected. Mr Murray also spoke of Mrs Peryman’s deep interest in the Temperance movement and Mi' Nicnol, of Oroua Downs, conveyed the good wishes of that congregation. Mr Chrystall then presented Mr and Mrs Peryman with a ChesterHeld chair and Miss Peryman with an antique copper bowl, on behalf of the Church and friends as a token of the love and affection of the people for them and he trusted the recipients would long be spared to continue their splendid work. Mrs Peryman, in thanking the speakers for their kind- remarks and expessing thanks for the gifts, said that all they had done had been a joy to them and they felt that they had not done all that they would like to have done. The sympathy and help extended to them during their sojourn here had enabled her to accomplish the little she had done.

Rev. S. Peryman, in returning thanks, said that everyone had been very helpful to him and he felt undeserving of the eulogic references made about him that night. He had felt keenly the necessity, on account of health, of retiring from active work in the ministry, but he hoped, after a rest, to be able to give his time and energy again to the work of Jesus Christ. He thanked them all for their kindly words and thoughts for his wife and while saying farewell he was not saying goodbye, for he trusted to see them again. He prayed that God’s blessing would rest on the Church and all connected with it.

During the evening vocal, instrumental and musical items were contributed by the following:Duet, Ensign Rowcliffe and Lieut. Eppelett; solos: Master A. Stone, Messrs D. Christie, D. Barron and Mesdames Yeo and Bullard; recitation: Master G. Stone. At the conclusion of the presentation, supper was served by the ladies of the congregation.