A Good and Faithful Servant.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 137, 15 May 1885, Page 3

A Good and Faithful Servant.

The Rev. Mr Wolylers, whoso deatlj at the age of 73 is announced m an Invercar>iill telegram, seltle»l as uiissionary m the Island of Kuapukeiin Fovcaux Strait, more thun 30 ye-irs ago, at a time when there was scarcely any settlement on the neighboring mainland. The island then contained a largo Maori population. Mr Wohlers had firct to learn their language, and for years he did not !*eo a European. The first church was built almost entirely with .his own hands, but as time went on lie was assisted, m all such work by the Natives. Though the gentle3t and simplest of men, his influence among them became very great, 'his people having the greatest confidence m him m everything. ; In aclvaucing years he has, had the pain to. see the s islaitd being rapidly depopulated; ; Owing to well-known causes, deaths have been many and births lew, and a considerable :uuiuber have)left.for Stewart Islaml and other places. Mr Wohlere w»s 'a man of good scholarship, and had a, knowledge of Germiin literatnr^'eyehijVenter than is usual amotig hjis countrymen. Though he always spoke. Enffiish with a foreign accent, he wrote it with great correotnoss . . Be has left many frtetids. who regarded him with sincere affection and rpspected the man who gave up everything that appeared to be worth living for, and took rip his abode among savages because ke believed it to be his duty. For the last two or three months it was apparent t.hat bis. health was; l«roken, ar»4. some Wfitjks ago the doctors/ despaired of his life!!.' "Mr Wohlers leaves 1 a ; widow and one daughter, who is marrieci to Mr A. Tmill, of Stewart Jsjttiid—.Wellington Paper. '....,