PRESENTATION TO THE REV. J. K. WARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12482, 13 October 1902, Page 7

PRESENTATION TO THE REV. J. K. WARD.

A number of the Rev. J. R. Ward's friends and admirers met in the Coffee Palaee on Saturday evening to make him a presentation of a gold watch, chain, and pencil prior to his departure from Dunedin. Mr A. Sligo presided, and there were 60 or GO ladies ar.d gentlemen present. His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. A. Park) was out of town, and sent an apology. Mr Sligo, in explaining how the presentation had been got up, eaid that a number of people not specially connected with the Baptist Church had expressed themselves as desirous of participating in a. movement to present Mr Ward with some small memento of his stay in Dunedin. He and Mr Frank Graham set out to test the feeling on the subject, and at the end of the first day they found they had sufficient sympathy and almost enough money to accomplish all that was desired. There was a strong desire that Mr Ward should be retained in Dunedin, and for tho comparatively short time that he had been hero he had grown to be part and parcel of ourselves.—(Applause.) But circumstances of one sort and another would not permit of this. His Dunedin friends would not forget him, and they were determined that he should not forget them. He (Mr Sligo) had found men who did not hesitate to say that they had benefited greatly by Mr Ward's spoken words in this city.—(Applause.) On behalf oi a number of Mr Ward's friends and admirers, . he had very much pleasure in presenting him with those tokens of their regard and esteem. He was sure all present would join him in praying that Mr Ward might he spared many happy and prosperous years to look on them and wear them with pleasure and satisfaction.—(Applause.) The watch was inscribed: " Presented to John It. Ward, by a few of liis many friends and admirers, as a memento of his visit to Dunedin, New Zealand. October 11, 1902." Mr J. N. Brown said that although Mr Ward's sojourn amongst them had been comparatively a short one, still he felt that he was truly expressing the feelings of the people who had met him privately, and who had attended his sermons and lectures, in saying that, so far as they were concerned, Mr Ward afforded them from time to time intellectual treats of a very high order, and, that there was deep regret that arrangements would not permit of a longer stay with them. Mr Ward had deservedly earned for himself amongst the Dunedin people a reputatiou as a preacher and lecturer that he (Mr Brown) thought Mr Ward should be exceedingly proud of. He had arrived here as a comparative stranger, and would leave them as one of the best known men in Sew Zealand. That reputation had been gained not by surreptitious or flaunting .methods, but simply through innate personal merit. They all hoped that Mr Ward's visit to New Zealand had had the effect of greatly improving, if not absolutely restoring, his health, and they hoped that in the future they would have the pleasure of again seeing and hearing him, as they were assured'that his ministrations had been a x'ower for good in the land. Mr Ward could reply, in taking his departure from amongst them, that he carried away with him their heartiest and best wishes, and left behind him fond recollections that should never be effaced or forgotten. He (Mr Brown) was glad' to find that a number of Mr Ward's friends and admirers had thought that the least they could do was to provide, and that he should carry away with him 1 , a concrete token of their appreciation and admiration. They sincerely trusted that he might long he spared to have the use of it, and when he had occasion to consult it it would bring back to his memory the heartfelt joy iie had left with the citizens of Dunedin.—(Applause.)

Mr P. Barr, on being asked by the chairman to speak, said that Mi' Ward was entitled to their deepest thanks and gratitude, because he had renewed our acquaints,nee with Savanarola, Lincoln, Garfield, and M'Kinlay—to say nothing of the heroes of the New Chivalry. Mr Ward during his ministry in Dunedin had been responsible for some wander'rig from the fold, to which he (Mr Barr) pleaded guilty.— (Laughter.) He joined with others in wishing Mr Ward complete restoration to health and every blessing in the work which lay nearest his heart.—(Applause.)

Messrs T. A. Maitland, A. Megget, M. Cohen, J. W. Jago, A. S. Adams, and F. Graham also spoke.

Mr Ward, in reply, said there was just one kind of speech that he could not make, and it was such a speech as was now expected of him. All he left unsaid they must take for granted he wanted to say. His experience here had been a very pleasant one, and would always be one of the happiest recollections of his life. He was glad to hear people say that he had been able to do something towards helping anyone towards a higher life. Keligion itself was a good thing when we got the real article. It always improved men: it would help men and make thcau better in the world they lived in. His stay in Dunedin had been a very happy and profitable time. He thanked them from the bottom of his heart for their kindness and affection to /rinij and he could say 110 more. " God bless j'ou," was his earnest prayer.—(Applause.)

After refreshments were dispensed, the company remained some time to exchange a- few words with the guest of the evening, and the gathering broke up shortly after 10