ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, RYAL BUSH.

Southland Times, Issue 1521, 9 January 1872, Page 3

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, RYAL BUSH.

A church meeting was held at Martendale on Tuesday, the 2nd inst., to arrange about carrying on the services after the i departure of Mr Wm. Marten, one of the oldest settlers in the Province, who, having founded the church, presented an acre of land for the site, and had acted as lay-reader — never being absent except from illness — uninterruptedly for nearly 12 years, but who was about to leave for Nelson. Mr W. Marten occupied the chair as usual, and explained that his departure in a few days compelled him to resign his offices of lay-reader and churchwarden, which he had held so long, speaking with much feeling of the pain it gave him to end their long connection not only as lay-reader and congregation, but as friends and neighbors. He explained that he had delayed signing the final conveyance of the church site until he could consult their wishes in the matter, especially as the deed as prepared by direction of the church authorities did not fulfil the conditions on which he gave the land, viz., that it should be used exclusively for specified local church purposes, and the timber preserved. He had, however, made three alterations in the conveyance which remedied this, with the concurrence of some of their number, and if they approved of it he would leave it in their hands. No draft of the proposed deed had been sent, or the alterations would have been needless. He then called upon them to elect a successor. Mr J. M. M'Clure was then unanimously elected churchwarden, and Messrs Menzies, Sproull, and Butler undertook to act in rotation as lay -readers. Mr M'Clure then in the name of the congregation presented Mr Marten with the following address, together with a handsome present in money : — Eyal Busb, January 2, 1872. William Marten, Esq. Deab Sib, — We, the members of the congregation of All Saints' Church, Ryal Bush, desire to express our deep regret at your departure from amongst us. The first Bettler in the neighborhood, and the first lay-reader of our church, you have been tbe means of keeping the Anglican body together, and we feel that your place amongst us cannot readily be filled up. ' We trust that you will aw-ept a small expression

cf our gratitude, and we wish you every hapnine«s in your future home in Nelson. On behalf "of the congregation of All Saints' Church, Ryal Bush, J. M. M'Clube, Churchwarden. Mr M'Clure, in presenting; the address, alluded with much feeling to Mr Marten's departure and Iona: services, nofc only havin? founded the church, but havin* constantly kept it up and continued the services when no clergyman had been near them, sometimes for many months together. He remarked that Mr Marten had been able to do more for the church" than auyone else there I could, owing to the position he formerly held in England, and his consequent knowledge of church matters, and also from his age and experience, in which no one remained who could fill his place. Mr Marten replied, thanking them I warmly for their cordial appreciation, and for their kind present, expressing the deep sorrow with which he parted from them all, even though he was going to a pleasanter country and pleasanter circumstances. He earnestly wished them every happiness and more prosperous times, and bade them good-bye. The meeting then separated.