WESLEY SOCIAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4, 2 May 1912, Page 5

WESLEY SOCIAL.

WELCOME TO THE REV. A READER.

There was a large gathering in the Foresters' Hall last evening, when the members of the Wesley Church tendered a welcome to their new minister, the Rev. A. Reader. In addition to addresses by local ministers and churchmen, a most enjoyable musical programme was given.

'J.ne Chairman, Mr. -J. Masters, in his opening remarks, said they would remember some time ago that he represented them at the Methodist Conference, and he was instructed to bring back a man suitable for the Stratforci circuit. That was a big contract. He considered that his first effort should be in the direction of making the conference consider that Stratford was a great and important place. (Laughter) lie managed to convince them of this, and consequently there were plenty of ministers willing to come among them, lie had gone to much trouble, and in Mr. Reader he had secured a man suitable in every way. He extended to the Rev. and Mrs. Reader a very hearty welcome, and assured them that they were prepared to do their very best to co-operate with him in anything that would advance the interests' of the Wesley Church in this d'siirct. ti did not matter how good a man might be if he was not backed up by the poo pie. Ho thought it was their duty that.night to pledge themselves to endeavour to make tilings as pleasant as they could for Mr and Mrs. Reader. and also pledge themselves while they are in this distr'ct, to make his ministry a success. He was quite sure that if all the members made up their minds to endeavour to accomplish this, success would follow. They knew that they wanted at this juncture a man of tact, because they v;cra entering upon an important year. They wanted a good solid, sensible, tactful man to bring a successful union between the Primitive Methodist Church and the Wesley Church of Stratford. He was of opinion that they had got the right man, and certainly believed the conference in this instance had •served them well. He believed they had got the right man in the right place. During the Rev. Reader's ministry he h.oped that they would hold up their hands and let Mr. Reader sec that they were at" h : s back so that he might not be cast down.

Mr,. Laurenson then delivered the /'welcome speech." He said that. Mr. Readr.r Lad not pome to a dying concern; lio h:id corne to them when in the nature of consolidating. They wore living under the good influence of several missions, they were not burdened with debt, and the church itself was in a splendid state. The Rev. -Reader had come at a time when a great movement was about to be consummated. Oat of that unicn great things would follow. It was probable that, after the union had Lakeji place, the two churches would bo kept open for some time. They would not be in a hurry to see one church closed, because it might moan, for one thing, the removal from their m:dst of the Rev. Metson. (Applause.) Mr. Laurenson did not anticipate anyvery great difficulties over the union. The very fact that there would be a common board of management, he said, must tend to draw the two bodies of people into one building. Tins brought him to the fact tiiat tneir present building would not" hold botii congregations. He firmly believed ; that the immediate 1 'future' would see them in possession of a building wdrfchy of tneir traditions in the world, and worthy of ,their traditons i:i this district. Possibly tho next live .years would see this improvement,. He also believed that when that time came it would not be necessary to go into a foreign hall to hold sucn a meeting as tins —they would have' a hall of their own. These were local matters, but he wished them to look furtlier afield. Stratford boasted itseif on its supreme situation. Their richness lay in the backblocks. They had, out' there seventeen State schools, seven dairy factories, sixteeen post and telegraph offices, and an enormous population, extending over a radius or ulty miles by thirty miles, let, the}' only had one mission there, and that was organised by the Primitive MeLnodisis. In the future, when the union had taken, place that mission must be consolidated and extended. 'J, ne settlers in the backblocks were putting wealth into the pockets of the people of Stratford, and they in Stratloru should do something in the way of reciprocity. They could not, perhaps, do very much—they could not go out themselves personally, but tue people of Stratford might show their interest in th s matter in this way. In the summer time'they should release tneir minister for a month and send him into tiie backblocks, and let the people in the backblocks see a minister once in a while. Let him gather them together there, as best he could, and hold services. Let them send their minister among them, and not keep all those good tilings which arose from his presence to themselves. This was one 01 the most important matters they had to'face. In extending a welcome to tne Rev. Header and Mrs. Reader, he would like them to know that these were the.r thoughts, these were their hopes, these their aspirations. They themselves knew that_ in the ministry Mr ."Reader would give them he would be influenced by the ministry he had left, and he hoped that when the time came for Mr Reader to move on, another place would benefit by the good he Had derived from his' ministry among them. lie hoped that Air Reader would look back on his sojourn with them in Stratford with pleasure, and not with the contrary. (Applause.)

Captain Nicholson said, on behalf of the Salvation Army, they wislicd the Iter. Reader every blessing and every ■success. With regard to the backblocks of this district, they were not able to do much, but, still, wore able to do a litile. In some districts they might not think there were many inhabitants, but, dotted in among the hills, were cottages, and in taose cottages there were families. It was a very vital question, and he hoped they would be able to do something to couch the people in the back-blocks. Tiie Salvation Army had had opportunities of doing this, and they had had a man who worked among the settlers. If their minister turned his attention towards supplying the spiritual needs of the settlers, the Salvation Army would do all they could to. back him up with their prayers. He found that Stratford was a town ol 'no mean standing; that the people 'wore kind in every way. As far as tho .Salvation Army was concerned, he welcomed the Rov. Reader to Stratford, and prayed that God would bless his labours in this town. The Rev. B. Metson then delivered a short address. He said he extended a very hearty welcome to the Rev. and Mrs. Reader on behalf of the Primitive Methodist Church. They welcomed Mr. Reader to their midst because he was first of all a Christian. He (the speaker) had gripped his hand, and looked into his face, and he had had a conversation with him. Everyth'ug pointed to the fact that the Rev. Header was a Christian. Strut-

ford needed Christian men. They welcomed Mr". Render more because he was a minister as well as a Christian. Further, he welcomed Mr. Reader because lie was a staunch unionist. H< the speaker, trusted that that union would be consummated next year. They \yere all very pleased at the prospect. ]h Stratford they had voted 52 to b in favour of Church Union—(applause) —so that they would see that there was a desire on the part of local Primitive Methodists to nave a union between the churches. Tiiey were glad, therefore, because Mr. Reader was ;. utauncii unionist. Mr. Reader hac uxorossed himself as pleased at the piOi'pcct of union between the two ciiurehcs. He was very pleased at that, oeeaii'Se this drawing together on the part of the officers of the church would make the anion welcome among u:e peoples of both churches. He welcomed the Rev. A. Reader because lit was ''a reader." (Laughter.) People wanted a man who read and a man who thought. They wanted sermons w.th strength in them—sermons that would uphold the whole community, in conclusion, the Rev. Metaon extended a hearty welcome to Mrs Reader and Luc ''little Readers." He paid a. tribute to tne work which a minis-, ter's Wife cculd accomplish, And expressed the pleasure he felt at havuig -Mrs. Reader with them. the Chairman mentioned a mattei to which he had omitted to rei'er ii. Lis address —namely, that at Hie retv nt conference there was a unammouk vote in favour of union between the Wesley and Primitive Methodist Churches. iiie Rev. A. Reader, in reply, thanked those present very cordially f.r the welcome extended to Irmscli and family. Me referred in a sumewuat hamorous manner to the way i) lyhieh Wesley ministers were oe'.ndic ally,pulled up by the roots and tian.s planted in foreign soil. He was mncl impressed with tiie very cordial an< hearty welcome which lie had rcceivec from too Chairman and the other c-f lieors of the Wesley Church of Strat ford. He felt at once that he hod ii Stratford officers wiio would Le ioyal to him, and who could do their utmost lo make his ministry a success. Tin speaker stated that this was the fnsi time he had been in Stratford, and hn journey from Wellington took him through country lie had not seen hefare. " What impressed him most wa: Che fact that everything was i>. tin transition stage. This was not si noticeable in the South [stand, and h( considered the North island has c great future before it. He was t/>p< eially glad to be in Stratford, kcaust they were at the eve of a junction, pik a vision war. before him of a, more ex tended sphere of usefulness. He feh there was being offered to him a scop, of service that would call for nil tin powers with which God had endowet him. He referred to the many nict tilings which had been sa'd about him Speaking of the young people of tin to-.vn, the speaker said he wantee them to feel that the church was no", a place to shun. He wanted to be theii friend. He knew that young peoph had a hard time before them, and tha. they needed to keep a close grip oi -themselves. He knew ..full well thai it would, take all their grit to cnabh youths to play the man in these strenuous times. He had come to Stratforc to try and sympathise with the aspirations and ambitions of the average young man. The speaker made'vef ( ;- complimentary references to gress he saw about'him, and contrast ed it with the town he left. Then th'ey kept their streejb lamps aligh but'half the yea;y turning Hiem Out' moreover, at ten o'clock. It bad beei even suggested, in a local paper, tha the lamp-posts should 'lie painter ■white, so that people could see when they were. In Stratford they ha< electricity in their houses,,The speaho' hoped that they had in their heart; that electricity'generated by the Di jj vine power of Cod. He referred to th< J backblocks, and saj&hQjWas pleased tf see that there they"had found tubman could not live by .bread alone. H< believed that the time would conn when all men would discover thi; truth, and that instead of the wave o irreligio;i spreading there would be ; return to the religion of their fathers In conclusion, the Rev. Reader spok< of the union, and in sustained met a phor, referred to it as a marriage. sincerely hoped that the "bride am" the bridegroom" would, like the par in the story book, "live happy eve; after." (Applause.) Musical items were given by Mis; Cameron two songs), and Miss Roger; (violin solo), Miss Hopkins playing tin accompaniments, and Mr. Jame: Staples gave a recitation, fl Supper was then handed round. Dining the evening Mr. White moved ; hearty vote of thanks to the ladies anc friends who had so materially assisted in makmg the social of welcome a success. This was carired unanimously