Farewell to Rev F. G. Evans at Thames.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 382, 6 July 1889, Page 2

Farewell to Rev F. G. Evans at Thames.

Thb Thames Advertiser refers as follows to the Farewell given Rev Mr Evans at Thames, last Tuesday evening : — "The ■large meeting ;it St. George's Hall laet evening wag unique,, we question whether ever "before in New Zealand bo largo n number of all clasßes ever assembled to do honour to "an uriob'struUVe minister -of religion; Tliere are many phases of greatness, but .there are tfew who sit< in high places who could not have envied' the Rev F. Q. Evanp. He has fulfilled the duties he undertook in Ruch a manner as to command the respect of the whole population. Hia brother ministers all spoke of him in terms which stamp him as the one man [ amona^t thousands. The friend of the friendless, the sample of earnestness of purpose, the Christian in the highest sense of the term, He, as he told the audience, looked tfpon all who held the faith that was in him as brethren, and each of the representative" of those who differed merely as to form or system of church government accepted him as such. What greater or more emphatic recognition could any minister of religion ask from the community "amongst whom he has |laboured.

Seldom ia there a man in any district whom the assertion or th« insinuation of: the*<slander^cpuld not reaeh^bnt -m^heflpf case(oM^vans this was impOßfi'^^^o^J^ many *'ijn.e'\Y. of his earnest spirit fW '*ahd~'" l v^ upright conduct, Tm catholicity, and|hja 1 good works. What a aple'ndid redord^isv this of five yftarn work ma dftrictjf; dnfl we feel - confident that\\vliat we have written will be endorsed by all claaafes. t !The Thame's.js, about v to lose; oSjejof th\,/< lj>est men, i£-nrit % the beHt'ina'n'qn thVfiold. \'S \Be this as it may,\we f «eb conft<lenl'*'that were a ballot taken he would far and away head the poll; We congratulate the people of Te Aroha on;itl)eirja.equ,i?,itjon of Mr Evans services, and echo .the expressions of the various minister* who spoke last night by wishipg ,that he may long, be spared to minister'to their spiritual xwelf are . and to the material wants of the poor. No man has before" left the Thames whose departure has been , bo,, .unanimously regretted as will be'thnt'of 'Mr Kvans.^ • ' A nother journal referring to, the sul)ject says : '* The farewell soiree and meeting to the Rev F. Ct. E\'ans Was' a great success. Over 400 sat down to tea, And there were about 500 in alkat ..the*' afterv meeting-. Ministers oE every, denomma-* 4 tion wei-e present except the^PreabytWiun, ".. who was übsent frotii the Thames at the time; a-nl rio llev Mr Neili sentunap'ology,'" ar? did u 'bo Fatl i er O' Reil ly . Addresses wui'e (leltvej's«J 'it'i'ii!? }')(- evening 'by Revs. TvO'iil (WT^van). Woolley "(Biptist and How^Vi., '.'.'• >M.ib, J..Wnon (I*ri'nitlve Mathorlicl', *J -pt.iin tlitlow (Salvation), and K. H. Taylor (Church of Christ)." l