REV. OSBORNE FAREWELLED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 315, 31 May 1911, Page 8

REV. OSBORNE FAREWELLED

A LARGE AND REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING. The venerable and venerated pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, the Rev. S. S. Osborne, with Mrs. Osborne, wore entertained last night by members of the congregation at St. Andrew's Hall, and during the course of the evening wore presented with valuable parting gifts. The function was a fitting tribute to the long, useful and successful career of the minister, whose labors in New Plymouth have extended over a term of some seventeen years, and the audience was fully representative of all denominations, creeds and organisations having, for their aim the public weal. The guests of the ladies' committee—who, it may be stated in passing, had transformed the hall until it was difficult to imagine it a schoolroom, so plentiful and tasteful were the furnishings and decorations—included the Rev. A. M. Brmlbury. the Rev. John Wilkinson (act-ing-vicar of St. Mary's parish), his Worship the Mayor (Mr. G. Tisch) and the Mayoress, and numbers of other leading citizens, whilst the attendance of the great many others must have made the Rev. Osborne in some measure conscious of the very general esteem in which he is held by all classes of the community. The building was crowded to the doors, and several were compelled to . stand! Mr. Murdoch Eraser presided. A concert programme of unusual excellence was given, many of the items being vigorously rc-demanded. There was throughout the items submitted a ■ flavor of "Bonnie Scotland," a compi7nent to the kirk. At the end of this part of the function, Mr. Eraser mounted the platform, and briefly addressed the gathering. The Rev. Osborne, he said, was now about to take a rest, after working hard for some seventeen or eighteen years in their midst. In some peculiar way their minister had won the hearts of a great many people here. (Applause). And when he mentioeid Mr. Osborne he wanted the friends to understand that Mrs. Osborne Was included. They were not gushing people, he remarked, not the sort of people who fell on one's neck, as it were, but silently as the dew, and in the same quiet manner his influence wrapt them round and so was that influence felt. Mr. Frascr re- • grctted that he felt quite unable to say what ought to be said on an occasion like this, but he would like to say that their guests were quite unaware of the object of this gathering, which was held for tlie purpose of giving the Rev. and Mrs. Osborne and their son a presentation. At this ata«e two vcrv finely upholstered armchairs were disclosed to yiew, and Mr. Fraser went on to relate an apt story of an old negress, a laundrvwoman, who was heard to wish that she d like to go to heaven, and remain sitting all the time." Some such thought must have passed through the minds of the friends who selected these lovely gifts He pictured Mr. and Mrs. Osborne in the cosy depths of the chairs, one on cither side of the fireplace, and all the givers asked was that they would use the chairs and think of these friends. Mr. Fraser also handed to Mrs. Osborne

a valuable and ornamental cake-stand, followed by a gold chain for Master Osborne. The retiring minister was then presented with a very artistic illuminated adilrcss in album form, the work of tne Rev. A. M. Bradbury, bearing a whole multitude of signature, »nd reading as follows: "To the Rev. S. S. Osborne.—Reverend and Dear Sir—As you are about to sever your connection with St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in which you have successfully carried on your ministrations for the past seventeen years, we take this opportunity of expressing our appreciation of our devotion as a clergyman and zeal in matters of moral interest to the town. It is with pleasure we learn that you are still to reside in our midst, thus enabling your many friends to avail themselves of your spiritual direction and help. As a token of our genuine feeling, we beg you to accept this address and accompanying present." Mr. Fraser asked Mr. and Mrs. Osborne to accept the gifts as made in the spirit which prompted those men of old 'to bring their gifts to the temple. They were told that "Then came those whose hearts stirred tliem up and whose spirits were made willing, and they brought their gifts." "That expresses our feelings," he continued, "and we want you. with these gifts, to take our best friendship through to the end." The next speaker was his Worship the Mayor, who voiced with the greatest pleasure his appreciation of the Rev. Osborne's many good qualities exhibited during his seventeen years' work hero. Mid his regret at his withdrawal from active work in this church. He had known Mr. Osborne in connection with many committees and in cverv progressive movement, and he added that he was always ready to help in practical fashion in any good work. He was glad that Xew'Plymouth was not to lose Mr. and Mrs. Osborne, and on behalf of the citizens he wished them long life and prosperity. He then, on behalf of the ladies' committee, handed to Mrs. Osborne a beautifully carved tray. Mr. Dempsey, headmaster of the Central School, speaking as one who, outside his own church, had probably been as closely associated as anvone with the Rev. Osborne, paid a glowing tribute to his worth, particularly mentioning his work on the School Committee and in connection with the Bible lessons in the school, which he was glad to say he had consented to continue, as they were thoroughly appreciated by the children The Rev. S. S. Osborne, on rising to reply, was very heartily greeted. The emotion that he felt was plainly evidenced in his voice, as he expressed the view that his friends would doubtless feel for him in which was to him somewhat of an ordeal. If he could have pscaped he would have done so, but he had known that it would have been an ungracious act sn his part had he not fallen in with the wishes of the ladies «nd gentlemen who had organised this function. He had known nothing of the presentation until bo came iito the room. He and his wife were very much obliged to the dear friends who had gone to such trouble in connection with the entertainment. He pointed to the decoration of the hall, and said that he knew from long experience the amount of labor that this had entailed. And nt these evidences of good feelintr to

wards him his heart, rose in him, and he was unable to say all that he would like to say. During the past few weeks he had been under considerable strain, for he had been "flitting," and a more painful "flitting" he had never experienced, and the strain had been great. He felt, too, the matter of parting with his congregation and with his friends in the church work, and he felt more especially his parting with the children of the Sunday School. Though he had sometimes had a certain amount of trouble in the church, causing him the loss of many a night's sleep, he had never had trouble in the school, where the teachers had been loyal and the children as good as gold. He had deemed it a great privilege and blessing to come amongst the little ones Sunday after Sunday. It was truly a labor of love, as was the work at the Central School. He was glad to hear from Mr. Dempsey that the children liked him, and he was glad the Scnool Committee had given him an opportunity of going on with this work, at least till his successor came. But he had no wish or intention to block the patn of his successor in any way. He was not going now into the cause of his separation from this church, for such would not he opportune, and the matter could be a'llowcd to sleep. Whilst he still felt vigorous and fit for his work he felt also that he would like a rest, more particularly for Mrs. Osborne's sake. The minister's wife, like the minister, had her work to do, but, unliKC the minister, she received rio stipend, although she was very frequently criticised for her manner of doing her work. The work was beginning to tell on her,

and he would be glad of the rest for her sake. He would say here that his wife had' always supported him in the most generous way, and for what he had been and had done in New Plymouth they must thank Mrs. Osborne equally with himself. His wife was full of spirit, a great deal more so than he, and perhans more than many of the men present, and she had been at his back all the way. But he was afraid these present were too much—they had overdone the matter. What had he done to deserve this? He had but done his duty from day to day and from week to week, and at the end they came in this way and placed him under suck deep obligation. They had been kind to him all through, and ne had always had the support of the majority of his congregation. His experience of the New Plymouth people was that if a man tried to do his duty they would support him and say, "God bless you, go ahead!" He was glad the Mayor had said a word or two. He remembered Mr. and Mrs. Tisch for a longer- period than they could remember .him. He remembered coming down this foast in very rough weather some 28 years ago, and when he landed here from the little steamer he was vcrv, very limp. He went to the hostelry presided over at the time by Mr. and Mrs. Tisch, and if he had been their own brother they could not have treated him better. They had forgotten the incident, but he never would, and the thought was insistent that if every hotel in New Zealand were in the hands of a'Mr, and Mrs, Tisch, there would he no trouble concerning this matter of which they heard so much. He was very much indebted to his friend Mr. Bradbury for his work in the illuminated address, and he gave his hearty thanks. He was exceedingly obliged to all who had come here on this inclement night, and to those ladies and gentlemen who had given them perhaps the most enjoyable concert that he Had ever heard in the building. On behalf of himself, his wife and his son, he tendered the most hearty thanks for all the kindnesses shown, and expressed their pleasure that they were remaining in New Plymouth, where they hoped to go on enjoying their friends' society as in the past. Mr. Osborne resumed his seat amidst loud applause.

Supper followed, and this, like every other department of the farewell function, was supplied on a bounteous scale. The ladies' committee was much assisted by Mr. Way, senr., in the arrangements. The programme submitted was given by the following artists, and it was warmly appreciated:—Orchestral selection; song, Miss Wray; recitation, Miss Grant; duet, Messrs Guv and Hooker; song, Miss Ward; pianoforte solo, Miss Warren; song, Miss Taylor; recitation, Mr. Ely the; song, Miss Robson; song, Mr. Woodard.