FAREWELL TO THE REV. JOHN DICKSON.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2169, 28 February 1891, Page 2

FAREWELL TO THE REV. JOHN DICKSON.

The Oddfellows’ Hall, Temuka, was on last Thursday evening crowded to excess by the members and adherents of the Presbyterian Church and frieids of the Rev. J. Dickson, who assembled there to bid him farewell on the eve of his departure on a visit to the Old Country. Mr James Blyth occupied the chair, and read apologies from the Rev. Mr Gillies (Timaru), the Rev: A. B. Todd (Geraldine), and the Rev. T. A. Hamilton (Temuka). After an interval of time was spent in playing all kinds of indoor games, singing, &c, Mr Blyth said he was glad to see so many present to do honor to their minister. When it became known he was about to. visit the Old Country they felt they could not let him go without giving expression to their regard for him, and therefore they decided on presenting him with an address, which Mr Bruce would read for them. Mr Bruce read the address as follows ’ To the Rev. John Dickson, Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Teoiuka.

Ret. and Dear Sir, —Wo, the members and adherents of the Fresbyteiiao Church of Temuka, on the eve of your departure on a visit to your Native Country, desire to give expression to the high esteem in which you are held by your congregation, and to bear testimony to the benefits we have derived from yonr sound ministrations dining the time you have had charge of this Church. Wo also wish to place on record our appreciation of the conrteous and kind manner in which you have discharged your duties as pastor, and now unite in wishing you a pleasant voyage and a safe and speedy return.

Signed, on behalf of the congregation, John Hay James Guild Samuel Cain John Norton Archibald Russell James Bltth Edward H. Brewer Robert Daerooh John MoCaskill James ft. Bruce William McLeod John Morton Samuel MoOully John Brown James Scott Samuel McCullosh.

The address was beautifully illuminated, and won the admiration of all who saw it. It was done by Mr G. W. Wade, of Timaru, and was an exquisite piece of penmanship. It was framed in a splendid gilt frame. Mr Blyth then presented the address, and expressed a hope that the Rev. Mr Dickson would find the Church on bis return in as united and prosperous a condition as he bad left it.

The Rev. Mr Dickson, who was received with great applause, said : My Christian Rriends,—This token of your unmerited kindness touches me deeply. It stirs up within me feelings of a somewhat conflicting character. I value it highly and am delighted to receive it, and yet when I further contemplate it and all that it signifies I am reminded of what I might have been, and of what I might have done, and how far short I have come of my duty and of my opportunities, and feel deeply humiliated. I can only hope and pray that a kind Providence will give me grace so that at some fnture time I may deserve it. I thank yon sincerely for your beautiful illuminated address, which reflects such credit upon New Zealand art, and for tho kind sentiments to which it gives expression, and for all yo.ur sympathy and forbearance during these years past. I reciprocate your good wishes, and hope when I return to this sunny land that 1 shall find you as a congregation united, and ae individuals enjoying all temporal and spiritual prosperity. Mr Dickson wound up amongst applause by stating that on his return he would try to repay their kindness in a small degree by giving an account of what he saw in his travels.

Mr McCully, on behalf of the Band of Hope and Temperance Association, presented the Eev. Mr Dickson with a handsome copy of the revised edition of the Bible in of his services in the cause of temperance. If Mr Dickson was leaving them fer a season they had the consolation that i he would soon return to them again. I The Eev, Mr Dickson thanked them sincerely for this most unexpected present. He had done little in the cause of temperance compared with the evils of the traffic, and he regretted that he had not been able to do more in bo noble a cause. He hoped tbe young would adopt temperate habits, and that the elders would show them a good example, for temperance was the cause of charity, the cause of charity the cause of purity, and the cause of Christ. He again thanked them for their beautiful and appropriate present, (Applause).

The Eev. Mir McKee (Waimate), after a few jocose remarks, said he was extremely glad to see that his friend Mr Dickson occupied such a place in the affections of the people as he did. He was glad, also, to notice that large numbers of other denominations were present, as it showed a kindly Christian feeling and betokened the absence of narrow-minded bigotry* Ee was afraid that they, the ministers of religion, had a. good deal to do with narrow-minded bigotry—(Hear, hear), and he was very glad to notice, as be had noticed on previous occasions, that there was none af it in Teinafs (Applause). He hoped that as their minister occupied a place in their I l ® would also occupy a pjac®

in their prayers during his absence, as they would in his, and that they would pray that the Divine Providence would bring him back safe to them. He hoped they would all enter with a true Christian spirit into Church work, and that great blessings would be showered upon them. (Applause). The Rev. Mr Bunn said he would be the next to leave. He had labored for 31 years in the ministry in this colonv, and now he was about lo get a 12-mouths’ holiday to go where he liked. The Eev. Mr Dickson had worked hard in the cause of temperanoe, and in the cause of literature m the literary society, and he desired to congratulate him on his successes and on his having secured the good wishes of uis people. He hoped they would remember their minister m their prayers, and that he would return to them doubly as useful as when he left them. He wished Mr Dickson a happy and prosperous journey, and that the Hod of Abraham would grant him greater blessings on his return. The Eev. Mr Watters said that everything that wanted to be said had already been said so ably and so eloquently that nothing was left for him to say. He was much pleased to see that the Eev. Mr Dickson was so highly respected, and as for the Church he hoped that when he returned he would find it as united and prosperous as he left it. He (Rev. Mr Watters) would, at anyrate, do his best to prevent the Church from suffering in the meantime. He had great confidence in the congregation, and nothing on his part would be left undone while he had charge of the Church.

Mr Bryars aaid that in common with the rest of the congregation he felt the loss of Mr Dickson. Mr Dickson and he came from the same place, they had gone through the same university, and their modes and habits of thought were similar. The presence of Mr Dickson made him almost forget that he was in a strange country, and he was glad that it was not for good that he was leaving them. He would be able to tell his friends at home what a beautiful country this is, and he would soon return as glad to see them as they would be to see him. After a vote of thanks to the ladies who had provided the tea had been proposed by the Eev. Mr McKee and seconded by the Kev. Mr Bunn and carried by acclamation, “ Auld Lang Syne ” was sung, and the proceedings came to a close. During the evening a selection of Scotch airs was played by Mrs A. M. Clark,and Miss Paterson played a selection of Irish airs. Miss Cooper also played, and ail were thoroughly appreciated, Bongs were given by Miss '.l'avlor, Mr Butland, Mr McCaskill, and Miss Guy, with Miss Paterson as accompanist, and a most enjoyable evening was spent. Ihe supply of eatables was abundant, and on the whole everything passed off to the satisfaction of all present. The Eev. Mr Dickson will leave Temuka in a few days on his homeward journey via Melbourne and the Suez Canal. He will be absent for about six months, during which time the Eev. Mr Watters will have charge of the Church. We wish Mr Dickson a pleasant voyage.