PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH, GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2171, 5 March 1891, Page 2

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH, GERALDINE.

The Eev. G. C. Clement, wnofor the past two years has occupied the position of pastor to the above Church, concluded his ministry at Geraldine on Sunday last, when he preached farewell sermons both morning and evening. There were large audiences at both services, In the morning the rev. gentleman took for his text the words " Cleave unto the Lord your God."—Joshua xxiii., 8, and in the evening the texts " The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghoßt be with you all."—II. Corinthians xiii., 14,

On Monday evening the farewell tea meeting was held, The gathering was eminently successful, the attendance being very large and the financial results very satiafactory. Four Jong tables were laid in the church. They were abundantly loaded with provisions and handsomely decorated with fLowera. were given and presided over by Mesdames T Sherratt, W b Maalin, J M Sutherland, Gt Prouting, J Kennington, Bates, and H N Hiskens, assisted by Miss Williams. Several sittings had to be held, and it was well on towards eight o'clock before the tea was disposed of. A public meeting was held afterwards. Mr a Sherratt occupied the chair.

The meeting was opened with singing and prayer. The chairman said that while it gave him great pleasure to be there that evening he felt an amount of regret at parting with the Rev. G Clement, who had worked so hard among them for the past two years. They were all pleased, however, at the happy circumstances under which he was leaying. The speaker referred to, the good feeling and unity which prevailed among them as a Church „ and urged upon the members to see* that the same was not broken and to rally round the new man, when, no doubt, they would be even more prosperous than in the past. Hymn by the choir, Mr C. McKsnxie, in an earnest and practical address, pointed out to young men more particularly the time thev were wasting in idle trifling when they might be doing grand work for the Church. He regretted the departure of Mr Clement, as he had derived great benefit from his ministrations. Solo, Mrs Hiskens, ** Sweet hfabbath Eve."

Mrs Bates, Temuka, wished the departing guest every success and happiness in his new sphere of life and Jabor. She addressed the meeting very earnestly,

Mr F. R. Flatman trusted God would bless the Rey. G. Clement and bis future partner in life with every blessing. He heard that he was going to G-reendale, and at the same time saw bv the paper that he was going to the* "United States." He believed both were correct. He wished him every happiness. He spoke very strongly against infidel books, and urged that Christians should neither read them nor allow them to be in their houses. He also urged upon them to be very liberal about their Christian brotherhood, and no matter how low down a man might be in the world, if he were a Christian, to treat him as a brother.

Solo, Mr E Logan, "The Good Shepherd." Mr W S Maslin offered his hearty congratulations to the Rev G Clement on this auspicious occasion. Mr Clement had been preaching among them now for the past two years, and he was leaving the church in a far better position than he found it in when he came. While he (the speaker) regretted losing Miss Eskett as a fellow-worker and school teacher, be was very thankful for the circumstances under which she was going away. During her stay in Geraldine she had shown an aptitude for work which was not always shown by young people. He hoped that in conjunction with Mr Clement they would be able to work quite a revolution in church matters. Mr Maslin then went on to speak of the wonderful growth made by Methodism since John Wesley formed his first class about 1739. He concluded by expressing a fervent hope that God would bless the incoming minister, and would also grant an abundant blessing to Mr Clement and his future wife. Solo, Mrs Bates, " Christ is All in All."

Mr C E Sherratt spoke more particularly on friendship. In the course of his remarks he congratulated Mr Clement on being able to take with him to his new home that greatest of all Friends—the Lord Jesus Christ. He wished Mr Clement and his future wife every happiness and success, and fairly brought down the house by concluding with a recitation, " Wanted, a Minister's Wife," in which the initials of Mr Clement and Miss Eskett were cleverly worked into the last verse, which intimated that the vacancy was iilled.

The Key. G. Clement, who was received with applaase, thanked the various speakers for the many expressions of good wishes for his future welfare and success in the work of God. He only hoped and prayed that those good wishes might be realised in his future life. He had labored with some degree of joy at Geraldine, The favorable impressions of the district he had received before comiag there had been greatly deepened and strengthened since his arrival. He had also found that his favorable impressions of the brethren and friends at Geraldine had been greatly increased. He had been blessed with a certain degree «f success. God had ever and anon given him tokens of his favor, aud in that building they had had blessed times together. He had, of course, bad his times of gloom and sadness. A minister had often to comfort others when he stood in sore need of it himself. He was glad to be able to say that during his ministrations at Geraldine his greatest ambition had been to promote the glory of God and the progress and prosperity of his church. He had bown actuated by no personal motives, but had been ever ready to sacrifice himself that God's cause might prosper; He prayed that God s blessing might still be with the*. On the motion of Mr Metson (of Temuka), seconded by Mr W. Ellery (Belfield), a- hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the ladies who gave and presided over tk& tables, and to all those who had agisted with the athering. Ihe choir having sung we hymn " God be with you," and the Bev. G. Clement having oftered prayer, the meeting terminated.