Presentation to the Rev. James Hill.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2623, 5 June 1877, Page 2

Presentation to the Rev. James Hill.

Upwards of 200 persons assembled af. the Theatre Royal last evening to be present fat: the- presentation ofan address and a..purse, ofr sovereigns .to, the; Rev! J.:-Hill 'oh the^ occasion of his'departure from the Thamesr On the stage were seated the Revs. J.Hill, R. Laishley and J. T. Hinton, Messrs Renshaw, Mcllhone, Aitken, Gudgeon, Gibbons and others. - •

Mr Gibbons moved, and Mr McTlhbiie seconded, that Mr J. Renshaw take the 'chair. This was carried by. acclamation, .and— ■....- . .: '"■■■■■■ >

■ t Th c Chairman said that the; purpose for which they had been called -together to-night was of importance to:tliem all. The Thamesiwas about to lose a familiar face, as.pne; who vhad,always taken an active part in public matters was about to leave. In the order of events that famiiiar face"was about t<r be taken from amongst them, and they found that they would require to; give him two or three farewells,., a>- bei^o§inj^ a public man had beei£ ide^ified^irith: the place in various sp^eresj©>Th^r friend had received an ovatipii^ltjlthe iiands of the Freemasons, arid it hadpleased him to see a man with religious; tendencies like Mr Hill take such anlnterest in it, as it made him have a bottle* opinion of Freemasonry [ than he used to have. He supposed that in Mr Hill's severing his relationship with his church there had .-also been an expression'of the esteem in which he was held, but they must remember that they must look,,at the friend they had met to do honor to-night in. no other .light than as a citizen—as one who had worked rfor? the benefit of-tha community. (Applause.) He was not one of the rort; thatj|believed;jthat a minister should stick to religious matters—and to itheße: alone-rf°r ne believed that when ministers came forward to lead public opinion, and leadvitinjthe right direction, they are the best support that their party could have, and, indeed,; their besfc public men were ministers of the Gospel, and he was glad'that; the Thameshad a man like Mr Hill. The speaker then referred to the Education Act and the position Mr Hill had: taken. He said that Mr Hill had come forwardand had educated public opinion, so that the system of education that was : nowtheir,;boaßt;Was adopted.. This and other things made them think that in losing Mr Hill they were losing something to be proud of. ' The speaker then referred to the equality existing between the rich and poor classes on the Thames, and affirmed tba;t it ;was due to such men as Mr Hill that there was so little drunkenness and crime in the place.The Mechanics' Institute and the Hospital had also to thank Mr Hill. In conclusion he said he hoped-Mr Hill would ever remember the Thames with affection. It had been the scene of his deepest affliction,* but he iknew Idf sympathy could* have saved him the pangs it would. He then called upon— „.,i Mr Gudgeon to read the address, which he did as follows":—-

Address -to: the Rot.; James Hill on his departure from the Thames. ....-■-. i We, the undersigned, on behalf of the inhabitants ofthe Thames gdldfield, .-jiif public meeting* assembled, desire upon the eve of your departure for Lyfctelton !o express tlie very high r eatimßtion,in which jou ore hel^by all classes of this community." We" recognise I with feelings of approbation the able, judicious,, i , and consistent nmnner in which jr.OjU.have.4ischarged your duties as a citizeu,"ana as an earnest worker in the cause of humanity, whereby you have, endeured yjourself =to the people of the Thames. We contemplate your, departure from ainonget us. with extreme regret^ but in whatever part of the colony your lot may be cast or under whatever circumsUnces you may be~placed, rest assured that it will be our sincere and united prayer that you and your family-may ;npt;pnly contiaue. to eujoy health, happiness, and prosperity, but jthat you may be long-spared to.experience every blesßJng and comfort; and as r smalL memento of your connection with. lhis district we beg your acceptance of the accompanying purse of sovereigns.

; > -The Gbairman then,rin the name of the people of the Thames, presentedfMr Hill with hand some silk purse full of sovereigns. • ' •' i The Key. J. Hill, on c©ming forward, was received with loud and continued applause. He said it was impossible^ for him- adequately to express the feelings then in his bosom. He : could stand a great deal df ©ppositioii, but so much kindness overpowered hirai To receive such a demonstration from the diflPererit sections of the community filled him with a deep feeling of his own unworthless c\xd a strong feeling of grati-

tude. As au old resident he could appreciate such manifestations of regard. It was now nine years sii'ce he became a settled minister here,, bvit he had visited the place- frequently since its formation in 1867. He remembered that during one of these early visits he had preached in ■the old Court House, which was then a rapu whare at the rear of where the present Court House now stands, and the appearance of a female had caused great excitement. The diegers could hardly believe that females had begun- to come to the place. (Mr Hill here related several other interesting reminiscences.) He said that of the part he had taken in matters connected with the place he would say a few things, and as he would have, to . speak about, himself, -he hoped they would remember that he couldn't help it. He spoke to them as a citizen, and not a3 a clergyman, and.as an old resident. If he spoke as a clergy* man he would have to tell them of the marriages he had celebrated and the baptisms he had performed. But he spoke as a citizen. He had ever considered it his duty to take part in any movement for .the benefit of the place. He was not one of those that believed that ministers should only attend to their own special work. He had never taken any part in politics unless some question in. which he was bound to bo interested was involved. What he bad done he did on the principle, that because a man becomes a minister he does not cease to be a citizen. There were several things by which he had tried to be guided, and the chief of these was never-to introduce* religion into anything of which religion was not an element. He had once been severely denounced for the position he had taken on a certain movement. The person who had denounced him was 1 now dead, but shortly before his death he sought an interview with him, and taking him by the hand said : "Mr Hill, I have noted the impartiality with with which you have been guided in some things. You look at the right or the wrong of what a man is doing apart from his creed." ' He told him that was what he tried to do. The man was Michael O'Haire, a straightforward and honest man. Another thing he bad always tried" to do, was, never to allow matters of opinion to destroy private fiiendship. He remembered once having a controversy with Father Fivard, and some people thought that after it they must cease to be friends, but when they met they were the same as before. Was he to quarrel with such a man bee.use they differed on a matter of public question? Certainly not, for that man was one of the beat friends he ever knew. The first time he met Father Nivard was at. Auckland. -He had gone to a Catholic chapel ,to get a model for building a Church; -The priest in charge was Father Nivard. He had frequency jocularly allud'd io this circumsiance when they were better acquainted. In Auckland be went to'him for the model of a Church, and on the Tbame" he regarded him as the model of a life. Another thing he never did was to anonymously atCick a man's cbaiacter, position or interest. * To sit down and write against" ~a~ man's _posij;ioo, character or interest while the writer concealed liis own vnanie-*'was mean, cowardly aod cruel. It was an leasy; Tfayiof <vbftnd'ng an'opponent, or satisfying maUpecor-revpnge, bat it was stabbing in the dark. If they couldn't meet a man fairljr they should not-do-it unfairly. He as a matter-of conscience ha 1 never done it, and hoped' he xwould never do it. That was his doctrine, and it would bo better for the peace and happiness of the world if it was unanimously carried out. (Applause) Another thing he%ied to avoid'was that of principles for supposed results. They were often afraid of doing .tbeir duty because of the result. To take an illustration. A minister might' have to exercise the discipline of his church) on individuals. If he does,, it may rmake that individual his enemy, and he might do him harm. Thus there was a temptation not'to exercise discipline. Another illustration was that:a member of a society might "have to oppose another member either in regard to office or. conduct. If he did he very often made an. eriemyT Revenge waa sweet, and Ihose who pat them ?n an unpleasant position might eirjoy it.' But never mind, do'what was right. It would stand when all malice and revenge was powerless. Endeavoring io work on those principles he could say he had- some little influence with the various sections of. \he community. There bad been at one time a bitterness between parties, but he believed in no place in. the colonies was there so much liberal mindedness and unity of action among-the different classes of the community as on the Thames. s Mr Hill then spoke to some length on the harmony at present -existing on the Thames,' And the future welfare of the, place. In conclusion he. said that he hoped that they would take this lesson to heart that when they came to die~tbey could look back on the past and fhink that they had not lived altogether in vain. (Loud cheers.)' - • The Rev. B. Laisbley made a few remarks expressive of his regret at Mr Hill's departure. He said they felt the loss of a van like Mr Hill or Mr Severn after their departure. ; Mr Severn, a man of fine t Jent, 'they 4iad' lately lost, and now they were to lo v e another, and though he,felt one in heart }with>;.them at his loss yet he hoped that their loss would be his gain. The Rev. J T. Hintori said that he. could only judge from hearsay of what Mr Hill had done for the community, but he knew that Mr Hill had. been a kind and sympathetic friend to the Baptists when they had lost their clergyman, some, two ye.rs ago. But" he was going away, and, though he was going he did not think their hearts would break. They werie^ very elastic .and would not break with being stretched down to Lyttelton. The speaker then made a humorous reference to the factihat Mr-Hill's .going to Lyttelton might bring about a union of the North and South Islands. Mr Gudg«on said that when asked to ~'accept.-the fluty of—, Secretary, .to' the Presentation Committee, he had at first refused, thinking that one(of Mr- Hill's own congregation should take the duty. 1 :'He had, however, subsequently accepted the duty if for nothing else only to show the respect in which Mr Hill was held by him. They had disagreed somewhat on matters spiritual, but they had got on well in matters temporal. He hnd to thank Mr Hill oh behalf of the Catholics of the Thames for the kind manner which he had spoken of their late pastor Father Nivard on his departure for China. He remembered on that occasion Mr Renshaw bad said, in wishing him good-bye, that he wished that he might some day hear that he had become a Baptist. Now he would

return the compliment to Mr Hill, and hoped to see. Mr Hill using his talents in the cause of Catholicism. (Loud laughter and applause.) Mr Speight m?de a few remarks expressive oi" the regret he felt at the Thames losing Mr Hill.

Mr Mcllhone also expressed his regret at Mr Hill's departure, as he said did all the Catholics on the Thames. Father Chastagnon, who was in Auckland, would have testified to that fact more fully. The Chairman stated that he had been requested to apologise for the absence of the lie vs. V.;lju^h^nd.R.^S. v ßun,n>.. >; .r J , The'meeting was rl)foagli£ to a close By the carrying of a vote of thanks to the Chair, "moved by the Rev. J. Hill.