FAREWELL TEA MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1164, 29 August 1882, Page 2

FAREWELL TEA MEETING.

I'he far^ell||a ( taeeting to the Rev. James! ||Ke|pr6;w an exceptionally large- iiumoeS'ivißitors to the churoh the tables were iii the building was filled and the-chair taken by the Rev. Mr Paterson. >-" The Chairman said that the factof his pre3iding;in:plafte:of:thflir:own-pastorrin~ dicated that they had met under sow what peoulia'r.circumstances. PastOri'id 'pe»pleWrneufbria-«la(iMime»tO" bid-each-other a formal farewell. The pastoral tie, which they had seWeii wa'sija'tfeepf tender, and solemn bond.' He remembered some eight years ag" taking partfiiiv of Mi/McKe/tu\ their charge, and since then "he had labored amongst "them with.great zeal, earnestness, and fidelity, and, he trusted, !withljjßUoeeMiiyHef believed^a'l.Btrpnfc; atta'chhierit'exiatedibßtween people, that Mr McKee had faithfully p/e|ob[ed pyfifm ' pljuj-chjj they were averse to frequent]removalp.oi their ministers, believing what- the Hie between minister md people deepned and strenltUefiytPwitVthe'lailse of years, 1 ihere I snouidi he M Changes. i'Some Churches, like the periotlioal changes. ( ffia^sKtem'.'iajl.j'tsv advantages and disadvantages, and so TnidlthßirJMnt ()Tn'#ome da'BesTa ;J dhah'g'd' was, 'desifable IfoKiMmihis't'e'ri himself) He consideredlth'alffehSn a miriisteri had been eight or ten years'lib(hH/m'B't'.bha r rge] he was better for a change. Later in life he deprecated such a removal,-becauae-a minister could not then so readily adapt was sometimes good for a con'grega'tibV Ministers were apt to net. .Bieieotjped,,iu, their thought and mode ofexpreVsing'it they hadjfiviiuvnt intercourse wjth men) of high rf |n§ congregations 'then required," asT it were, .to» .get under u a new ( sweep, of infiukl, WWffi m:mm W tie" would go \vitK ripeneil judgnient'ito/, onpeople >1 prepared- to Wvait. l on his ministry. It was well known that theiremoval »!wasi Mr- iMcKee's! voluntary.: act, and He'Was'happy l to say'tliat in'lhe l place where he was going there was a church, manse, glebe and~a~greatei r "majteriaL support, even than.that lie had, Jreceifedjm I mm snrejthftt) all would join him in wishing Mr MoKee God speed. As jjjyn'-ieellngi he had often visited the congregation and manse and had always enjoyed his visits, ..receiving .the.iimiest / and«.moat ? .generous, He h;aa\aiw'ayf( had pleasant? intercourse with Mr McKee, and would "part "from" "him giWTegreT (applause) j' i I / n fr '■ >:'p" ffi;Yiil.e_ o'o ijlhalfkiif iheiChurchJ3,i]m; mil tee then made a statement' He said that Mr MoKee had laid put "ipaondy ih improving the manse wjihdut asking any assistance from |iis copimittee.-Th'eyhad however, come to the conclusion that it would be unjust to him, to allow~hiin to sustain this,burthen, aud-they bad agreed to'give(h'im l a donatibir 'equal toAlie 'sum which they understood itjiatthe had spent) The committee tune tb consult with the congregatiqn generally, but in the,meantime;hebeggedoffilsy behalf to ha"d to'jVlr.r M.oKee ja purß/ufVeigfily sovereigns, (applause),;., , ~/ - {) Mr D, McGregor added that the matter /<jf;MrJMcKee!i remoyal, hadjeomje' upon "them sp|uddenly that what had been done could nbt beiateii 1 as 1 |he rneas'ure;( : )f f whai they lonijer tinie at their disposal. They did not desice. the presentation to bo con:diaei'ed,:atr'efQtfd.t^Pliiejcrdaaired to display towards Mr McKee thXFgenerouFspirit which he had shpWtj'jn dealing'''wifijl them. He fully tion would bear the ouc'-taj the action which thpy had; kakeq.'(Applause) express his apprecia; 'iion'of'Mi'il'cleeV It would be difficult to find a minister who woujd-work-as well ,^ithjiis t done, Mr 'McKee had,always.)n.eV r 'the most generomLand friendly rrjarmer. years /ago'ijuj'iugj! a /time |if depfessioYhe liad 'even voluntarily offered to surrender 8 portion of his income in order to burden. He haa labored earnestly an'd not spared himself. Ho (the speaker) financial grounds, If any man present was free from selfishness irwas"Mr McKee.'' McKee woijld carry with l|jn) fh'u good jwjflhes /off aU»df - tI)M/ (Renewed lp' J.r, \ifih iii\ The Chairman in. hanilin? the gift to ;Mr 2 MbKee ''d ascribed 'jt ! its' aVV(aphaVtiU"6f ; a'm'o'r'al ibbliga'tidn/'aijd^till l ni'o're'lli's an 'kiiidly "feeling';' towards 'Mr posal of the congregationjjthoy,,had acted hMrtjlyjan^gei^'jjy;,,,.^,.,,,/', The Rev James/McKe.e in] acknowledg;ing |the ~preßentatio|iHsaid,.thati'lhere were .times in a manls life w\m- words failed: tb express feelings, and h'elc'ouldWt'Wthe present occasion Trust himself "any l 6n r ß , t(i6n'e , d l 're l njarlt ; ,' ,f •' 'He reierted hkr Kii'6' l nio4(i ''-iqartneF* s gregation l)ad wqrkefl with' him 1 , during irtftrospectioii: was gmtifylng■' to Mm it i ittas.hard-forihiini'fc".'partjwith'a people i 'whoih'dd'.heeiiifiojg'enernus towards hini. 1 ; 'He lt 'r f ßtui'ned' ; ib , '|eitpre f 3slve"terMß"hii thanks "He. expi'essfi'd \ hii 'Onnawn Church with whbm h v e bad li've'd itodn^'6'Mi , a)sll i, 'bi 1 ' I frien^i l iivlhi- , ma!ny. '•trlilas aWay;'wh6se ; Mpilaliiy v 'h , e| l liad frequently enjoyfid./'to' hiid'Visited' 'alth'oßt' ' 'evWy'hdfaieste'a'd.'betwe'en and the ao'u|fiern / rapa, and had l 'al#ays':b'e!en ! w'e i lonme i d with ikindnes&: withoijtqrespect' itoaoreedi'i He therefore thanked those whovoreiahsent as wejl as those' who Vere 'present, .fie alsorßpoke'in terms oWomrii'etidation of the*' Weal press, hnti desire Wdbp) in a fair'and straightforward) manneriwilh all public questions, He expressed an earnestihOofe'thatjhe\might^be''able; fo visit 'MasterWaWn, iHbuijh f Here might f liye^iig^Yhjjjrj','m^hej 1 pp'urse qf iey l entslie i CQuld|not.:eipe i c.tagain'lq see. .- Mr 15, feish the letter frpii) ting that' a prior engagement prevented fronj h*§w Mr.Pewsbtify, iif&reytqp, expressing ! Kis ;reg'r'et'at\feiqs vjhSble to attend. ■■'"'■ , l x '''' ' ] ,J " !: "*"'"■■"'•■" J - to the ohainnan twenty.one sovereigns,' and an address by the residents in that neighborhood expressing their sense of Mr McKee's r ps| services,!- and their highjestimation worth. i.(ApphVuse). \!i > The chairman said they all knew how diligent Mr, JSiToECtilha'dMieeniiHi »fep.utlying.dißMotß.of-hiß.'paßtowtfi(-»nd D.rQbabJy had time permitted acknowledgeme'nts''w()nld 'have beep' frecWedf from iotheHqiiarxers Gladstone ' ' ' 1 ' friends.j Their action had been a surprise to him, .and he -hy-felt-ponsid§rablymovedat-the; interest they had displayed in hi| welfare.! K'was Qiarlsfnh'e 1 fhaf toes ye^ar. iulpit'gojvu. ~On the present oogaplayed their fe^fiplf'ji^hjmsllf.'artd (Applause). .aobiitnTdl'jbjid \' , The Chairman said such expressions of

opinion were gratify ing.iestimiJiiy to Mr 1 I McKee's faithfulness as a minister, and I would send him away with fresh hope and courage to his new field of labor. ; • TheßevMrlsi't, who waa then called upon by the ohaii'. said ihat though he ; was«he youngest minister present he felt like a veteran, having for himself taken part in some four or five valedictory meetings. Ministers of his own church JirypiesLasllictogranifcf here to-day .au'd^nFtd^m'o'rrow, I ', He thought there was .a 1 moy£me,nj[(a)nqiig Wesleyans to extend jhe- .presjM: Jg r ff..9fr residunoe. His own Ilea was that a congregation should onceja yJarUMti iJiinister to siay" Wore not given the minister would take ihf hint to move on, and if it were not accepted the congregation would look out for another man. On the other hand, unless a man were a genius he should not : Ms! feljf? 'I»Pl 8 M he ° ould long a period old' truths m a new garb, and;jif haiwera uvtieniua—and £ih men mti rwe-iMaa unfair for onojttace to monopolise him for a lifetime. Though he had known Mr MoKee but a ahpjcA i ItiraelheYhaMd acknowledge the kindwl with which that gentleman had welcomed l)fe Joined heartily in the general MpresMn" of good wishes. \ [(applause), k The Chairman then briefly exhorted the ana promised to "c|o|■ ltisj'ntmi'st to supply the pulpit on j' every 'Sunday. Tho Presbytery would assist them in obtaining a new pastor, and he believed they might reasonably expect to get a preacher of ability and , reputatin||( Vi .lochia respect he advised f ;!he,m''.to.;;aim,.j>ig|i.ian(); endeajor to get the best man procurable. Mastertimwaa ' their best country charge and bore a good oharacter, so that many would be willing Wl|bor ambng them. (Applause,) ' tfMi"McOii F rdle inoved a cordial vote of thanks to the chairman for the warm ,' interest he in their \w L e.lfa;re. l /,(App!auS i e.;v,us,etVll? l, i t"ok the ~ opportunity for , * the Rev,, James. MoKee and best wishes for his future prosperity. ,; .ii ) i;te^", o l ?H i . n ) g i i, t^ffl(P luseci with lhe i (Peuedicliiun.,.,;,;,-/.; lfA {Un ,„ i::l