PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4718, 14 May 1894, Page 3

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

kmoml Reference to Dr Stuart "

The Rev, Robert Wood yestorday in the Presbyterian Church, made the following references to the lato Dr Stuart, of Dunedip, After reading as one of the lessons for the day the story of the death of Alobbs, he said " Our church in N.Z is much poorer this morning through the death of one of its moßt loyal servants, Dr Stuart, o! Dundin, Yesterday morning (Inmost respected and the beat loved man in Southern New Zealand passed from earth to heaven, For a third of a century he had taken the leading place inOtagoas OhristianPastor,Philanthropist uud Educationist, In 1859 he was labouring in a quiet country parish in the north ol England when the summons came to him to goto New Zealand. He was seleoted by Lira, Bonra and Guthrie and Pro fe&sor Miller to assist Dr, Burns (one of our great Scottish poets nephews) of Dunedin. In 1860 he commenced his work there, and under God he has built up the largest oongrega'ion in the Southern Hemisphere. Knox Cliuroh with its roll of members largely exceeding a thousand, has no equal in these southern seas. Sir Harry Atkinson on one occasion worshipped there on a communion Sabbath,and ivhen be saw Seven hundred men and one confessing at the Lord's Table, Chiist as their Redeemer and Lord, he was deeply moved »nd said alterwards that it was the most impressive spectacle lie had over seen in hie life. The geniality of Dr, Stuart's disposition, th» largeness of hid heart, and the catholioity of his sympathies contributed much to bis phenomenal bucoess as a Christian Pastor. His aotivity in every philanthropic movement was over earnest. People of all creeds Hooked to him in their distress and poverty. The following story is characteristic of the man. Latu at night he learned of an unfortunate family lying on hard boards on a cold winter night. He returned to his

Manseand stripped a bed ofits belongings, and with the great burden on his broad shoulders made his way through the darkness to ihe hut of tbe poor. He was slopped on the way by a policpman who thought he was a burglar ludon with plunder, and it was with some difficulty that the guardian of the peace was persuaded to let him go I Dr fjtuurt was also, like John Knox, whoso name his congregation bears, n most enthusiastic friend of education. As Cliancollor of the Otngo University and Chairman of 'the Dunedin Hifl Bobool Board, he has lor years at the head of every educatiflW rao»emont in Otago. But it will be as tlio leader of wandering ones to the Saviour, and as thn comforter of the troubled soul that he will be most missed, In Masterton some time ago I visited a dying man whose religious connecion was outside the Presbyterian Church, and he told me it was through Dr. Stuart's preaching that his soul was led to experience the "peace that paaseth all understanding," A good multitude whose lives onr departed Father touched in thoir tenderest momenta—in their joys and soivows—liavo experienced a great bereavement, bet us bear on our hearts by our sympathy and prayer the o«so of this pastorless congregation, and may God raiee up a Josuha to carry on the work begun by the blessed dead I