VALEDICTORY SOIREE TO DR. HOOPER AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2991, 15 September 1891, Page 2

VALEDICTORY SOIREE TO DR. HOOPER AT CAMBRIDGE.

Thk friends of the Rev. Dr. Hooper met in S. Andrew's school, Cambridge, on Friday evening to express their thanks to him for the very hearty manner m which he had laboured amongst, them during his temporary sojourn in the district, and also to bid him farewell on his departure to India, the sphere of his former labours, where he is again taking up the good work. The room was crowded, all sects being represented, iind the high esteem in which Dr. Hooper is held was amply demonstrated, fur even the choir was composed of members of the Anglican, Wcsleyan and Presbyterian Churches, Tho proceedings commenced by the singing of a hymn, "The sower went forth sowing," after which Archdeacon Willis asked Dr. Hooper to tell them why ho was returning to India, and what he was going to do when he arrived there.— The worthy doctor complied with the request, in a short speech, some portions ol which caused great amusement, for it con laiued the announcement that he was going to be married to a lady who is now in India ■—a member of the Zenana Mission—and as he ontored somewhat fully into the manner iu which the negotiations had been con ducted by letter aud cable, aud also the arrangements that had been made for the marriage, it may be. guessed the younger members of his audience exhibited a little jocularity. 110 gave a short resume of Informer mission work in India and related how he had come to New Zealand t.) get his health restored, and he stated that of all the numerous places ho had visited in the world ho awarded Cambridge tho palm as being the most healthy. His health being restored he was returning to India having accepted an appointment under the British and Foreign Bible Society to translate tho Bible into one of the numerous languages of that country. His chief station would be Benares, but a portion of the year he should reside in the hill district and so escape the malaria. He entered fully into the method adopted in translating and mission work generally, but we cannot afford space to deal with it as we could wish, for it was very inteiesting and instructive. The doctor concluded by asking all to pray that his work in the future might be blessed and prove productive of much good. Archdeacon Willis then moved : That the vestry of St. Andrews, the parishioners and other frie.uds present at this meeting express to the Rev. Dr. Hooper their obligations for the services he has gratuitously rendered to the district. They wish to assure him of their respect for himself aud deep sense of appreciation of his services. They thank him for them and wish him good hoalth and God speed in his futuro work. —The motion was seconded by Air T. Wells and heartily supported by the Revs. W, Evans and C. H. Garland after which it was carried by acclamation.—As woll might an artist attempt to paint the lily or the roso as that we should attempt to give in a tew words all the good things that wero said of Dr. Hooper by the various speakers. If our readers will take all the good and virtuous qualities and multiply them by the whole of the eulogistic adjectives of the English language, the result will be similar.—That Dr. Hooper had many friends amongst all sects and classes was aptly pointed out by the Rev. C. H. Gatland. who said : " In looking round this loom full of your friends, Sir, I see members of the English Church, the Wesleyan Church, the Presbyterian Church, the CatholiclChurch, the Salvation Army, and the Agnostic Church—if I may so call it— or in other words, those who don't go to church."—Dr. Hooper briefly thanked his many friends for thoir kindly feeling and spoke in the highest terms of Archdeacon Willis who he said had always treated him as a brother.—The choir sang tho anthem " What are these?" aud there wero several other musical selections, after which tea, coffee, cakes, etc., were discoursed and the meeting terminated at a late hour.