THE VEN. ARCHDEACON DUDLEY.

Very sincere regret was expressed when it become known in Rangiora, .on Sunday Aug. 28th, that the yen. Archdeacon Dudley had been taken suddenly ill and &*"* died within a few hours of his seizure. The venerable/gentleman had risen early as ( usual, preparatory to going to Fernside, where he held service on Sunday mornings, and felt somewhat better than he had been for some time, when, about eight o'clock, be was seized with an attack of weakness of the heart, from which he never rallied. '■ Dr. Volckman was called in and did all that could be done for the sufferer, but he.passed away peacefully at about noon, having been granted bis wish that he should be allowed to die in harness. - . . v Benjamin Woolley Dudley was born in the town of Dudley," Staffordshire, at the end of the year 1805, and consequently was eighty-sue years of age at the time of his death. He graduated at Cambridge, taking his 'B^A., and afterwards his M.A., at St. Catherine's Hall. .For some years he laboured as a minister in England, first holding a curacy at Earnley and afterwards at Ticchurst. He left England on the promotion of a Cliurchof England settlement in New Zealand, and arrived in-the early days, coming out as chaplain, on the' barque Cressy, one of the historical first four ships, in 1850. It will be remembered that the Association, which sold the land at £3 per acre, devoted 20s to Church and educational purposes. In 1854 it was computed the sales Of land had reached about 30,000 acres, and the Church's third from the sales was devoted to the expenses of a Bishopdesignate and clergy, aud gran** to tho election of churches, furniture, books, and also parsonages, lb was some time before the Bishop arrived, and the officiatinc

clergy at this period were Revs. O. Mathias, '-Wi Wilson, and E.* Puckle for Christchurch, Riccorton and Papauui; Rev.: W. W. Willock, Governor's Bay; Rev. G..Cotterill, Sumner; Rev. J. Raven, Kaiapoi ; Rev. B. W. Dudley Lyttelton; Rev H. Jacobs, Head Master, of the Christchurch Grammar School, Rev.T3H Ayhfttir' Ak_roa;Catechist at Pigeon Bay Mr F. Knowles, Master of Commercial School (Christchurch) Mr Bilton," Master of Lyttelton School Mr Mayon, Governess of Girls' School Mrs Jaggar, Governess of Infante'; School Mrs Goodwin. The total stipends of the clergy and schoolmaster was £875.

The Rev. B. W. Dudley then was the first incumbent of Lyttelton, and it may be here noted that the church which had been built was described as a " large * one, cost £1200, of which £700 was contributed by colonists, and the remainder by the Association. The offertories of the first three years.in Lyttelwere:—lßsl, £157 6s 8d ; 1852, £142 17s 3d; 1853, £94 3s lid He continued to minister to the congregation of Lyttelton for about eight years,: then moved for a short period to Auckland, and in 1860 was transferred to Rangiora, where he remained ever since.

In Rangiora the Archdeacon's ministrations were very highly valued, as indeed they deserved to be, for his energy in the cause of the Church was untiring, and his liberality only bounded by his meahs. Through his exertions the church was enlarged considerably, and afterwards removed altogether, to allow of the erection of the handsome edifice which now stands in its place, and to which the Archdeacon and his family contributed largely. Towards the erection of the parsonage, too, the Archdeacon was the most liberal contributor, and his litest effort was the erection of a substantial schoolroom, which cost £750, and is now almost free of debt. Besides his work for the good of the Church, the poor in the district have lost in his death an unfailing friend He was always ready to assist those in trouble and distress, and of the extent of h_ benefactions no one can have any idea. It is well known that of late years he has complained that his means prevented him doing all he wished,, and common report credited him with having given largely of his substance to works of benevolence. Besides tbe works of charity referred to, he also endowed the church at Lyttelton, and founded a Divinity Scholarship at Christ's College. In 1866 the subject of tbis notice .was made a rural Dean and Canon, and in 1876, in recognition, of his' many services to the Church, was appointed Archdeacon of Rangiora; About four and a haff years ago he resigned the Incumbency of Rangiora, and retired to his private residence, Earnley, but he could not remain long idle ; for, finding the churches at Fernside and St. Stephen's Pah both without ministers, he volunteered his services, and has continued the work up to the very day of his death. The Archdeacon, took little interest in political matters, except on the Temperance question, on .which he was very decided, being President of the two principal Societies in the district, the Political Temperance Society and the Gospel Temperauce Union, and for a short time wa3 a member of the local School Committee.

The venerable gentleman was twice married, and now leaves a widow, three sons and a daughter to mourn his loss. Of his sons the eldest i3the Yen. 8., T. Dudley, Archdeacon of Auckland, and the youngest the Rev. H. T. Dudley, is in England. The third son, Mr C.T. Dudley,'is resident in Christchurch, being a member of the firm of Acland, Dudley and Co., brokers and agents. Miss Bunny Dudley has resided with; her father since his removal to Rangiora, and has beeu his right hand in all Church work. '

The funeral of "the late venerable Archdeacon B. W.; Dudley, of Rangiora, took place at three o'clock on Sept. Ist. In spite of bad weather, the streets were Inted with spectators, and all the business places and hotels were closed in testimony of the great personal respect' in which the deceased gentleman was held, the long ranks of the mourners including persons of all shades of opinion and denominations of religion, the colonists, Friendly and-? Temperance Societies being strongly represented. - The arrangements made for interment- jwere strictly plain in accordance with ;the-late Archdeacon's wishes. ; The coffin* was of plain, polished wood, 1 with a metal plate.' There was no pall, hearse, or hatbands. -

The :coffin-hearers were Messrs C. D'Auvergne, B. D'Auvergne, Ghaa. and William Leech; ,:.The chief i mourners were Yen. -Archdeacon B. T. Dudley, of Waitemata, Auckland, Mrs Dudley, Miss Dudley* and Mr C. Thornton Dudley. There were present of the clergy of the Church of England the v Right Rev. the Bishop of Christchurch, : .the .Very Rev. the DeaU, Archdeacons E. A. Lingard and C. J. Cholmondeley, Revs. J. W. titack.H. C. M. Watson, H. J. C. Gilbert, F. ELnowles, W.. F. Eaiowles, VV. A. Pascoe, F. P. Feudall, H. H. Mathi&s, C. J. Merton, J. F. Teakle, W. Crimen, :C. P. Tobin, W. Duukley, McE- Gibson, C. H. Gosaett, 33_ Williams, ft. P. Mutu; also Taitnha Hape and Pohipi Tehau, lay readers of the. Maori Church, with ;Wi Nahira, chief of the Kaiapoi kainga. Representing the. Synod and Cathedral Chapter were Messrs W. Maude (Chancellor), R. J. S. Harman, S. Heywood, H. R. Butcher, E. Mulcock, T. W. Row, M.A., G, Bowron, and Hon. H. B. Gresson. Among the early settlers we noticed Mr James Townsend, who arrived in the ship Creasy.'with the deceased Archdeacon, and also Messrs W. Buss, G. J; Leech, R. Cotton, J, Lilly, H, Blackett, Captain.A. Parsons, J. Fulton, E. R. Good, A* Ivory, G. Cone, the Mayor and members of the Borough Council, T. S r Mannering, R. Chapman, A. Templer, Donald, H. and W. Cottrell, G. H. N. Helmbre, W." N. Cathro, A. T. Chapman, BL _oyd, R. L. Higgins and J. It. Wilson, Drs.'D6wnes, R/Volckman aud G. S. Clayton, the Revs. P.-.R. Muhro (Presbyterian), H. B. Redstone (Methodist) and S. J. Garlick (Wesleyan) Were also present. . The coffin was carried from Earuley to the church in a heavy rain.' At St. John's Church the procession was received by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Christchurch and the.. Very.Rev. the Dean, who repeated the first sentences of the burial service. Mr A. J. Merton presided at the organ, aud the hymn 427 for All' Saints Day, ".Who are these like stars appearing," was sung. The Dean read the Psalihs and the Bishop the lessons/ The Very Rev. the Dean delivered an affecting address, after which hymn 140 was sung, and the cortege then slowly'moved amid a heavy rain to the Cemetery, Ashley street, where the remainder of the service was read at the grave' in the presence of at least 500 persons who had braved the storm. After the Benediction, his Lordship Baid he had been asked by the late Archdeacon's son to read the following telegram that day received:— "To Rev. B. T. Dudjey, Rangiora—The Wesleyan Church of New Zealand gratefully recognise the : beautiful 1 character, faithful services, and catholic spirit of your late father. Accept Christian sympathy. Regret inability to attend funeral.—Geo. Bosd, Kaiapoi, President of Conference."