"THE IRVING OF THE PULPIT."

THE REV. .1. ANDERSON GARDINER.

Heferritffi to the death on the 28th ult,, news of which was cabled to us, of the liev. John Anderson Gardiner, who some years ago preached with extraordinary acceptance in Ihinedin, the Sydney Daily Telegraph enys the deceased was a student of brilliant attainments, which gained for liim great honour and respect amongst churchmen, hut little as compared with the admiration universally aroused _ by his iniuily courage, faith, and determination in a crisis which would have daunted countless hearts of lesser fortitude.

Tho story of Mr Gardiner's life was relaled iu a simple, sympathetic way by the Rev. John Ferguson, formerly of Invcroargill, at tho close of the evening sermon in H.I-. Stephen's Church on the 28th May, and at the ond of the minister's reference tho eon#rcgiitioii stood while ihe Scottish requiem was being chanted. After (says thebaily Telegraph) lamenting the personal loss which he had sustained, and expressing .the love whieh ho had felt for Mr Gardiner in life, Mr Ferguson said:—"He w;us a very brilliant student, a graduate of the University of Glasgow, and a loading member of a celebrated dramatic society associated with tho Univorsity. He made early fame for himself us a speaker, a master of elocution, and as a preacher. When ho had finished his course of training he had not to sue.k a- ootigrcgation—congregations sought, him; and lie eleotcd to accept a call which came to him from Grosveiwr Squaro Presbyterian Church in the great City of Manchester. Ho had a brilliant and popular ministry. His fame as a preacher was grent, and he was widely known as the Irving of the pulpit. It was in that city that the .sad accident befel him which deprived him of his sight. It. wao a tragic experience. A man. of courage, ho did not sit down and wring his hands in despair, saying, ' What can a blind man do in the world?' He gathered his strength, a.nd, using ('lie glimmering of sight left him, travelled lound the world, camo to Australia, and then returned to Manchester and resumed his ministry. After a short time he accepted a call to Langsido Church, in (Jlasgow, ami there for some livo or seven yo:irs r.r> worked hard, and preached in the noble strain with which we arc faniiliiir, and gathered a great and influential congregation. About the year 1859 liis medical advisers told him he should seel; a milder climate. Ho came to New Zealand, and settled for livo years at tho Bluff, whore I know him. A year after I came to Sydney .ho followed, and became the minister of the .Manly Presbyterian Church, and there he has laboured for 15 years or so. What his work was, what a. magnificent preacher ho was, how extraordinary his gifts, how separate his individuality, how tine- his poetic gift ami his command of rhefcarc and elocutionary art, his keen insight into the meaning of Scripture, and how with the magic of his genius he made imago after image of G<xl. aro well known, Ho could sw as few men sec—with the oyps of tho soul. His voice is still in our cars, his pictures aro still before our eyes. Ho is dead, and being dead, he yet epon-koth, ami moreover he seeth now. His eyes are opon. The Lord is his liffht, and he s<;cs the in His bsanty and beholds tho land which is vo.ry far off and yet so noar."

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