FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR WILLIAM RATTRAY.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1391, 27 July 1874, Page 2

FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR WILLIAM RATTRAY.

The universal feeling of respect for the late Mr, William Rattray, and the deep regret caused by his being cat off in the midst of a career of usefulness, was manifested by the large attendance of mourners at his funeral yesterday afternoon. The funeral cortdge left hi 3 late residence, Allan Bank, Epsom, at three o'clock, and an immense assemblage gentlemen, including the leading merchants of the city, followed the remains of the deceased to their last realms; place. The length of the funeral procession may be judged when we state that it extended from the top of the Kyber Pass road to Newmarket. In addition to the mourners on foot there were also about a hundred carriages and many on horseback, and a large number of people who did not follow the hearse had assembled at the Presbyterian cemetery, where the interment was to take place. The gathering was the largestflaver seen on a similar occasioa in Auckland. The burial service was conducted by the Rev. E. F. Macnicol and the Rev. D. Bruce, and was of a very impressive character. The Rev. Mr. Macnicol preached a funeral discourse in the forenoon at St. James', in which church the deceased was an elder. The preacher took for his text John ix. 4, and delivered an eloquent discourse. The latter portion of this, having reference specially to the lamented deceased and to the incidents of his life and history, we shall publish in to-morrow's issue. The Rev. D. Bruca preached funeral discourses in the morning at St. Andrew's Church, and in the evening at St. James', selecting as his text, Ist Peter, 3rd chap. 13th verse: "And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good." Referring to the late Mr. Ratcray he said " Before closing I must, however briefly, refer in illustration of the principle of the text—the conciliating power of goodness—to the life of one whose sudden death has awakened a general feeling of sorrow in the community, and whose body will befollowed this day by many sincere mourners to its last resting-place. Well-known for many year 3in St. Andrew's congregation as ; superintendent of our Sunday-school and as a member of Session, and afterwards in similar positions of usefulness in connection with St. James' congregation, as also in his attention to the general work of tho Church and the charitable institutions of the city, we have all had ample opportunities of forming an eatimateof his character and of divining the secret of that deep and true regret which his death has caused. And the unanimous opinion, I believe, will be that the distinguishing feature of his character was goodness, and that this was the secret of°the hk'h respect in which he was held. Other qualities may have marked him, and did mark him, but his goodness it was that came to the top as the cream of the whole, she<vlug the richness of the grace that had been given him. Fault* too he may have had, g who had them not; but his goodness it was again that threw these into the shade while he was in life, that prevents them from being thought of now that his spirit has gone to its Father in Heaven, and that will not suffer them to be spoken of when I his body shall have been laid among the clods of the valley. All will be forgetfcen save that which made him be prised while he was with us, and which will make him be missed now that he is departed. I n the community, in the Church, and in the family the source of

hip V.flner>fe was pre-eminently big goodness ar.d the Vsprns which his life—alas, only too i-ii.-Py terminated—is fitted to impress on Ih* n 'jr.d? of all of us are. that while other quakes of mind and soul may not bo wither the'" usefulness and glory, there is nothing like Christliness of disposition for winning a p'a-ne in human hearts either for man or for G-: d, and that the best epitaph that nan ! c wn**en °ver any cray one that will most touch the hearts of psssers-bv, and will have the most persuasive voice for the after generation!?—is. that he whose dust lies h"rp -w-ss a pood man. The family who monrn hip death, as alpo all similar mourner?, of whom there have lately been not a few mode here, we can only commend to Him who is the mourner's friend for ever, and who.oe goodness and winsomeness are best realised as they are always most valued in the sacred hour of sorrow."