SIXTY YEARS OLD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 119, 22 May 1945, Page 6

SIXTY YEARS OLD

REV. JASPER CALDER

SERIES OF ANNIVERSARIES

'■ To-day marks a series 'of anniversaries for the City Missioner, the Rev. Jasper Calder. It-is his sixtieth birthday, the thirty-fifth anniversary of his ordination, and the twentyfifth anniversary of the foundation of the City Mission. At the present time Mr. Calder is living at Pakuranga, but it is not the life of retirement. He devotes most of his time to mission work and in his leisure hours he tills an acre of land and grows vegetables for the benefit of the poor. In the true sense of the word he puts his hand to the plough, and, in his own words, he "has learned to handle two horses and at the same time make a straight furrow." To most people, Mr. Calder is best known for his outstanding work in connection with the City Mission. In 1920 the need for the Church of England in Auckland to undertake some definite social work was felt, as the parish clergy could not cope with it, and Mr. Calder was appointed by the standing committee of the Synod as City Missioner. From that time onward, Mr. Calder had to fend for himself. A start was made in a city theatre with evangelistic seryices and later a shift of headquarters was made to Albert Street, the building being the site of an old hotel. As the work grew, a further move was made to headquarters in Wellesley Street. Since then the work has grown enormously and to-day there is a staff of 15. Developments in connection with the mission work were the foundation of the children's camp at Oneroa, Waiheke Island, and the founding of the Whitneydale Convalescent Home at Campbell's Bay. "What we now want is a big house close to the city so that w.e can establish a receiving home for children,", said Mr. Calder to-day. . Many Activities The City Missioner has been a man of many parts in social work. For many years he was Police Court missioner, and was always ready to help in a case of distress. In 1910, Mr. Calder was curate of Whangarei and he well remembers his scattered district. In those days he us;ed to ride about 8000 miles a year, and often had to jump a horse across wire fences when taking a short cut. On one occasion the Auckland Anglican bishop of that time visited Whangarei and arranged to go to Whakapara, 20 miles further north, by train on .the following day. When the train left the bishop was a passenger, but Mr. Calder missed it, so he immediately got his horse and set out for Whakapara. For most of. the way the tram led, but with a mile to go they were level. The last furlong was a great race, which ended with Mr. Calder's horse making a great effort and winning by 100 yards. On another occasion a circus came to Whangarei. The star turn was a buckjumper, and a prize of £10 was offered to anybody who c° u W stay on for three nnnu °,s. Mr Calder stepped into the ring and took up the challenge. Amid great enthusiasm he stayed in the saddle for the full time. As he would not take the money, the £10 was given \°. the local boy scouts' organisation. Mr-Cakler's next term as' curate was at St. Matthew's, Auckland. For 14 years he has been vicar of the Epiphany Church. Strongest Appeal' Social work has always made the strongest appeal to Mr. Calder. He admitted to-day that there were disappointments in such work, but the right course was to try and find out the cause of troubles and then endeavour to remove it. People in poor surroundings were affected by their environment. He had the greatest faith ill human nature His experience, was that people had a £^ x intoes t • in practical religion, but that they had no patience with the trappings or fripperies of ecclesiasticism. There was no reason for religion to be dull. There was every reason why it should be bright. "I may have made people angry at times," added Mr Calder, "but I have never bored them."