ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH, INVERCARGILL.

Bruce Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 1207, 28 May 1880, Page 5

ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH, INVERCARGILL.

INDUCTION OF THE REV. JOHN .FERGUSON. The 'Southland News ' of Saturday last says;—" The adherents of this, the oldest charge in the district, assembled at Sloan's Hall last evening for the purpose I of welcoming their newly-appointed pastor, the Eev. John Ferguson, whose designation is that of colleague and successor to the Key. A. H. Stobo. The proceedings it is scarcely necessary to explain, took the form of a soiree, with the usual after-meeting. The management of the first portion of the evening's programme was entrusted to the ladies of the congregation, who discharged their important duties in a way that left nothing to be wished for. Tew will be found to deny that those who undertake the duty of catering on a large scale have no light task, j and it is only simple justice to say that it was performed on this occasion with the completeness and success that always attends a labor of love. When all had been satisfied, and the tables cleared, the chair was taken by the Rev. J. Q-. Paterson, who, in a few felicitous sentences, introduced the Key. Mr Ferguson, to whom he resigned his chair. Mr Ferguson, who received a cordial greeting, thanked the members of the Church for their kind, hearty, and hooest welcome, and stated that he would throw himself upon their co-operation and help in the discbarge of his duties, and upon ! the Divine Spirit for grace to carry them out success! ully. He then culled on the Rev. Mr Chisholm, of Milton, who expressed great pleasure in being present. No doubt they all regretted that the necessity bad arisen for appointing a new minister, and he was sure he was only stating the feeling of his brother ministers when he said that they deeply regretted the affliction which had befallen the senior pastor of the Chuvch, than whom no one had spoken with more intelligence, or been listened to with greater respect in the Church Courts, and it was their earnest prayer that he would yet be restored, and resume his former position in the Church. But since the necessity had arisen for the appointment of a new j minister, he must tell them that he was exceedingly glad their choice had fallen on Mr Ferguson. He had known that gentleman for a number ofyears and had had opportunities of observing his conduct iv various positions, in all of which he found him to be a frank, manly, and warmhearted Christian. Mr Chisholm next made some remarks on a subject suggested by the occasion which had brought them together — " The Call." He reminded his hearers that there were various " calls " in the world, some disagreeable, some pleasant. Among the former he classed the call from one's banker to reI duce an overdraft, and in the latter a kind of call which he said the fair sex responded to with some degree of pleasure ; it was expressed iv the words of the old song—" 0 whistle, an' I'll come to ye my lad." (Laughter). The call ecclesiastical was next spoken of. The prominent place which the call, or the privilege of choosing whom they would have to minister to the spiritual matters, oecu~ pied iv the history of the Presbyterian Church, was pointed out and the imporance of looking at it in an historical light was also strongly insisted upon. The terms of the call were next adverted to, and urged on the attention of the congregation. In the course of his remarks ; the speaker spoke of the way in which the sight of an object connected with any past event of one's life recalled a whole flood of recollections, and while doing so the Eev. Mr Stobo entered the hall. His appearance was the signal for an enthusiastic welcome, during which Mr Chisholm ceased speaking. "When Mr Stobo was seated he resumed, and made a happy use of the incident by commenting on it as an illustration of the principle which he bad just been referring to. In conclusion, he wished the congregation and their new pastor abundant success and God speed. The Chairman had now to introduce the first minister he had heard preach in New Zealand — a tower of strength and a body of humor, the Key. Mr Allan, of Inch Clutha, Mr Allan, after congratulating MiFerguson on having been placed in a town whore the people were so warm-hearted, and where there were so many young ladies — (laughter) — proceeded to speak of the operation of principle in the affairs of life, and the necessity of following the injunction — "Seek ye firsc the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.'' He was aware, he said, that a great many people laughed at the idea of principle, and that some politicians asserted every man had his price — a conclusion he would for his own part be very loth to accept. At the conclusion of Mr Allan's remarks, the Chairman announced that the list of privileged (visitors) speakers was finished and those who followed would be limited to five minutes each. Addresses, necesarily brief, were then delivered by the Revs. Ward, Bunn, Ross, Alexander and Mr T. M. Macdonald. Cordial votes of thanks to the ladies of the congregation, and to the Church choir for their services during the evening, were then passed, and the proceedings closed. The ' Southland Times ' gives the following report of the services on the following Sunday :— " The ceremony of introducing the Rev. John Ferguson to the congregation of the First Church, as colleague and successor to the Key. Mr Stobo,

was performed on Sunday morning by the Rev. James Chisholm, of Tokomairiro. Mr Chisholm took as his text the 11th, 12th, and 13th verses of the 4th chapter ,of Ephesians, and delivered therefrom a ' clear, able, and impressive discourse, which I was attentively listened to by a large congregation. In concluding, the rev. gentleman said — "It gives me unspeakable pleasure to be here to-day, in accordance with a custom of our Church to 'introduce' you to your newly-ordained pastor. According to the truths which I have tried to put before you he is to be regarded, in the totality of his being, as a gift of Christ. You should receive him as such. I cannot say all that I feel respecting him. It would seem to many like exaggeration. I have known him long and intimately, and I respect him very highly and love him much. I come from a district where he is thoroughly known, and I but express the feelings of hundreds when I congratulate you on his happy settlement here. I heartily commend him to you, and I charge you, before God, to labor with him in the Gospel of Jesus Christ by your prayers, your sympathies, your gracious furtherance of all his efforts. May the Lord bless him and you, and knit you together in the bonds of mutual affection and esteem, and grant that the bright dawn of his ministry among you may swell and grow through summer light and gladness, into a rich ingathering of souls to the eternal rest, so that he and you may rejoice together at last on the high harvest-field of the Church's husbandry." In the evening the pulpit was occupied by Mr Ferguson, who preachad to a vei'y large congregation . The text was from Jeremiah, Ist chapter, verses 6 and 7 The subject was originally treated, and the seimon marked by great strength and fervor. Mr Ferguson's settlement has taken place under the brightest auspices, and the best hopes may be entertained of his usefulness both to the congregation of the First Church and to the community. The senior pastor of the church was present during both services.