Milton Worthies

Bruce Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 2957, 3 May 1898, Page 5

Milton Worthies

The forenoon servioe iv the Prosbytorian Church last Sunday bad special reference to tie recent doath of Mr James Gray. Mr Cbisholm ohoae as his text I Timothy iii, 13, " For they that have served woll aB deacons gain to themselves a good standing and great. boldness in tho faith which is in Christ Jesus." After explaining that the letting apart of the few as deacons in the Church did not exempt the many from serving each other, and that the text, while specially trne of deacons, was also true oi all Christians who have served well, went on to speak of Christian service as under.:

Oa Sunday, 6th November, 1881, two members of tbe Cnureh were ordained to the office of deacon in this congregation, viz., Edward Stewart and James Gray. Mr Stewart was born in Kirkcudbright in IS4O, and came to Milton while he was young, in 1863. Mr Gray waß born in Portobello in 1834, and came to Milton the same year as Mr Stewart. He owed most of his business training as well as the permanent set of his character to hiß old master in Ayr. Many of the places X visited and the people I met when at Home abont blx years ago have fated from my memory, bnt I remember very vividly still the Christian hospitality of Mr Robertson. He took me to the Churoh which young Gray was wont to attend when in his sorvioe, and set me down in a pew 'here, and Baid "that is the place where Jinn**- used to sit." It would not be difficult for even a casual worshipper to tell the pew where Mr Gray sat here. for it was never vaoant at the forenoon service if he was able to attend. Besides discharging the ordinary duties of his office he gave no little thought to the general affairs of the congregation. In the beginning of 1886 he submitted a scheme for raising money to ereot a more substantial and beautiful church, than tbe one in whioh we were accustomed at tbat time to worship. It is touching in looking baok over the records of hiß past to fiud tbat his motion in presenting the scheme was seconded by Mr Stewart. / All through they worked heartily together. Men with less of the mind of Christ, and a keener regard to their own personal interests might bave allowed their rivalry in buinesa to interfere with their friendly co-operation in church matters. It was not so with them. And when the thought of going Home, that had been in the minds of both, ripened into a definite purpose and became known, the Deacon's Court bore testimony in one of its minutes to the esteem in whioh thpy were held, and the gratitude that was oberished towards them for their ungrudging services to the congregation. Another friend accompanied tbem on that trip Mr Kerr Salmond. All three have now crossed the bar into that Bilent sea which we mast go soon. On their return Messrs Stewart and Gray took np their dutieer as Deacons with' keener interest . than before. Not only were they desirous like David pf old, tbat "tbo house to be builded for the Lord should be exceeding magnificent," but they were eager to have all ita surroundings in keeping with ita architectural beaoty. None regarded it more than. they, when tbe finished structure was opened by Dr Stuart, on the 13th Oct., 1889. Three r brief years soon passed by, and Mr Stewart waa called away* we believe, to a more glorions sanctuary and a nobler service. He died in May, 1892., It Is tonchiag again to find Mr Gray', at the first meeting of Deacons' Court after bis oomrade's death, proposing amotion to this effect — '• That the offioerbearers place on record their deep sense of the loss snatained in the death of Mr Edward Stewart and bear grateful testimony --to the devotion and energy that he ever brought to bear on all matters tending to promote the well-being of the congregation with which he has been so long associated as a member and office-bearer." Some debt had been contracted in oonneotion with the removal and alteration of the old church and the beantifying of the new. This exercised : the mind of Mr Gray, for he seems to have had from the beginning a wholesome dread of debt. He suggested to tbe yonng people that by regular payments of very small sums they,: might without unduly burdening themBelves or others clear off the whole debt in a^ very short time. Ab a stimulus to the yonng people, he generously guaranteed five per ...cent, on all the .money collected by them. The carrying-out of the scheme was delayed for spine time owing to the failure of crops, •and the low price of produce and the general depression of trade. It was partially •dppted #rb» prosperity returned, and b

being carried on now undar the supervision of Mr Alex. Stewart, who haß taken up the mantle that fell from his father's shoulders. Dsath has oome again without asking onr ilsavs. tt has taken from us au aofciva brain, a generous heart, and open hands ; bnt we ought to be thankful that it has only set the spirit free to display in perfected degree* and in more glorious servioe, the qualities 'of "character that, through the grace of Ohrist, were Been in their first dim outlines here on earth- Our losb we humbly believe is his gain.