UNKNOWN

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8793, 14 May 1894, Page 5

UNKNOWN

REST. DB. STUART. (nueu Awoocmotr ctmwtum.) DUNEDIN. May 12. Dr. Stuart died *t> aevea o'clock tnU naming of inaction of the heart. Hβ will Mβ in Knox Chnrch f roan Monday to Wednesday afternoon, when he will be accorded » military funeral. May 13. Reference to the death of Dr. Stuart wan made in nearly all the churches to-day, and flags were at half-mast on tho shipping and in the city. Tho Mayor will proclaim a half-holiday for tho funeral ou Wednesday. The Rev. Donald McNaiighton Stuart t D.D., son of Alexander Stuart and Janet (McNaughtoo), his wife, was born in 1819, at the namiet of Styx Koamoro, Perthshire, aud began his education in the parish school. In this school a succession of lode, bred on the slopes of the .G~ ar npi£«o3, have been trained for the Universities for over a century, aa<l there he was instructed in Gaelic, English, Latin, Greek, and mathematics. Willi a view to admiring tlucaoy in speaking English, he was sent for twosumuiers iuto the Lowlauds. Iv 1537 he bought the goodwill of a school iv Levcu, Filestore, which enabled him to start with one scholar at threepence a week, aud for sis weeks he met his solitary pupil for the full number of regulation hours. This circumstance drawing genera! attention, led to an attendance of pupih which put it within his power in three years to enter St. Andrew's University. Having supported Dr. Chalmers for the Lord Rectorship after the disruption, he was expelled, with the majority of the students, for refusing to submit to an admonition from the senators. A Royal Commission afterwards reinstated the extruded students, but Dr. Stuart removed from St. Andrews' to New College* Edinburgh, where he was a theological student under Dr. Chalmers. In 1844 he was appointed classical master and subsequently principal of a private secondary school at Upton Park, Eton, and in July, 1848, was married at Slough, Windsor, to Miss Jessio Robertson. He commenced studying for the ministry in London and completed his curriculum in Edinburgh, being licensed by the Free Presbytery of Keleo to the Presbyterian Church of Falstone, North Northumberland, where he remained for ten years, until in 1859 he wae selected by the Commissioners to be the firet minister of Knox Church, Dunedin. He arrived on January 27th, 1860, with his wife and three children, and retained his position up to the time of his death. Mrs Stuart died in 1862, at the age of thirty-two, to the great grief of her husband, the congregation of Knox Church, and the general community. In 1872 the University of St. Andrew's, Scotland, his own Alma Mater, conferred upon the Rev. Mr Stuart the honorary degree of D.D., and he received the hearty congratulations of his congregation on the event. On the sth November, 1876, the new Knox Church was opened and Dr. Stuart, in the course of his speech at the opening soiree next day, spoke of the days when the Gospel was preached on the hillsides and contrasted it with the noble church in which he then stood. The old Knox Church cost less than £2000, the new church £17,757 18a 4d. In 1892 Dr. Stuart was able to announce that) Knox Church was virtually free of debt. As far back as 1862 the office bearers and members took measures to relieve Dr. Stuart of a portion of the ever-increasing amount of work in connection with the church by the appointment of a Congregational Missionary, and in 1877 he wae presented by the congregation with a horee and carriage to enable him to overtake hie duties with greater ease. In 1879 lie was prevailed upon to take three months' holiday, and it) waa subsequently determined to provide an assistant minister. The scheme, however, fell through owing to the inability of the Commit' tee entrusted with the selection of a suit* able person to execute their commission. Various means were need for relieving Dr. Stnart} -whose health was causing his friends considerable anxiety, and in 1888 he was induced, to accept the offer of Meetra Roes and Glendining of a passage to England and rack. He sailed from Lyttelton in the Kaikoura on May 30th, and returned to Dunedin in December of the seme yeas\ Within eoveri weeks after his return eaothei of his sons, Mr D. M. Stuart, died, hit second son, Mr A. T, Stuart, having died in 1883. In spite of the improvement in Dr. Stuart's health it was felt necessary—in face of the views expressed by hie medical advisers in Dunedin and by eminent medical gentlemen in . London, that the dootor should absolutely avoids undue exertion —to secure a colleague for him, and after some difficulty they selected the Rev. A. P. Davidson, of St. Fergus, Aberdeenahiie, who arrived in Don* edin in April, 1890, and who, it will be remembered, resigned hie position some weeks ago. During the last year or two Dr. Stuart has been frequently in ill health. Wβ believe we are right in stating thiit the last time he spoke in publio in Christchuroh m>s when he preached on tho occasion oi the re-opening of St. Andrew's Church.

Besides the multifarious duties in connection with Knox Church, Dr. Stuart) took a great interest in educational matters. H« was Chairman of the Boys' and Girls' Higb Schools in Otago and Chancellor of the University of Otago. Dr. Stuart's position in l)unedin was unique. By his open handed generosity, his genial his outspoken pride in Scotland and her people, his sturdy manliness, wide sympathies, and simple God-fearing life, he had attained a place in the hearts of the people which no other man can hope to reach.- There is probably hardly a person in the city, certainly not one in his Church who does not feel tbat he hoe lost a sincere friend, and Dunedin, and the colony at large, ate the poorer by the death of one whose life did them bo much honour. The following quotation from the Otago Daily Time* on the occasion of his return from England showt in what estimation he was held in Dun. edin:—" Dr. Stuart is so entirely identified with this city, and we might say with Otago, and so well known amonge* all classes, tbat it seems unnecessary to refer to the eminent qualities which have given him a place second to none in public estimation, and made his name a household word. It is remarkable that throughout a career practically coeval with the existence of Dunedin as a city, Dr. Stuart, while by no means addicted to concessions where essentials were involved, and ever having full credit for good intentions and conscientious conduct to those from whom on dogmatic points he materially differed, has kept himself clear of the. bitterness of controversy and has been content to do his own duty according to his convictions. It is this largeness of mind and breadth of view that have raised him so high in public esteem, and gained the respect and regard of other denominations."