THE LATE MR B. W. MOUNTFORT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9990, 21 March 1898, Page 3

THE LATE MR B. W. MOUNTFORT.

A memorial service was held at the Cathedral yesterday morning in connection with tne death of the late Mr_B. W. Mountfort. An impressive sermon delivered by the Rev. Canon Harper was an exhorta-

tion to the people to live for Christ. In referring to the late Mr Mountfort he stated that the deceased gentleman was an unobstrusive good Christian and a consisteni member of their Church. As the Cathedra] architect he had carried out ♦he work, with some slight modifications, on the plans designed by the great English architect Sir Gilbert Scott. He was also a member of Phillipstown Church, and had done much for that pariah. They would think of him that day aud always if they were true to any man, not as one who was faultless, or who had mad c no mistakes, but as one who was a good man, a tender and affectionate father and husband, one who had pursued steadily a Christian course, and when they had said that they had said a good deal, for h e (the preacher) could not imagine any higher title could be giveu to a man or woman than that of a good and withal humblo Christian. Their friend would bo known to many chiefly as an architect. He designed the Provincial Council Chamber, whioh called forth the admiration of visitors to the late General Synod, and the Bishop of Wellington went so far as to say that he had seen a good many beautiful specimens of architecture, but he thought the hall was without exception the most beautiful this side of the line. He had seen nothing in Australia to come near . it. The late Mr Mountfort also designed Canterbury College and the Cathedral at Napier, and gave to litis modern country examples of ancient and mediaeval art.

At the Church of the Good Shepherd yesterday special services were held in memory of the late Mr B. W. Mounttort, who had held the office of churchwarden for the last ten years. The Vicar preached from St. John, i., 47, "Beholdan Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile," and, after describing the character of Nathaniel, he said the world still had its Nathaniels, and such an one was their departed brother, whose life and character they all revered. Though he could boast of an illustrious ancestry, he prized much more his membership of the family of God. Devoted to church architecture, and occupying a foremost place in his profession, still his best thoughts were given to the " living stones" of the great spiritual temple. "1 suppose," said the vicar " that next to his own immediate family, I shall miss him most of all. Through all these eighteen years he has been my friend and helper. But for his words of encouragement and hope I should have fainted and failed long ago. But for his willing aud generous hand all our work here would never been brought to a successful issue. There is not a brick or a stone in all this sacred building that will not always be associated with his name. Future generations will rise to call him blessed. And I do hope and believe that when our tears are dried, and when we can look calmly on his whole life and work, we shall devise means whereby to perpetuate his blessed memory for "those who' shall come after us." The solemn service wa* appropriately ended by the ohoir chanting the Nunc Dimittis as the recessional.