CALL TO WANGANUI.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18073, 15 May 1924, Page 11

CALL TO WANGANUI.

rev: j. paterson accepts. At yesterday's meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery, the clerk, the Rev. W. H. Howes, announced that the Wanganui Presbytery had telegraphed stating that a call to the Rev. J. Paterson to St. Paul's, Wanganui, had been unanimously sustained. The stipend would be £6OO a year, with a manse. The church had a membership of 396. It was the central church of a very beautiful city. It was well suited to Mr Paterson, because he was a preacher, a lecturer, and a platform speaker. There was some kind of justice jn St. Paul's, Christchurch, giving a minister to St. Paul's, Wanganui, as years ago St. Paul's, Wanganui, had given to St. Paul's Christchurch, another prominent minister, the late Dr. Elmslie. Mr Paterson, at Wanganui, would be the seventh of a fine historical succession.

Mr I>. C. 3urnett, for the session, Mr G. Callender, for the Committee of Management, and Mr T. Reese, for the congregation of St. Paul's, waited on the Presbytery in connexion with the call. Mr Burnett said thai Mr PateTson felt that ten years in one church was as much as one minister could stand. It was the second call Mr Paterson had received from Wanganui. The Session would part from him with very great regret. He had made enduring friends here. Mr Callender said that much progress had been made by St. Paul's during Mr Paterson's ministry, largely on account of his help. With all his labour he had kept up his pulpit work to a high standard. He had been a leader in city work. Replying, Mr Paterson stated that he had reiused previous calls from different parts of i>ew Zealand. He hau, however, finally agreed to consider the second call to Wanganui and he felt that it was not often that a long ministry was effective and that changes were necessary. In the present case he had decided that a change would be wise. He had not been well for six years, which made his work at St. Paul's very trying, a heavy strain being placed on him. The, district was a scattered one. He had to be a minister to many people who did not belong to any church. It was a work which few people knew anything about, but which called for an enormous expenditure of time, energy and sympathy. A great deal of his time was taken up with marrying. People came from all rouhcß the. country to be married at St. Paul's, and often three or four afternoons each ■ week were taken up with marriage ceremonies. His. relations with £>&• Paul's had been particularly happy. In the circumstances, he felt that ■he should accept the Wanganui call. Mr Howes moved that the call was expedient, and that it should be placed in Mr Paterson's hands. The Rev. J. B. Bickerstaff seconded the motion. , The Rev. N. L. D. Webster said that the Presbytery would feel the loss of Mr Paterson. The Rev. W. Gray Dixon said that he sympathised with Christchurch and congratulated Wanganui. Wanganui had a population of about 34,000, and St. Paul's, Wanganui, was one of the most beautiful churches in New Zealand. The motion was carried and it was decided that the pastoral tie be dissolved as from the date of Mr Paterson's induction at Wanganui—fixed, provisionally for June 2Gth. • Mr Webster was appointed moderator at St. Paul's, and Mr Paterson resigned all hia positions on the Presbytery. , Messrs Howes, Bickerstaff and Rule were appointed to draw up an appreciation of Mr Paterson, to be submittea to next meeting of the Presbytery.

The Bev. John Paterson was burn at Ke'mpsey, New South Wale 3, in 1884, and he was educated at Sydney Boys' High School and Sydney University. He had a distinguished University career. In his first year he gained the University prize in English and first-class honours in Latin and Greek, and in his second year he took firstclass honours in Latin, Greek, history, and philosophy, and the University prize in history and philosophy.;, He took his B.A, degree with a "triple first," in history, philosophy, and Greek, and won the Fraser Scholarship in history, and a bronze medal for special excellence in logic and mental philosophy. After taking his M.A. with first class honours in history, ho resumed his theological training at St. Andrew's College, and was for a time tutor in philosophy there. His first charge was Broken Hill, N.S.W., and three years later he was called to Chalmers Church, Sydney. In 1914, when he had been in Sydney three years, he eame to St. Paul's, Chnsfcchurch, and when he gives np his duties on June 22nd, he will have been here ten years. Mr Paterson has been particularly active in Prohibition work, and he was one of the founders of the Council of Christian Congregations. He is at present secretary of the Bible-in-Schools' League, and convener for the Bible-in-Schools' Committee to the Presbyterian General Assembly. Among many other positions, he has held the posts of lecturer to the W.E.A. and president of the Christchurch Savage Club. He was one of the founders of St. Andrew's College, Christchurch, and is now a member of the College. Board. He is also actingchairman of the Social Service Association of .his church.