OPAWA BAPTIST CHURCH.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20736, 22 December 1932, Page 5

OPAWA BAPTIST CHURCH.

* FAREWELL TO REV. B. M. WILSON. A lui-'C congregation gathered t« farewell to the llev. B. M. Wilson, or tho Opawa Baptist Church, on Tuesday night, and both the number present and the glowing terms in which the speakers referred to the work of Mr Wilson were testimony to the hign esteem in which he is held. Mr Wilson has accepted a call to the Semaphore Baptist, Church, Adelaide. He has been stationed at Opawa for the last, three vears, and in that time the membership of tho church and Sundi v » school have increased to a remarkable extent. When he came to Opawa the membership was 7(5, but now it stands at 150. *

These and other facts were referred to by Mr F. Long, secretary of the church, who presided over the meeting. He Btated that there were manynew church organisations, all flourishing. Air Wilson's departure would be regretted by all, but they felt that they should not be selfish by standing in his way.' • Tho chairman then presented Mr w il- - with a book and a wallet. The Rev. J. Iv. Archer, president of the Canterbury Auxiliary of the Baptist Ohurcli of New Zealand, referred the great evangelical gifts of Mr Wilson, whom he had known all liis life, nc considered that in proportion to the si'/e of tho church, there was no Baptist Church in the Dominion which had made such sensational progress during the last two yfears as the Opawa Church under Mr Wilson. Other speakers were Pastor J. Crav:ford (president o'f the Ministers' Association), the Rev. E. E. Smith, Miss L. Smith, Messrs It. Hudson, G. W. Smith, and S. Winder. Mr Wilson replied thanking -nc speakers for their kind remarks and for the assistance he had received from his church officers. . Items were given by Mrs 11. Pilgrim, Misses M. Ilatherley and Mavis right, Master 11. M.cCann, and the Levs. K w. Gre"g and L. A. North. Mr Wilson will leave Clu'istehmTh on January 3rd, for Auckland *.here he will st-ny with his parents till his departure for Australia cail>