LAST TRIBUTES.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20920, 29 July 1933, Page 19

LAST TRIBUTES.

FUNERAL OF WELL-KNOWN MINISTER. THE REV. SAMUEL LAWRY. "In the closing of the notable ministry of the Rev. Samuel Lawry we ingtlnctively feel that a prince and a cedt man has fallen this day in jggej," said the Rev. M. A. Rugby pyjtt, speaking yesterday at the ■funeral service in the Durham Street Methodist Church of the Rev. Samuel Lawry> whose death occurred on Wednesday. Many ministers of the Methodist Church and many of Mr Lawry's friends attended the funeral, which left his son's house at Mount Pleasant, proceeded to the church, and then went on to the Methodist portion of ♦he Sydenham Cemetery, where the burial took place. The chief mourners were Mr H. P. Tgwry, S.M., Mr L. J. Berry, Mr W. Melvulc Lawry, Mr A. F. McArthur, Mrs C. Overton, and Mr and Mr Ernest Mathieson. The pall-bearers at the house and to the church were members of the Methodist ministry. They were the Hevs. C. B. Jordan, E. B. Chambers, g, E. Patchett, W. Rowe, R. Richards, ind 0. Burnet. From the church and at the cemetery laymen officiated, the pall-bearers being Messrs C. K. fyigglesworth, J. E. Purchase, A. G. Williams, J. MacDougall, F. Thompson, end H. W. Heslop. A short service was held at the house, the Rev. W. Grigg saying a prayer and the Rev. A, Hopper reading a portion of Scripture. The Rev. Clarence Eaton and the Rev. E. Drake officiated at the church, and the Rev M. A. Rugby Pratt gave the address. At the graveside the ministers taking part in the service were the Revs. Clarence Eaton, J. D. McArthur (chairman of the South Canterbury district), W. Rowe, and T. W. Vealie. Cast In a Noble Mould.

"Physically, mentally, and morally Samuel Lawry was cast in a noble mould." said the Eev. M. A. Rugby Pratt in his address at the church. "From the yeoman stock of Cornish Methodism from which he sprang he inherited, with his stalwart frame, a virile intelligence, a capacity for taking pains, a keen sense of values and t reverent spirit which the grace of God built into a character of exceptional moral force and of high spiritual attainment." Brought up in a Christian home, Mr Lawry had joined the Church at the age of 10 years, said Mr Pratt. The early development of his powers of mind and spirit soon brought him into prominence and led to his appointment to fill high local and connexional positions. For 34 years as a circuit minister he manifested gifts of initiative, of originality, of financial skill, and of administrative capacity, and in •very sphere in wi. ~h he laboured he left behind an indelible mark. His were the qualities of faithfulness, perseverance, and consecration which were always in demand, and were ever essential to the best kind of success. A Strong Intellect. Mr Lawry never sullied his work by pandering to applause and popularity. Seldom had the Church been served by such a strong, masculine intellect, conjoined with a disposition that made him the trusted friend of those amongst whom he dwelt. A man of kindly heart, broad sympathies, lofty motives, and generous impulses, he won a way into the esteem and affection of his friends. He loved Christian fellowship because he had learned how to be alone with God, and to the end ot his days he was at home amid thoughts of the temple, with its hallowed ministries, its lofty sanctities, its entrancing mysteries, and its radiant forecasts. Although the gifts of Mr Lawry were long claimed for executive positions he had ever had the heart of a soul-winner, and nothing had served to dim the flame of evangelism from the beginning to the- end of his career. He found his crown not in administrative tasks, in business routine, or amid the details of office organisation, but In the exercise of his supreme passion for preacning the free grace of God for all mankind. Outstanding: Leader. "For a generation he' has been an Outstanding leader in our church," Mid the speaker. "He rejoiced to conserve our Methodist traditions and took a lively interest in all that concerned our history. His unrivalled knowledge of Methodist law and procedure, his firm t ip of detail, his well-balanced judgment and his skill in debate made him a notable figure not only in the assemblies of the church in this country, but also in tte general conference of the Methodist.Church of New Zealand and Australia. In the effort to cure for New Zealand Methodism legislative independence from Australia, and in the movement to achieve complete Methodist union within this Dominion, he .Was a providential gift to the church. "It is little wonder that his brethren Bestowed upon him the highest honours to their gift. Twice he held presidential office, and rarely has an occupant of the chair of conference had • After or more complete ascendancy Of influence, wisdom, and character by Which to guide the assembly."* "or the last 16 years of his active •Jtvice Mr Lawry had held the office <w connexional secretary, in which Poet he fostered the many phases of ■cttvity which centred in the conMKional office. His practical knowledge of both the circuit and the ad■Unlstratlve sides of church life well JJBUpped him to help others to a solu"Wj at many hard problems in their JJptt Ministers and church officers Jgjw him as one on whose counsel W could r&y, and every good cause miwd in him a stalwart champion and • Persuasive advocate. A Christ-like Life. _"The personal religion of Mr Lawry Wjmed with the years," Mr Pratt «jMluded. "His heart belonged to J*rat He grew old graciously, and jytea at last bodily vigour diminished, J{« radiant hope and courage gave Jj-wy over weakness and pain. He ** le *t to his family the inspiration gi»Christ-like life, and to his friends .*• memory of a genial comrade, a fUerous host, and a stalwart in the ••wfor righteousness. L"we magnify the grace o. God which WW such lustre on the life now ~8'«d, and we recognise that what he JJM and what he did were due to ffij purpose which inspired him to up- «* Jesus Christ as the hope of the JJ* May there be found in us the J™* "dth and courage and holy zeal "marked the notable ministry now ■"wd upon earth."

A Large Attendance. those present at the funeral •5«« the Revs. H. Ford (Woodend), -*sL_jMßderson (Rangiora), A. H. .ff»»8 (Lyttelton). F. T. Read, T. *• Vealie, A. Peters. W. J. Enticott, *r «■ Ward, H. L. Blamires, D. Gard;flgMiller, A. Hopper, H. Ryan, J. :f?™e"ton, E. Drake, G. B. Hinton *Wnburton), R. McGregor (WillowGreenwood, Mr C. AllingiJMßalcairn), Colonel G. J. Smith, ,S**«i C. T. Aschman, H. D. Acland, ; Sf- J. Hight, and Mr C. C. Kemp College Board of Goverf v C?i» Messrs Alfred Williams, J. McJgwC (Justice Department). C. ParAndrew, J. H. White. W. ffl*wjob (Mount Pleasant Ratepayers JT« peases' Association), H. Buttle, *ftHaasall, F. Blewitt (New Brigh«P teafflc inspector), A. M. Hosking, 'WLZ" McDowell; S. Harrington, A. iIKY jMnwood). W. Bray (Fairlie), "iffiS. McEldowney and C. G. Pegg 31 TH? Men's Christian Association), >• Weir; W. Hayman (Studholme "Jon). John Lomas, Edgar Rid(Oreendale), A. Sinclair. W. T.

Burley, E. A. Sharp, J. Voss, Charles H. E. Graham, E. W. Hall, M. Gerry, E. H. Andrews, A. A. Sandford, A. R. Jordan, W. Ballantyne, F. Ballantyne, W. Hindle; H. Burgess and E. J. D. Hercus (Oxford Terrace Church), H. Edgar, M. Foley, A. H. Thompson, J. W. Manchester, H. E. Gott, W. H. Stephens, E. H. Dalley, \. Barnett (Morvcn). L. R. Barnett "(Southbridge), P. le Brun; A. M. Burns, Arthur Cant, F. H. Walls, and C. J. Petersen (Christchurch Press Company, Ltd.), Herbert Chapman, W. J. Mitchell, A. Penny, P. V. Berry, A. N Sharp, Andrew Borrows, R. E. James. George Bowron, M. Kershaw, S C Blythe, G. W. Loughton, Gordon Jones, R. S. James, C. Williams, M. Dixon, A. W. Laughton; W. Simpson (Rugby Street Church), W. F. McArthur. S. G. Unwin. R. C. Abernethy, W. A. Bascand, W. Fenner, W. D. Revington; W. H. Rose, and W. Dobbs (New Zealand Alliance), J. T. Mitchell, W. E. Leadley, J. H. Jones, W Fehsenfeld, C. A. Newman, T. W. Voller J. V/oodham, H. Holland, M.P., William Lilly, J. H. M. Smith, F. J. Carr A. E. Haynes, R. W. Hawke, MP' F. C. Wade, H. Biggs, J. Lomas, j H Blackwell, H. Sowden; J W. Hillary, A. C. Reed, and H. Flesher (representing the Durham Street Methodist Church Trustees), E. w Hall J. D. Hall (representing the Gordon Boys' Trust), Murray Hobbs, the Hon, L. M. Isitt, Messrs H. Y. Widdowson, S. H. Maddren (representine the Sydenham Methodist Circuit), J H Pugh. C. O. Eyre, W. Fairclough, W Tuck, L. B. Johnson, W.E Shaw.G. Salter. J. G. Lamb, L. E. Anderson G L Barnett. C. L Peters, G. W. Peters, V. C. Peters, and S. G. Bowron. Floral Tributes. Wreaths were sent by the followfamily and Aunt Annie. Bert, « V£, Kathleen and Billy, the Mc?sJSr' fSiSf the Sydenham Methoh2 clrcS the Minister and Officials d i S + 5 Woolston Circuit, the Trustees o£ the Woolston t Meth<^ Ist °Church? members of the Oxford Ter-

race Baptist Church choir, the Christchurch Methodist Women's Missionary Auxiliary, the New Zealand Alliance, the Redclifrs Bowling and Croquet Club, the Rev. L. A. and Mrs North, the Rev. E. and Mrs Drake, the Rev. T. W. and Mrs Vealie and family, Bet and Becky, Victor and Jean. ?/Ir and Mrs C. L. Peters, Dr. and Mrs R. W. Bellringer, Ruth and Ralph Drayton, Mr and Mrs Eyre and Joyce, Mrs Marshall and Kate, the Fee family, Mr and Mrs W. Moor, Mr and Mrs A. G. Williams, Mrs Aldred and Hope, Mr and Mrs Elsom and Stephen, Mr and Mrs W. Tuck, Mr and Mrs A. E. Haynes, Mr and Mrs Harold Biggn, the Barrell family, Mrs Jean Roger, members of the North Canterbury Methodist Ministers' Fraternal, Mr and Mrs Webb, Mr and Mrs J. H. Kidd, Greater Christchurch United Methodist Preachers, Meeting, Methodist Connexional Office, Christchurch, Mr and Mrs Voller, Neil and liis, Maude and Len, the Rev. J. Hay and family, Mr and Mrs Fife and family, Durham street quarterly meeting, and Arthur and Joyce.