32 YEARS A METHODIST MINISTER

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21124, 27 March 1934, Page 16

32 YEARS A METHODIST MINISTER

RETIREMENT OF THE REV. S. HENDERSON The Rev. S. Henderson closed a ministry of 4- years in the Methodist Church on Sunday evening. The last live years have been spent in charge , uf 'he Kangiora Methodist circuit. I .arse congregations attended the services on Sunday At the morning service Mr Henderson, instead of preaching a sermon, save a survey of his own experiences as a minister. He commenced his ministry in England in the Primitive Methodist Church, and was first sent to Wales as a hired local preacher After a year iherc Mr Henderson was sent to " a London mission, where he was accepted into the full ministry. Offering himself for foreign mission work Mr Henderson was accepted and sent to New Zealand 40 years ago. his first appointment being at Inglewood, Taranaki. Since then he has served in many circuits throughout New Zealand.

At the evening service Mr Henderson gave his final message as an active minister. He based his remarks on 11. Corinthians, xiii., verses 11-14. He said that he closed his ministry with no regrets, as he had always tried to preach the gospel as defined in his text. He thanked everyone for the assistance given him during his ministry, and especially the Rangiora congregation. To-morrow evening Mr Henderson will be tendered a farewell social. The Mayor of Rangiora (Mr \V. A. Rowse) will preside, and the ministers of the various churches of the town will bt present.