APPRECIATED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 805, 30 April 1910, Page 3

APPRECIATED.

' ■■ ~* ~ •.:'■ DR. HENRY'S MISSION. . VERDICT OF THE C'IIUROHES. A farewell tea was given to Dr. Henry and his party by tbe executive of the United Mission in the Y.iI.C.A. hall yesterday afternoon. About sixty persons were present, and the Hev. j. I£. Elliott' presided. The liev. S. J, Serpell, in an apology for absence, emphasised his thorough endorsement of Dr. Henry's messages, and methods. The Rev. Dr. Gibb, who was unable to be present, also wrote expressing his warm appreciation of the addresses given by ])r. Henry. The chairman said that one effect or the mission had been to quicken the love of Christiana, and especially of Christian ministers. The tide of love had risen, and thoy had been lifted up abovb their personal and paltry concorns. He was ashamed, hinselii that he had kept so muoh. aloof in the past from his beloved and honourable brethi rou. The Mission had,brought an undoubted and very great blessing ou bis own congregation. He thought that the method of asking people to stand and give testimony, which'he had disliked before he knew better, was justified by Dr. Henry's long experience, and he could see where it might have good results. He had enjoyed the ad- ; dresses greatly himself, and had derived i much benefit from them. The stay of i tho missioners -had not- been long enough, and they.could not salute them , better than in the wordß of the old i song: "Will ye no come back again?" The Rot. W. J. (lomriiv Moderator of ■ the Wellington Presbytery, emphasised the earnest, wise, and sane methods of i the mission, in which, he said, tho i churches were not one . whit disapEointed. They were heartily glad that lr. Henry and his party had como . ambng them. With' regard to the [ practice of asking converts to declare • thepiselvea, he thought that this method [ was no doubt justified, and if there i was one thing which the "'Church had i lacked, it was just that element or . persuasion, and of entreaty, the element i that led to an immediate decision for Christ. They could advise the rest-of ■ the Dominion to receive Dr. Henry and i his party with open arms, and withi . the utmost confidence Tbe speakor ro- ! ferred to the excellent music, of tbo i mission, and stated that a warm inter- • est would always be taken in the movoi ments of the missioners. The Rev. T. .Fee (Methodist), said i he had been connected with revival . work for more than half a century, and | did ' not remember ■ having been oon- ; nceted with a mission whose .working s had commended itself more to his judgs ment than that of Dr. Henry. Tho . message delivered might have been de- , dvered by John Wesley, or by any of i his successors. Dr. Henry had preaohed i 4 gospel to . which all the. Evangelical Churches could say Amen. Mr. Fee also expressed appreciation of the work of the other members of the mission. [ Tho Rev. A. Dewdney (Baptist) said ! that the mission's work had more than ) justified the welcome'given to it. A • new stimulus would be'given to min- | isters. In Dr.' Henry's sermons thero , had always been food for the mind, t as well as.the appeal fo-the heart, and t there had been no excessive einotion- . alism. > Mr..R. A. Wright, M.P.,,endorsed .. the methods of- the. mission. He be-; | lieved. that' its ; results would not; be ex- , .hausted for a long time to come. , Staff-Captain Oram (Salvation' Army) L also gave his:.testimony to the value of the mission.';:: ;■■' '■■' Mr.. W-. H. Kersley' (treasurer of :tho: mission) - spoke .',tp. .similar ; effect and handed to Dr. Henry the thank-offering contributed to by those' who had attended tho mission services. ■'. ~ The Revs. T. Keith Ewan- (Baptist) : and J. R..Clark (Methodist) took-part • in the devotional portion of the meet- '.. inpt, and Miss Clark sang a solo. Dr. Henry ;. said "that'he had-been very moved by the kind; Words of appreciation .which had been spoken. During the last,three weeks he had adi dressed the. people forty-three times, .. but it had been an increasing. delight to him to preach in Wellington: He [ spoke in. appreciation of the hearty i co-operation of the ministers 'of the city arid the kindly encouragement they i had. given him. - Tho methods-he had • employed were'the methods he had used :' during, twenty years of ministerial .experience, and which he has never known to. fail. He also! thanked the ..many personal workers who had stood by him . with great fidelity - during the cam--1 paigri, the two secretaries .(the Rev. J. R. Clark and Mr. H. N. Holmes) and the ohoir. Between seven hun-' drcd and.eight hundred people had indicated, in one wav and another, their desire to become Christiana, during the last three weeks. The. thank-offering ,he took as-an expression of goodwill and he thanked the givers for. it;.' ' Mr. Potts could not be induced, to. , speak, but he sang a solo in' response to a general request. A week's mission in Masterton will be commenced to-day.*,