LATE HON. J. G. W. AITKEN

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 301, 14 September 1921, Page 6

LATE HON. J. G. W. AITKEN

RESOLUTION OF PRESBYTERY. In the following terms the Wellington Presbytery last night expressed its regret at the death of the Hou. J. G. W. Aitken and its appreciation of the deceased gentleman’s sterling worth: — “The Presbytery of Wellington places on record its keen sense of the loss sustained by the whole community, and especially by the Presbyterian Church, in the death of the late Hon. J. G. W. Aitken. His humble, unassuming character, his zeal and energy in every good work, his love aind loyalty, his abounding generosity, his unswerving integrity, his wisdom and sagacity, and his wholehearted faith amid life’s vicissitudes, have singled him out from his fellows as. a man to be greatly honoured and beloved. He never once' honour for its own sake, yet he was a man whom the people delighted to honour. In the high positions of Mayor of V/elliiigton, member of Parliament, Education Board, etc., ho for many years of his lite served his generation with conspicuous ability and disinterested faithfulness. Loyal to the core to the Church he loved, he never grudged either time or money in her interests. Her colleges, orphanages, her centenary, and other- funds bear splendid testimony to his far-teeing wisdom as well as ‘to his unstinted liberality. Nor was' ,hin generosity confined within denominational limits' The Wel-

lington Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C'.A. are both lasting monuments of .his largeness of heart. In tribute to his character and influence and the great' services he has rendered, the General * Assembly of out Church honoured itself as well as him when it called him to be its moderator, 'the first time that such an honour has been conferred upon 'an elder in blew Zealand. As a member of this Presbytery, he took more than his share of the work, and did much to extend its influence. As an elder of St. John s congregation he was one of its bulwarks, and the blank created by his death will not soon be filled. To minister and congregation we extend our sympathy in the loss of so true a friend. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out also to - the bereaved relatives, and we earnestly pray that God’s grace may abound towards them in the sad experience through which they are passing. We rejoice to learn that ho died, as he lived —in humble, simple faith in his Lordi and Saviour*. May he, being dead, yet speak to us all. Lot us work on, for the night cometh when no man can work." . X '