DR RUTHERFORD WADDELL

Evening Star, Issue 15136, 18 March 1913, Page 7

DR RUTHERFORD WADDELL

. AND HIS LOYAL PEOPLE. A TENDER FAREWELL. The keynote of tho congregational farctrell last night-to Dr Rutherford Waddell, the beloved pastor of St. Andrew's Church, who this week leaves for Canada on a "health-recruiting'tour,■ was struck from a groat distance by tho Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, whose telegraphed message was_ not only a fin© tribute to th© broad catholicity of the frail pastor, whoso strength of spirit and mind has rendered creed a thing of vapor, but summed up the wishes and prayers of all who know the sage of St. Andrew’s. This was Bishop Ckavy’s message: Kindly convey to Dr Waddell, my earnest hope for his speedy and complete recovery. Dr Waddell is an asset to the whole community.---Cleary. Messages like this go to the heart, and it was good to hear the cheers of the people, w ho justifiably look upon Dr Waddell as their own asset. They recognised that goodness, like gold, is most beneficial in wide circulation. the meeting was of a social character, but the tea has not yet been brewed that could make 'people merry in parting with a friend like Dr‘Waddell. And who can cheerfully part/ with an asset? It is the departure of liabilities that raises laughter. But the tenderness of the farewell was more pleasing than the ‘He’s a jolly good fellow- ’ spirit. It showed that to us© one of Dr Waddell's happy figures of speech, Scotch folk can have, in addition to many of the other qualification* of the poker, its warmth on occasions. The meeting was held in the St. Andrew's Sunday School, which was crowded to its doors. Professor Hewitson, master of Knox College, who will act as moderator of St. Andrew’s during Dr Waddell’s absence, presided, and had associated with him on the platform, the pastor of the , church, the Rev. 8. Robertson Orr, who will take Dr Waddell’s charge. Messrs Waller Gow, and Duncan Wright, city missionary. The platform was graced with some beautiful flowers. Professor Hewitson made an excellent speech, in which he paid a notable tribute to Dr Waddell. After thanking the session for honoring him with the mcderalorsliip, the Professor read greetings to their guest from Mr W. H. Rose, of Oamani, and Bishop Cleary. Of the Bishop’s ho remarked : “ If this is not a testimony of Dr Waddell’s Roman Catholicism it is a testimony of his catholicity ; there is no doubt about that.” (Applause.) H© would do his best to serve the congregation, and tell the ciders what they had to do; but there was one thing they need not ask him todo. That was to fill Dr Waddell’s shoes, or wear his clothes. (Laughter.) Speaking of the relationship between pastor and people, ho said that it was very delicate. Sometimes it was beautiful; sometimes the reverse ; occasionally it was very rich; sometimes it was very squalid. It was most perfect between tho Apostle Paul and some of his congregation. H© quoted part of St. Paul’s letters to the Romans (Chap. 1, verse ii.), and said that Dr Waddell would, before he got back to his people, be homesick for the sight of them and longing to sen them in order to impart some spiritual gift, and to be comforted by mutual faith. The relation between the pastor and his people was a mutual relation, and each should help the other in quickening the life of their church. He was sure that no congregation were richer than St. Anderw’s in the matter of mutual relation between the pastor and the people, to a high degree of beauty and helpfulness. Ho believed that there was no congregation in tho Church that had been more loyal to their minister, more affectionate to their minister and fiolicitious of his well-being, or more grateful than St. Andrew’s had always been to Dr Waddell. They had encouraged their pastor time and again by the way they had stood round him and supported him in the various schemes in which he had been interested. The Profesor went on to say that he had every reason to believe that the feelings the congregation had had for their pastor during the many years of his ministry would be intensified while he was away from them. (Applause.) Dr Waddell had been away before, but never under circumstances similar to those in which he was about to leave, and never so much broken in health. . He, trusted that they would recognise a .'greater responsibility” and would be true to. their trust and to their pastor. (Applause.) What was to be said of Dr Waddell's side in the matter of mutual relation ? The Doctor, of course, had limitations. Physically they were very much marked. But those limitations, which might have led to general weakness in many men, had led Dr Waddell, to strength, to concentration, to development of his characteristic gifts and powers. And the concentration had not led to narrowness; it had gained a very wide expansiveness. (Applause.) “ One of . the striking things about Dr Waddell, ’’ continued the speaker, “is his union of offices. No man in tho ministry has more sense and more nonsense than the minister of St. Andrew’s. (Applause.) No. man stronger in mind that is gentler; no- man more agreeable and more yielding ; and no man more stubborn. 'When he sets his foot down you can get him to go nowhere. He won’t drive, and he won’t be coxed. No minister has been more interested in congregational schemes, and no minister has been more interested in the general schemes of the Church.” (Applause.) Continuing, the Professor referred to the Doctor's constant eagerness to get the people to be true to home and foreign missions and the envelope system. . There was no minister who had his eyes more clearly on Jerusalem ns well as on the uttermost parts of tho earth. (Applause.) And then he had not onlv a very literary and spiritual imaginative mind, but had an extremely practical mind. His ministry had been wonderful. Of course, the congregation had helped him, but he was the leader, and a most progressive man. (Applause.) The congregation had kept close to him. St. Andrew’s Church introduced th© first deaconess, was the first to support a missionary, and had the most modern Sunday school and Bible class in, he believed, the Dominion. The speaker next referred to Dr Waddell’s work as a preacher and a lecturer. Everybody knew what ho had done as a lecturer years ago in tho matter of improving the social conditions of workers. And some of the pa-pers h© bad written ( V. ith Rod • and Gun in Maoriland’) were equal‘to anything he (the speaker) had S6CU as nn.turo studies. Th© doctor had a very deep interest in and sympathy u ,n ’ e - Then he had written sympathetically of life in the papers he had been contributing to th© ‘Evening Star.’ Of his lecture on ‘ Browning’ a prominent Anglican said that for insight, poetical feeling, and literary grace it was of the highest order, and that if ho had only had the voice that lecture would have been an oration of the first rank. (Applause.) That was the judgment of an Anglican of very high degree. As a preacher.°what a range Dr Waddell had had in Scriptural knowledge. The speaker recalled the criticism by a friend who had told him long before he had thought of coming to Dunedin that in listening” to Dr Waddell’s lectures on Elijah he had seen the prophet emerge on the highway, so dramatic had been the doctor. That critic’s love and admnation still remained. (Applause.) And what a range of fife fie had touched ' dhe- old men were delighted with his ministry—(applause)—and who could talk fo children better than ho could? (Loud applause.) Then women gave to him the love and truth of good, grateful, and spiritual hearts. There was no doubt that he- could touch women deeply. He supposed t hat there'was no class of men more full of exuberant life than the student class, and who could' touch that class more deeply than Dr Waddell 1 Not another man in their ministry. (Applause). And he had shown great courage in his ministry, and had disclosed the beauty of holiness. There was no doubt that the congregation would have to answer for a groat deal because of their privileges. They had a great opportunity during- the next 12 months t© show their appreciation. (Applause.) —A Layman’s Tribute.— Mr W. Cow said that there was an element of regret in their meeting, with which th© congregation were not familiar. And Jt was a matter for-great regret that eueh

a meeting was required. Dr Waddell had wanted to slip away quietly, but of course they could not let him go like that. He (the speaker) believed that th© congregation did not realise how much a ministry of 35 years meant. How many ministers were there in tho Church to-day who could say that their ministry was, after 35 years, os effective and as fruitful a* it was m the beginning He did not know of one, and ho .had seen a great deal of congregations and of ministers. That could be said of Dr Waddell’s ministry. (Applause.) It .was as vigorous and as effective as ever it was. There had been a time when some of the older members of the congregation had an idea that their minister's literary gifts overshadowed at times his spiritual message. Now, it was apparent that Dr Waddell’s ministry had been one of continual growth, continual development, and continual expansion. (Applause.) He would venture to say that there was no minister in the Church in New Zealand or in any other Church who had so boldly proclaimed the real truth, the saving truth, as Dr Waddell had done. (Applause.) That was particularly gratifying to the older members of the congregation. The church had grown in spiritual power, and they had much reason to be very grateful. They must at all hazards keep the congregation together while the doctor was away. (Applause.) He would speak plainly, and would tell them that when their pastor had been away in the past some of his sheep, so to speak, had strayed. It was not good to wander continually to hear tho excellent ministers in other churches. They should rally round th© young man who” had como to do his best, and help him all they could. —A Presentation.— Mr Wm. M'Hutchcson. on behalf of tho congregation, presented to Dr Waddell a number o> travelling requisites —a suit case, glads tone bag, writing case, and Mosgiel rugs (one of tho latter being a. gift to the doctor's sister in Canada). Air M'Hutcheson’s speech was a- gem of brevity. _ After formally presenting the gifts lie said that the doctor was one of the finest fellows m the world. (Applause.) —A Characteristic Reply.— Dr Waddell’s reply was something to hear rather than to read. He spoko from a heart that felt a load of kindness and sympathy, and caused its tenderness to touch the hearts of bis friends and strangers. Then there would be a touch of humor, bright and pleasing as the green of his native bog after the misty rain has passed. He rather sadly expressed his hope to have been allowed to slip away quietly, and then remarked in almost the same breath; ” Some of you know that this is St. Patrick’s Day ; but I’m quite sober the evening.” The burst of happy laughter relieved the tension. Ho recalled the witticism of his celebrated countryman, Daniel O'Connell, in saying that an Englishman had every quality of a poker except its occasional warmth. One might say that that was true of Scotchmen, who also had every qualification of the poker, but had in addition its warmth. It was the. warmth of tho poker that he had been accustomed to during his ministry. , As regards his going away, he had been , moved by the expressions of kindness from friends and from complete strangers. , First of all, there had been tho extraordinarily generous tribute of tho Press of tho City. (Applause.) He wondered , sometimes if he were really dreaming, or i if ho were really their humble servant. ■ the simple, deaf old man that wandered t about Dunedin streets to the great risk of his own fife, and that of the tram-drivers. ■ There had been many letters from friends, / and from people whom he had never seen ; and did not, even know by name. And he , would not be human it he did not appre- , date Bishop Cleary’s kind message. He [ thought he was a tolerably staunch Protes- . taut, and he was quite sure that Bishop Cleary was a very staunch Roman Catholic, and it was therefore very pleasing that " there was sufficient friendliness and senti--1 ment obtaining amongst them to call forth i such a telegram. (Applause.) Here he - quoted aptly from his inexhaustible fomi--7 tainhead of jioetical knowledge, and then - proceeded to thank Professor Hewitson for I accepting the moderatorship of St. Ani drew’s. When he looked at the tangible tokens before him he felt like his uaiuer sake Rutherford, who wrote to Jane Cor--1 don ; “He hath shamed me with his kindi ness.” Of all the gifts they had given .him, none were more highly prized than i that to his sister. He was sure she would i be as deeply touched as he was with their great kindness. It was a verv gracious i ] L de , a to recognise his sister, and he would have great joy in taking it to her in Canada. , doctor went on to speak of the geneI V? r, 5- of tlle Church. They had reached tne high water mark last year, and there ; ... hj 1 el >. a. greater manifestation of ' spiritual fife in the congregation than in [ an J .ycac he remembered. He did not lefer to these things by vay* of boasting. . H° '"'anted to show how necessary it was . to continue giving of their best. Owing to r departures from the locality the memberi «hip was being written” down, rather heavily. i heir distnct was stagnant ns , regards building .operations. He referred ! to the departure of several families, in- | eluding that of the Rev. M r Don,’ and , noted with gratitude- that Sister Christabel , had returned to take up her duties again. . The decrease in numbers was .really a "gain p i' l strength, though that seemed para- , doxical. The responsibility was greater. . He mentioned that if health had permitted , he would have suggested the devoting of ; the morning service on .Sundays to children. Some people preached once a month to children, but he would like to reverse ; the order and preach once a month to . adults and every Sunday to children. (Applause.) He emphasised tho need of increasing the number of teachers in the Sunday school, and appealed to young men and women to take np that important work. Tho speaker concluded with counselling the congregation to strive together. The Rev. S. R. Orr was introduced hy Dr Waddell. He made a manly speech, premising to do his best, and asking for the support of the people. During the evening the choir, under tho guidance of Mr R Foster, sang two anthems. Mr D. Wright opened the meeting with prayer, and Professor Hewitson pronounced the Benedict ion. Alter the formal part of the meeting, tea was served by the ladies of tho congregation.