METHODIST CENTRAL MISSION

Evening Star, Issue 18812, 10 December 1924, Page 2

METHODIST CENTRAL MISSION

THE SLADE HALL. The annual members’ meeting v«rs held last evening In the Slade Hall. Rev. W. Walker presided over a good attendance. The election of stewards resulted as follows :—Society stewards —Mr H. H. Johnson, G. Brown, P. R. Chapman, C. J. Wise, V. Watson, A. Grogan, P. White, R. Lamb, A. Westfield; choir steward, Miss M'Gregor; benevolent stewards—Mrs Coulter, Miss Sanders, Mrs Chapman, Mrs Twose, Miss Thomas, Miss Chave, Miss M‘Nish ; honorary stewards —Mr W. Paris, Mr W. Hoskins, "Miss Boot. Trustees who are members of the mission are also society stewards. The main purpose of the meeting was tho dedication of the Slade Hall, in honor of tho splendid work done by tho late Rev. W. Slade. The Chairman (Rev. W. Walker) referred to Mr Slade’s career as a Methodist minister in the dominion and for seventeen years as an honored missionary in Fiji. On his appointment to Dunedin he determined to launch a scheme to build a permanent homo for the mission, which was then .meeting in various halls in the city. Being a man of vision, of indomitable will, of marked ability, of great enthusiasm, he carried his scheme through, with the result that the mission now owns and ocupies one of the finest equipped halls in the dominion. The speaker paid a tribute to the work of Mrs Slade, who was a graceful and devoted helper in all the mission work. Rev. H. E. Bellhouse (district chairman) said that they had to honor the memory of a great and good man. One of God s richest gifts was great and good men, and the late Mr Slade was one of the best gifts to the Methodist Church in modern times. He was a great missionary and great preacher, a great administrator, and a great Methodist statesman. He paid tribute to the Late Mr Slade’s magnificent work in Fiji for seventeen years, a work that entitled him to be dossed as one of the most devoted and capable missionaries of recent times. He was delighted, as chairman of the district, that the mission officials had decided to name part of tho property in honor of their late superintendent, and thus remind future congregations of the great debt they owed to him. The Rev. Mr Bellhouse concluded an impressive and sincere eulogy of the late Rev. Slade by appealing to all present for an increased consecrated and devoted service, and thus carry to more successful issues tho objects of the mission.

Other short speeches were, delivered by Mr W. R. Don, Mr R. X. Gordon, and Mr W. Paris, after which Mr D. C. Cameron, jun., at the request of the chairman, dedicated the hall as Slade Hall, and rea.d a letter received from Mrs Slade (Auckland) expressing her gratification that her lato husband had kept a place in the lovo and esteem of the officials and members with whom ho had worked. Mrs Slade in her letter mid; “I shall Ire only too pleased, and shall feel it an honor, to have my husband's name given to the social hall, and sincerely thank those who desire to carry out this courteous act of remembrance.” The meeting received Mrs Slade’s letter with evident appreciation, and, whilst all present stood, the Slade Hall was dedicated, the Rev. H. E. Bollhouso offering the dedication prayer.

A motion of sympathy and good-will to Mr R. Moffott in his illness was carried, on the motion of Mr W. Hoskins. Tho circuit steward referred te the coming holidays, and, in wishing the Rev. W. Walker and Sister_ Hazel pleasant time, presented each with a. cheque as an expression of good-will towards them. Wupper was served by tho young ladies.