THE LATE ARCHDEACON WILLIAMS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 865, 10 August 1867, Page 3

THE LATE ARCHDEACON WILLIAMS.

In recording the death of the inty Archdeacon H. Williams, the oldest Missionary in New Zealand, which took place at Pakaraka on the 16th July last, we are painfully reminded tna't, the generation of the first pioneers of Christianity and civilization in these Islands is fast passing away. But they leave 'behind them a name which will never be forgotten.

A brief sketch of his life by one who has known him intimately for nearly half a century, may not be unacceptable to the public;

Archdeacon Williams was born February 11, 1792. He entered the Royal Navy in 1806, at the age of fourteen, and served without intermission till the war was terminated by the battle of Waterloo. He served under Sir Joseph Yorke, first in the Barfleur, and afterwards in the Christian ,VH ; in the Maida, under Capt. Lindsay ; in the Galatea, under Capt. Losac ; in the Racehorse, under Capt. De Repe ; in the Saturn, under Capt* Nash ; and in the Endymion, under Capt. afterwards Admiral Hope, C.B. He was one of the volunteers who joined Capt. afterwards Sir Charles Napier, to cooperate with the army under the command of Lord Wellington; and, after that expecdition had been countermanded when on the point of sailing, he joined the Thames under Capt. Walpole, and continued. in her till the peace. During the course of this service he was in the affair of Copenhagen, both afloat and ashore, having been one of the forlorn hope which had been told off for storming when the garrison capitulated. He was also in various other engagements while in the Christian VII, the Galatea, and the Endymion, in one of which he was wounded. For two of these engagements a medal was awarded by Her Majesty in 1848, which medal is in in the possession of his family. After the engagement between the Endymion and President he was prompted to the rank of Lieutenant. On the conclusion of peace he retired, and soon afterwards married. - He was removed from the list of Lieutenants by an Admiralty order in 1827, that all officers in Holy Orders be struck off the half pay lists. ,

Haying a brother-rin-law in connexion with the Church Missionary Society, his attention was drawn through him to their proceedings, and the desire sprang up in his mind to enlist in the warfare which they had commenced against the kingdom of Satan in the Islands of New Zealand. He engaged Himself to the Church Missionary Society in June, 1820, in preparation for Holy Orders ;, was ordained Deacon, June 2, 1822, by the Bishop of London; and Priest, June 16, 1822 by the Bishop of Lincoln. : ... He left England September 17, 1822 j ; arrived in New Zealand August 3, 1823, and was appointed Archdeacon of Waimate Sept. 20, 1844, by the Bishop of New Zealand. In May, 1850 he was disconnected from the Church Missionary Society, owing to circumstances well known in the Colony. The excitement occasioned by his abrupt dismissal was intense. The members of the English congregations at Russell and Paihia forthwith assembled and presented him with an address, accompanied by a testimonial of a handsome silver inkstand. He was afterwards honourably restored to his position January 1, 1855.

The nautical knowledge which he had acquired in his younger days, proved of great service at the earlier period of the Mission. The Herald, a small schooner of about 60 tons burthen, was built under his direction at Paihia, for the purposes of the Missionj being the first vessel ever built in New Zealand. : Oh her completion in 1826, the first voyage was made to New South Walies, the .vessel navigated by himself. At Sydney he met his brother, the present Bishop, of Waiapu, who- had come out to join him in New Zealand. He afterwards made two visits in the Herald to the Bay 6f Plenty, accompanied by Messrs Davis and Clarke. •-, This vessel was subsequently wrecked at Hokianga, and after that time he repeatedly visited different parts of the Northern Mand, sometimes in the Mission schooner Active, sometimes in the cutter Karere (which was built at Paihia under his own direction) but more frequently in his open boat— occasionally being absent as much as three months at a time, and more than once narrowly escaping a watery grave.

No one could have been better suited for the Mission to New Zealand than Archdeacon ;H. Williams. With a heart given to God, and zealous for the salvation of the heathen,' he combined great firmness, an indomitable perseverance, and a spirit of ardent' enterprise, that carried him through difficulties and obstacles before which most men ? would have succumbed. These qualities, to which we may add his tender and heartfelt sympathy for the sufferings of others, commended themselves to the notice of the natives, who always shewed the most unbounded confidence in him, and regard for. the soundness of his judgment, and in all their quarrels, whenever it was possible he was looked up to and recognised as the general peacemaker. As an illustration of this at the present time, we may mention that two Ngapuhi tribes, who are now engaged, in war, no sooner heard of his death than they mutually agreed to suspend hostilities until after his funeral. Four of the chiefs immediately left their camp to attend as mourners on the occasion, and requested to be allowed to assist in carrying his remains to the grave.

The universal esteem and reverence entertained by the natives for the Archdeacon was a problem to many ; but sterling worth* combined with unbounded charity, which "seekethnother own; suffereth long, and. is kind; vaunteth not itself; ia not puffed up," readily wins the respect of the New Zealander and is fully appreciated by him. It must not be supposed that the Archdeacon's services were confined to the native',race.'. : They were also most readily and cheerfully bestowed upon the Europeans, in whose welfare he took the greatest interest^ always exerting himself to advance both theirspiritual and temporal prosperity. He W^iialways'regarded by those who knew him as a firm and unflinching friend, and devoted minister, and his memory will always be held by- them in the greatest respect and esteem.

Hia regains, were interred in the churchyard at ]P)j&arika on the 19th July, being followed- to the grave by a very large pco-tportip^o.fjfche-European population of the district* Resides natives, all anxious to Bbe^^ytthis./ last jfcribute. of respect how : * mU^'^JKe^^^'^©''!©^^ have sustained

'A Public Spibited Supebintendent. —Mr. Moorhouse, the Superintendent of Canterbury, expressed himself as follows at the meetiug of unemployed. — His Honor said that he was himself a labouring man, and all his sympathies were with the working . classes. He deemed it his duty to take any measures for the alleviation of the distress which had caused the meeting to assemble that evening. It had been urged against him that he received a large salary. Ho could assert, upon his sacred honor, that not oile sixpence of that salary found its way into bis own pocket.It had been expended— every penny of it — in the alleviation of the distress complained of. He thought that the prevailing distress might be attributed to the depreciation which had taken place in the price of grain. Let us not desert our country — do not let us apply to foreign countries. Let not the pink and pride of our adopted land be transferred to a strange country, because all are suffering from a depression which may, after all, prove only temporary.

The Local Government Bill. — The "Independent" thus remarks upon this measure : — Our examination of it leads us to the conclusion, that it proposes to sweep away three-fourths of the powers at present possessed by the Provincial Governments, and that it creates a new and cumbrous machinery to perform what could be perfectly well done by that which is already in existence. If the provincial system were to attain its legitimate development, the present Act is unnecessary ; and if the latter becomes law, the former has received its death blow. The power to provide for the management of the ,outlying districts is taken from the provinces and given to the General Government. If the* latter endows the district boards and county councils from the consolidated revenue, we should like to know what is to be the share of the Provincial Governments. The Bill cuts in two ways. If it becomes law the Provincial Governments will have little power and less money, and the functions still left them will be so few and limited that their extinction must follow "bs a matter of certainty. We believe that the provincial party in the Assembly are fully alive to this, and that the Bill will be so strenuously resisted as to insure its rejection.

■ A Gbain Expoet. — The establishment of a grain and produce-exporting company continues to receive great attention. On "Friday lastameeting,very largely attended, was held at the Wneatsheaf inn to discuss the subject. Mr. Moorhouse was present, and addressed the meeting in an eminently practical speech. A committee was formed, and we may shortly expect to hear of some practical result. The Northern Agricultural and pastoral Association held [its first annual meeting at Eangiora on Saturday last ; and, from the report submitted, the Association appears to be in a very nourishing condition. We trust it will receive every support and encouragement from the residents in the district, for there can be no question as to the benefits it may confer, properly managed, on the province generally.— " Canterbury Times," July 20. :. ■