DEPARTING MINISTER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 36, 24 January 1933, Page 6

DEPARTING MINISTER

FAREWELL TO BEV. H. SPEIGHT

TRIBUTE FROM PARISHIONERS.

The affection and high regard which are felt not only by the congregation of St. Matthew’s Church, but by the clergy and congregations of other churches in this parish, for the Rev. Mr. Hubert Speight and Mrs. Speight, who have been associated with St. Matthew’s Church for the past live years, were amply shown at a farewell gathering in St. Matthew’s Schoolroom last evening. Mr. Speight, who was appointed to the curacy of St. Matthew’s upon his retirement from the headmastership of Havelock North School, has been appointed to the charge of Patutahi, near Gisborne, and he and Mrs. Speight and family left for their new home this morning. Among tho very largo number of people who were present at last evening’s farwell were representatives of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches in Hastings, and affectionate letters of farewell w T ere received from the Rev. D. J. Shaw and the Rev., A. H. Seriven, both of whom are at present out of tho district. Mr. R. D. Sutherland was present on Mr. Shaw’s behalf, and Mr. Seriven also was represented. Apologies were received from the Bishop and Mrs. Williams, from Archdeacon K. E. Maclean, and a number of others.

After referring to Mr. Speight’s splendid church-work as a layman, the vicar, the Rev. Canon C. MortimerJones, said that his association with Mr. Speight had been particularly happy. The longer Mr. Speight had stayed in the parish the more valued and loved he had become, and it was to be regretted for the sake of the parish that he and Mrs. Speight were leaving it.-It was, however, gratifying that Mr. Speight had been given a parish of his own to care for. “HELP AND INSPIRATION.” His preaching had been all that one would have expected from a man of his ability, learning, and experience in life, and his previous service as a teacher had been of the utmost value in his work for the Church. The more one knew him, continued the vicar, the more one realised the fineness of his personal character. Every virtue that a fine man should have was found in him to some degree. It had been a privilege to know him, and knowing him had been a great help and inspiration to those who sought to follow the life of the Master.

Mrs. Speight had most nobly helped her husband in his work, and had made a great sacrifice to enable her to join with him in his Christian service. “We are sorry,” the vicar concluded, “that you are going away from friends who love you, and I assure you of the very deepest and warmest welcome when you return to visit us.”

Mr. G. des Forges, speaking as the People’s Warden, said that although the congregation so greatly regretted losing Mr. Speight, they felt it soma compensation to know that he was going to have charge of a parish of his own. During his five years at St. Matthew’s, and in spite of hard times and many difficulties, he and Mrs. Speight had risen nobly to the occasion whenever their assistance or advice was

needed. They would be very g reatly missed. Mr. Speight deserved especial thanks, said Mr. A. B. Harper, for his work in connection with the Bible Classes not only in the parish but throughout the diocese. The members of the Bible classes felt that in losing Mr. Speight they were losing a great and true friend. They would miss his wise advice, his kindness, and his great earnestness and enthusiasm, and the thoroughness which ho put into everything that he undertook. His influence in Bible class work had extended to Synod, where he had made his valuable influence most effectively felt. His place would be very hard to fill.

Mr. Speight had been a leader and a father, said Mr. Chaplin, leader of the Senior Bible Class, and had been a wonderful help to the boys. Ho had given inestimable help, and his work had had an influence through the whole of the Bible Class movement in New Zealand. TRIBUTE TO THE VICAR. Mr. Speight’s services to the choir aud to the Sunday Schools of the parish were referred to iu tributes by Mr. C. B. Spinney (choirmaster), and Miss O'Kane (Sunday School superintendent), and Mr. Sutherland, on behalf of the Presbyterians, spoke ot the great affection and respect which people of all creeds felt towards Mr Speight, and of the splendid Christian work that he had done iu the town. Speaking in reply, Mr. Speight said that he had merely tried to do his best. “I expected to receive some knocks," he added, ‘ ‘ but I have received very few; and I don’t think that a single one of them came from anyone really connected with the church. I did not, however, expect to experience the appreciation that been showm here to night towards myself and Mrs. Speight I have received no end of kindly help and consideration from the vicar, and if ever he had to point out to me that 1 was wrong, he did it in the most kindly way. I did the best I could, and what 1 have done I have never done without real joy. “One of the greatest joys that 1 have experienced has beeu my work among the young people, and I hope particularly that the Bible Class movement will continue to progress. It is the Church’s only hope in the future. If we do not teach and encourage our young people, where is the Church going to be in the next generation? “It has been a real pleasure and a real privilege to work here,” Mr. Speight concluded, “and the ministers of the town have been a band of real brothers. It has been a delight to work with them. We are in many ways most sorry to go, and feel particularly our parting from the young people, whom we thank for the help and pleasure that they have given us.” Mrs. Speight also made a short speech in acknowledgment of the good wishes that had been expressed, and during the evening the following gifts wore presented:—A set of books and a dinner service from the parishioners, a travelling rug from the Bible classes.

nn inkstand from Mr. Speight’s own class, a large framed photograph of St. Matthew’s Church from the Sunday School teachers and pupils, a cathedral prayer book from the choir, a leatherbound prayer book as a personal gift from the vicar to Mr. Speight, and an original water-colour painting of

flowers, by Dorothy Ashton, of Auckland. from the Lulies of the parish a* a gift to Mrs. Speight, and a gift to Mr. David Speight. During the evening musical item* were given by Mr. W. Bryant and Mr. F. S. Thomas, and the evening ended with supper and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” and the National Anthem.