VALEDICTORY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 15 April 1908, Page 5

VALEDICTORY.

I FAREWELL TO REV. S. J. GIBSON The Methodist Church was crowdei on Tuesday night with members of th congregation and friends who assem bled to bid farewell to the Rev. S. J Gibson, who has been appointed to th . charge of the Onehunga circuit. Al parts of the Hawera circuit were re i presented, a number of people haviiij come a great distance in order to tes tify to the good work done by M: Gibson among them, and to demon strate their appreciation of it. • Mi Dixon, circuit steward, presided. After \> hymn and prayer, the Chair man read a number of apologies for un avoidable absence. ,. The Rev. ' Mr Hammond addressee the gathering, saying he had come ii contact with many congregations in hi: travels, but none that could in any waj compare with that of the Hawera Methodist Church. In all probability were he more directly associated witl the members of the congregation h< would find out that they had failings He had, however, hitherto been unabk to discover any. He was always glad when his steps were directed towards Hawera, as he felt he met good people Here. ' It caused him feelings of regre* to think that the gentleman they had met to do honor to that night was about to leave them, his term in this district having ended. Mr Gibson understood him (the speaker) better than any other minister he had ever met during the past 20 years. Since Mr Gibgojj came to Hawera the congregation had increased by leaps and bounds, and the success that had attended tke work in connection with the Church reflected much credit upon Mr Gibson's administrative ability v Their guest had done what no. other minister had been able to do. He had worked up the district to such an extent that it had been found necessary to cut Patea off from the Hawera circuit and make a special station of it. The Church was receiving an able successor to Mr Gibson in the person of the Rev. Mr Boys. Mr Dixon had succeeded in having that gentleman appointed to the Hawera charge, despite the fact that there were many other centres that would have welcomed him with open arms. In concluding, he wished the Rev. and Mrs Gibson and family success, pros- ! perity and happiness in their new home. (Applause.) Mr Barraclough, one of the circuit stewards, expressed regret at the loss of a minister who had done go much good for the Church and people, but trusted he would be equally successful at Onehuga. • Mr James Foy referred to the rapid growth of the district, and said that with it the Church had spread and the congregation become larger. He regretted Mr Gibson's, departure, as did all present, but hoped he would meet with the same success in the future that he had in -the past. Mr Foy stated that Mr Gibson had worked hard in connection with the erection of a new church in Hawera, and £1000 out of the £1500 that it cost to build had J been collected from the congregation. The remaining £500 had 'been borrowed from the Church loan. fund. A cottage had been purchased for the church caretaker at a cost of £300. Of that amount £120 had been paid, and roughly the indebtedness of the Church other tli an the £1500 to the loan fund was something like £200. A church was being built at Manaia, and the Normanby people were considering the matter of erecting a new one, as the present church there was inadequate for the requirements. He trusted Mr and Mrs Gibson would have better health in their new home than they had experienced here and meet with continued success. (Applause.) Brief eulogistic speeches were also delivered by Rev. Abbey and Mi Hutchens. Mr. Dixon, on behalf, of the congregation, presented Mr Gibson with a purse oi sovereigns, contributed voluntarily by the members. He endonsed t 1 c remarks that had been made by the previous speakers relative to the good work done by Mr Gibson in the Hawera circuit. He* had been more closely connected with the Rev. Mr Gibson than any other member" of the church, and could not fully explain the great help Mr Gibson had been to him. Not 1 ing caused him so much regret as saying farewell to their minister did, and ho knew that that regret was felt by every member of the congregation. Mrs Gibson had done great work .among the sick and afflicted in this district, and she would be missed by many. Mr and Mrs Gibson had always taken- a great interest jr the young men of the town, and their borne had' always been thrown open. <to those who cared to go there. There were not many in the church that night who would do that, yet the extent: to which Mr and Mrs Gibson's friendly attitude towards the young men was appreciated was euch as to make e^ery.opG oi them feel they were losing friends of sterling value. It behoved the members to do more for the young men and copy the example set by Mr and Mrs Gibson. (Applause.) Mr Gibson, on rising to reply, was warmly received.' H« referred briefly to the work in connection with €Ke church, saying he would not have been able to accomplish much Tkml it not been for the able assistance of' the brethren associated with him. He thanked ihem for their present and their many kind actioms towards him and, his. He trusted his health would; improve -with the change. He dealt briefly with the spiritual work of the church, paying ti&u£es to all those who had helped to mmister the Gospel in the various centres of the circuit, and , resumed his seat amidst loud and prolonged applause. A short but acceptable musical proGramme, was rendered as < follows: — Solo, Miss Strack, "Nearer, my God, to Thee:" Mr McAlpine, "Abide with me;'' violin solo, Master Keen, "The Farmer's Boy." The .anthem, "If ye love me" was sung by a fullohoir under the leadership of Mr Hutchfens, the solo being nicely taken .by Mrs Berry. At the conclusion of the' social; re-, freshmelrrfcs provided in abundance in the Sunday School ropm ..were partaken, of, after which tne^ gathering dispersed.' - "... \ ', . FRENZIED WITH .YEAR are many who develop lung trouble. Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery for Coughs, Colds, aa»3. Constimption will cure them. Price Is 6d and 3s. - For sale by chemists and storekeepers, Hawera; F. J. Gspper, Kaponga; and C. Jsdvm, AHob.— -Advt.