THE LATE MR GEORGE GOULD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 8756, 1 April 1889, Page 3

THE LATE MR GEORGE GOULD .

THE FUNERAL,

The body of the late Mr George Gould was buried on Saturday afternoon in the Wesleyan Cemetery, Barbadoes street. The widespread respect felt for him was shown by the large concourse which attended his funeral, by the flags hoisted at half-mast in all parts of the city, and by the tolling of the great bell of the Cathedral during the funeral ceremony. Shortly after half-past two o’clock the funeral procession left Hambleden, North Belt. Before the hearse walked a number of ministers of the Wesleyan Church, and immediately following it were over a hundred mourners on foot, headed by some thirty members of the Union Bowing Club (of which the deceased was President for many years), wearingon their left arms the Club colours covered with crape. A train of seventy private carriages and other vehicles bearing mourners followed. The cortege , which was about half a mile in length, proceeded to the cemetery by way of Durham and Salisbury streets, surrounded and followed by a large number of the public. The blinds in the windows of the houses in the streets were, mostly, drawn down as the procession passed. On arriving at the cemetery, the coffin, which was of polished wood, was borne from the hearse to the grave, preceded by the Eev John Aldred reading the opening words of the burial service. There was no pall, hub on the coffin were laid beautiful wreaths and crosses of white flowers. The chief mourners were Mr Gould’s three sons, Messrs Joseph, George and Charles Gould, and the two Messrs Lewis. Around the grave were arrayed a profusion of flowers. The service at the grave was conducted by the Be vs J. Aldred and W. Morley. The gathering at the cemetery was one of the largest and moat representative ever seen at a funeral in Canterbury. The churches, public bodies and other institutions which have benefited by Mr Gould’s liberality were represented by their principal ministers and members, and nearly every man whose name stands high in the estimation of the public of Christchurch was to be seen in the crowd around the grave. The ministers of many denominations were present to do honour to one who was prominent among the adherents of one of the most important Protestant churches, and who was respected by men of all creeds. The Episcopalian, Wesleyan, Presbyterian, Free Methodist, Baptist and Bible Christian and other churches were represented by their clergy, among whom were the Eight Eev the Bishop, the Very Kev the Dean, the Eevs W, J. Williams, J. J. Lewis, T. Flaveii and C. Dallaston, Yen Archdeacons Dudley and Lingard, Eev Canon Cholmondeley, Eevs J. Elxnslie, C. 11. Standage, C. Tariell, H. B. Bedstone, J. Crewes, F. H. Haro, F. Knowles and J. Orchard. Among the lay institutions represented were the New Zealand Exhibition Committee, the Christchurch City Council, the St Albans and Sydenham Borough Councils, the Chamber of Commerce, the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, the College Board of Governors, the Young Men’s Christian Association, the Working Men’s Club, the Christchurch and Canterbury Bowling Clubs, the Union Rowing Club, the Horticultural Society and the Fruitgrowers’ Association. The gentlemen present included the Hons Colonel Brett, H. B. Qresson, W. Eeeves, W. Eolleston, J. T. Peacock, Messrs A. Kaye, P. Cunningham, T. W. Maude, E. E. N. Twopeny, J. G. Enddenklau, J. Anderson, C. E. Blakiston, E. G. Wright, P. Graham, E. C. Bishop, K. Allan, A. Garrick, J. Ollivier, W. Chrystall, J. Cooke, A. Cuff, E. S. Harley, W, P. Reeves, M.H.R., L. Harper, H. A. Scott, A. Cox, W. Broughton, P. J. Kimbell, R. Westeura, G. Harper, C. C. Bowen, A. C. Wilson, J. Studholme, P. J. Garrick, J, Joyce, M.H.R., P. de C. Malet, and P. Jones, M.H.R.

MEMORIAL SEEYICES, Durham street Church.

The Durham street Wesleyan Church was crowded last night, when a memorial service in honour of the late Mr George Gould was held. The pulpit was draped in black. The organist, Mr R, T. Seareil, played Beethoven's Funeral March as the opening voluntary. The service was conducted by the Eev W. Morley, while the lesson was read, and the closing prayer said by the Rev John Aldred, under whose pastorate Mr Gould joined the Wesleyan Church. The hymns sung were appropriate to the occasion, and the anthem was " Vital Spark of Heavenly Flame.” Tne Rev W. Morley preached, taking for hia text the words “ The memory of the just is blessed,” Proverbs x., 7. Ho said that after the full accounts which had appeared in the public Press, anything like a narrative of the life and labours of their departed friend was unnecessary from him. The fact of Mr Gould’s singular modesty prevented him (Mr Morley) from saying a great deal about him which would not otherwise have been unseemly, even in that sacred place. He proposed, therefore, to try to show how such a character as that of Mr Gould was built up, and what its influence must be. The Prophet Micah’s lofty conception of the moral ideal of life could not be improved upon even to-day—“To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” His text showed the blessedness of fulfilling the first part of the injunction. The just man, if in business, would have nothing to do with " tricks of trade;” if an employer, would not grind the faces of his employees; if a servant, would be faithful. He might be properly anxious to advance his own position, hut would never consent to rise at the expense of another. Above all he would be faithful to his God. The memory of a just man was blessed to his family, to whom remembrance of his good qualities would be an inheritance more precious than silver or gold. His memory would be blessed to the community, for men honoured a man not because he had amassed wealth in his life, but because he had recognised the rights of others. The memory of the just was blessed to the nation at large, for the strength of a nation lay in the character of its citizens. He whose death they mourned was emphatically a just man. He was just to himself; he recognised the limitations of his strength and kept within those limits. He was a lover of home, a kind husband and affectionate father. How just and honourable he was in all business relations scores of people then present knew. He seemed incapable of dishonour or of a mean or shabby action. He had a just view of his duty to the community. There was nothing which tended to the uplifting of the people, nothing which tended to enlarge the circle of their enjoyment, which failed to receive substantial help from him. He looked upon himself as the steward of the property of God, to be used with judgment, and whenever he gave he made careful enquiry. He would be missed in many ways; by our public institutions, by the Church, and most of all, in the homes of those whom his benevolence had assisted. He gave not only money, but time and thought, and many a poor and struggling man had, by following his wise advice, been “placed on his feet.” A successful man was apt to grow hard, to think that what he had done others could do with as little assistance. Mr Gould showed no sign of this, but was always ready to assist even those who had fallen through their own fault. He had grasped the great truth that Christ had died for our sins. Their old friend (the Rev J. Aldred) whom they were all glad to see among them e.gain after so. many years of service, had written some particulars about their late friend which he (Mr Morley) would read. These stated that Mr Gould identified himself with the Wesleyan Church thirty-four years ago. The development of his spiritual life waa gradual, and the great change which made him a new creature in Christ occurred in tbe lifetime of his first wife, a Christian of rare excellence. He became a member of Mr Dcwsbui’y’s class. For several years a* ter he could not hear a woid of the service on account of his deafness, he regularly attended church for the sake of example. The minister of the church had always found him a true

friend. His gifts to the church had been many and liberal, and had been continued to the very last, Mr Morley said that Mr Gould had faults to mourn over, as who bad not, but one of the moat consistent Christian careers he (the speaker) had ever known was closed by his death on Thursday last. Mr Gould had a conviction that his illness would ho fatal. Deafness, bodily weakness and natural reticence prevented him from saying much, but his life rendered a "death-bed testimony” needless. He bad, however, showed his submission to God’s will. The beautiful hymn " Thy way, not mine. Oh Lord,” was oifcea on. his lips, and hia frequent prayer was "My God, take mo home.” God had taken him home. Mr Morley concluded by saying that to the family bereaved ho expressed, on behalf of the church and congregation, the deepest sympathy, and his prayer was that they might live to worthily sustain the honour of so stainless a name. To the citizens he would say " Mark the perfect man and behold the upright.” For the Colony his devout prayer was that God might raise up many such honourable Christian merchants. For hia own part he would say, " Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.” At the close of the service, the organist played the " Dead March in Saul,” the congregation remaining in their seats till it was concluded. ST ALBANS. The Eev W. J. Williams, who preached at the St Albans Wesleyan Church yesterday morning, referred to Mr Gould’s death, and spoke of him as a man whose footsteps the congregation should endeavour to follow in their walk in life. In the evening the Rev C H. Standage gave a practical discourse on the lessons to be drawn from the lives of Mr John Bright and Mr George Gould. He coupled them as men both eminent for integrity—the one in a very wide sphere, whim the other moved in a comparatively narrow sphere. Referring more particularly to Mr Gould, he said ho was a man whose lose would ba felt throughout all New Zealand. Though successful in the acquisition of wealth, he had not been spoiled by it as many men were, but had realised that his money was, to a large extent, a trust for the benefit of his fellow men. st mart’s, merivale. At the morning service at St Mary’s, Merivale, the Rev T. PI avell referred in his sermon to the late Mr George Gould, as an example of liberality which was well worthy of imitation. As showing that Mr Gould’s benefactions were not confined to his own church, Mr Plavell mentioned that not long ago ho had forwarded a cheque towards the funds of St Mary’s.