TWENTY YEARS' MINISTRATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15968, 29 June 1912, Page 12

TWENTY YEARS' MINISTRATION.

CELEBRATION AT ST MARY'S, ADDINGTON. THE REV W. S. BEAN'S WORK. Tho Rev W. S. Bean, the popular near of St Mary's, Addington, has completed twenty years' ministration in the parish, and his parishioners will mark the occasion on Tuesday evening by giving a social in his honour. It is a long time to look back upon, but Mr Bean's life is of tho strenuous, busy and energetic typo, and consequently the years have flown by luin with something more than the proverbial fleotness. It was probably with some surprise that he realised that twenty of thorn had passed sinco he first went to reside at St Mary's vicarage, when the district was very different from what it is now. Chatting of these things in an interview vesterday, Mr Bean said that his recollection of the old Addington, as it might bo called, was tussocky paddocks, streets with few houses, and open spaces. Old streets had been built upon, new ones had been made through tho paddocks, large blocks of land had been cut up and sold, facilities had been brought into requisition, and the district had made a general advance. Twenty years ago Addington was utterly devoid of a post oflioe, and later on that highly important public service occupied part of a. baker's shop. Now, of course, it had an up-to-date building of its own in Lincoln Road. In those days it was a tramless district. For the first few months of his ministration ho walked to Halswell, which was then a part of St Mary's parish. First came the horse trams, which served their purpose very well, then the steamers, and finally the electric cars, with a splendid service. In Ins time the public school had been promoted from a side school to a main school, with a largo and imposing building, and an attendance of six hundred children. That was an illustration of tho growth he had seen in tho district during the past twenty years. The" same evidence of progress _ was found in things more closely associated with his work. Both St Mary's Church and schoolroom had been enlarged on two occasions. Tho vicarage also had been enlarged, and a further addition to it was contemplated. At the church there had been erected a belfry and peal of bells, with an inscription, as a memorial to the late Mr R. J. Seddon. He felt proud of many things in connection with St Mary's, and not tho least important of thee© was the fact that the parish did not bear a penny of debt. Mr Bean is a clergyman with many interests. Apart from the energetic discharge of his duties as vicar, he is known to the public as chaplain of No. I Company of Engineers. Ho has frequently loined his company in its camps, and for nearly seventeen years he held an annual church parade at St Mary's, when the practical commonsense and stirring sermons ho preached were highly appreciated. In a few mouths he* will complete twenty years of service in the Volunteer force. Some six vears nfter his arrival in Addington "the old gaol was used for chantable purposes, under tho name of the Samaritan Home, and he_ attended regularly as Anglican chaplain ns Jong as. tho'Home, was in existence. Retakes a sympathetic interest in athletic associations and has been n member of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand since it was established. Ho has done work in other districts, as well as St Marv's. After having been ordained a nriest bv Bishop Harper in 1883 he was for two years ''urate of St Michael's. Later on he was curate for five vears of the Sheffield, Springfield and Hororata parish', and for four vears he occupied the same position in Knmara, Stafford and Waimea. Knmara, by the way, has specially pleasant recollections for him, as it was there that he was married to Mrs Bean, eldest daughter of tho Into Mr Seddon, who has shared bis work in St Mary's, and has materially helped him in his career. Special services will be held in ot Mary's Church to-morrow- At 8 a.m. Holy Communion will be celebrated, at II a.m. matins and sermons, at 3 p.m. parade of Territorials, and at 6.3oevensong, sermon and Holy Communion.