DEATH OF RRV. T. McKENZIE FRASER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7403, 11 August 1885, Page 5

DEATH OF RRV. T. McKENZIE FRASER.

We regret to announce in our issue of to-day the somewhat suddon decease of the Rev. T. McKenzie Fraser, minister of St. David's Presbyterian Church, Newton. It was only in yesterday's issue that a paragraph appeared stating that he was improving, and that hopes were entertained of his recovery from his ailment—affection of the liver. Ho has only been indisposed for a month, having previously enjoyed excellent health. Twice since his indisposition has he preaohed, the last occasion being in the morning in St. David's, on Sunday week. During his illness Mr. Fraser has been visited by the clergy of his own and kindred communions, and among those ef the Anglican Church by Bishop Cowie, Ven. Archdeacon Dudley, and the Rev. J. K. Davis. He was somewhat better on Sunday, but yesterday he becsme worse. He was himself aware that his end was near, and awaited hie death with calmness aud composure. An hour before his death he was asked by Mrs. Fraser if there was anyone he wished to see, and ho said, "No; I am prepared for the great change," and audibly, prayed for himself iu the clear, well-chosen diction which characterised his devotional exercises. There wore three of his church elders at his bedside when ho passed away. Mr. Fraser had been pastor of St David's for four years, and at the time of his death was sixtythree. Dr. Stockwell attended throughout his illness. He leaves a widow and live daughters to mourn his loss—two of them reside in Auckland, one at Nelson, and two are in Australia. Mr. Fraser was a native of the North of Scotland. He was brother-in-law of Hugh Miller, the eminent geologist, and the editor of the Edinburgh Witness, who married his sister, Miss Lydia Falconer Fraser, a lady of considerable literary ability. During the exciting times of the disruption of tho Established Church in 1843, Mr. Fraser was engaged in reporting for the Witness the debates in the Assembly of tbe Church of Scotland. He was subsequently ordained a Presbyterian minister, and sent out by the Colonial Committee of the Free Church to Ceylon, Owiug to the ill-health of some members of his family, he removed to Victoria, settling at Goelong in 1860. He ultimately came to Auckland for the benefit of his health, aud became the pastor of St. David's Church. He was passionately fond of music, and gave in the Choral Hall and elsewhere, excellent lectures on the works of Handel and Mozart, which showed him to bo a skilled musician. In the published course of lectures at the Young Men's Christian Association his name is down for a lecture next month on "Tho Less Known Ballads of Scotland," —one of his characteristics being a love for the Bongs of his native laud.

Mr. Eraser, after passing through his arts curriculum at Aberdeen University, where he took his M.A. degree, went to Edinburgh to prosecute his theological studies with the view of qualifying himself for the churcU. There ho profited greatly by the instructions of some of the ablest men whom Scotland lias ever produced, Drs. Chalmers, Candlish, Cunningham, Duncan, and Buchanan, all of them masters in their several departments, and among the numerous students who attended their prelections, he invariably took a foremost place. A good linguist, a thorough dialectician, a clear thinker, and with a keen appreciation for the beauties of music and those kindred arts which give a finish to scholarship, he was m every way thoroughly equipped for the profession he had chosen. From the outset of his ministerial career ho gave indisputable evidence of a well-furnished and earnest mind. His reputation as an able, instructive, and interesting preacher he carried with him wherever he was called to work, and thoso who have had tho privilege of listening even occasionally to his discourses in St. David's Church can testify to the fact that to the very last hia talent in all these respects had lost nothing of its vigour and brilliancy. In his matter there was nothing commouplace; his originality, aided by a clear and correot delivery, never failed to rivet the attention of his audience, and everything he either wrote or said was distinguished by a faultless style. Ho spared no pains in his efforts to set out Christian truth in its most convincing and attractive form, and his labour was invariably rewarded by the rapt attention of all who listened to or read his utterances.

The funeral of tha deceased gentleman will take place from his late residence, at Mount Eden, to-morrow (Wednesday), and we have no doubt from the general respect and esteem in which he wan held, that a large number of our citizens will take the opportunity of paying the last tribute of respect by following his remains to the grave. Mrs. McKenzie Eraser desires to express her deep gratitude for the general sympathy shown during her husband's illness.