A CALL ACCEPTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20563, 14 May 1930, Page 12

A CALL ACCEPTED.

PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER.

TRANSFER OF REV. D. C. HERRON

TRIBUTES IN PRESBYTERY.

A call from Knox Church, Dunedin, the largest Presbyterian congregation in the southern hemisphere, to the Rev. D. C. Ilerron, of St. David's Church, Auckland, was dealt with at the meeting of the Auckland Presbytery last evening. The call was signed by 814 members and 160 adherents, making a total of 977. Ihe membership of the church is 1124. It offered a salary of £BOO, with £IOO a year car allowance and £2OO a year house allowance and eight weeks' annual holiday. Before Mr. Ilerron formally accepted the call a large number of striking tributes were paid to his work and influence.

Tho Dunedin Presbytery appointed the Rev. D D. Scott to prosecute tho call, and in doing so Mr. Scott said Mr. Ilerron had fulfilled 10$ years' strenuous and most effective servico within the bounds of tho Presbytery. Even when ho came to St. David's Mr. Herron had had wide experience, and now lie was still better equipped for tho work of this great church in the southern city. He was very well suited for a largo and central church. « Man of Wide Vision." Mr. Herron was a man of wide vision, who thought on national and on international lines. Ho had the right typo of mind and will for difficult service. Ho had always been deeply interested in all phases of the church s work. There was a moral vigour about his preaching that arrested attention. The Presbytery felt honoured that one of its sons had been called to this high and important sphere. A minute of great appreciation of Mr. Herron's services, passed at s. recent Meeting of St. David's congregation, was read by Mr. E. C. Farr. Mr. Farr referred to Mr. Herron as a master organiser, but Mr. Herron had spoken of that which was higher than organisation. His congregation wished for him that his ministry in Knox Church might be as blessed to them there as it had been to St. David's.

Another tribute to Mr. Herron was paid by Mr. A. M. Elliffe, who said he had first learned to appreciate Mr. Herron in Trentham camp. Speaking of financial results, Mr. Elliffe said that during tho 10 complete years of Mr. Herron's ministry the congregation had contributed for all purposes a total 0f£53,160. Departure Next Month.

After Mr. J. Robertson bad also voiced the keen regrets of the congregation at the prospect of losing their minister, Mr. Herron intimated that he had decided to accept tho call. He said he regarded St. David's as one of the most wonderful churches in New Zealand, and he had been getting a great deal of the credit that was duo to the congregation. He had been exceedingly happy there, both in the congregation and in the Presbytery. He regretted he had not been able to do more for church extension as in the outer suburbs it was long overdue. He would go to Knox Church with fear and trembling, realising that it was a very great task for any minister.

The motion that tho call should be placed in Mr. Herron's hands was moved by Rev. G. Budd, moderator of the Assembly. It was decided to dissolve the pastoral tie between Mr. Herron and his congregation as from the date of his induction to Knox Church on June 12, and the Rev. D. D. Scott was appointed interim moderator of tho vacancy.