OBITUARY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 906, 12 July 1889, Page 15

OBITUARY.

THE REV. DR. WEST, LL.D. It is with extreme regret that we have to announce the death of the Rev Rr West', tho well-kuowri minister of the Bowen-street Congregational Church, which took place at his residence on Tuesday, July 9. For soma time past the rev gentleman had been suffering from nervous prostration, the result of Overwork. At first it was thought that by careful rest he would recover, put fate decreed it otherwise. On Monday evening his medical attendant. I)r Martin, met in consnltatiori with Dr Henry. It was then seen that the rev gentlemarils 'crise was well nigh ‘‘hopeless, although v hile : there was'life' there'was a hoping almost against "hope. Brit the end was vr-ry near, and at 8.30 pm 1 6u Tuesday night Dr- VVest passed peacefully away.' The l'ev gentleman' was ’a' native‘'of EriniVkilleo, Comity Fortrianagh/' Ireland, ' where' he was born Maiiefi 12, ,I fß4l ‘coMe'qneri'fly" hj \sas $ little over -48 Ut the: , 'tiwa i of his death just iu the very prime of his mature manhood. Dr West took charge of the Congregational Church iu January, 1871, and from that date until his death was the earnest devoted pastor of that church. He undertook a very heavy task in connection with the erection of the fine handsome edifice now used by that church. Although he received great assistance from the members of the church, the mental strain consequent upon such an undertaking made an impression upoa his health. He had also for a.long time taken considerable interest iu educational matters, and this, with the growing demands upon his time and strength, had, as the result Bhows, proved too much for bis strength. Our contributor “ Syntyche,” in his sketches of the Wellington pulpits, wrote in May,

1888, in describing the new Congregational y Church, “The Rev Dr West occupied the" rostrum at the morning set vice. At first glance he resembles the RevC. H. Spurgeon. There is the same square build, the massive Bhoulders, the broad face and forehead, the short thick neck, the same short dark brown beard. Dr West is a man of medium height, stoutly built, with bold high and broad forehead, betraying great conscien-* tiousness and application. His powers of reasoning are very marked. He is more inclined to be argumentative than directly dogmatic, and his perceptive qualities are Bolid. As a speaker he is not a brilliant orator, but his words are tfell chosen, and are delivered with much firmness.” The reverend gentleman will, be greatly missed from oar midst, riot only by his own circle of friends and his church, but by the community at large. The breadth of his ideas, and the catholicityof hisworkmade him a most useful member of society, and the gap now created will be a difficult one to till. Dr West married Miss Hales, niece of the late Dr Burns. She bore him children. The family is, we regret to say, not too well provided for.