FAREWELL GATHERING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6489, 8 April 1908, Page 6

FAREWELL GATHERING

THE REV. ?. W. I'AIPvCLOUGH. SPEECHES AND PRESENTATIONS The Rev, P. W. Fairclough, FJLA.S., who, after four years' ministry at Taranaki street Wes’eyan Church, has been transferred to Waimate, was tendered a farewell gathering iu the school hall last nicht. Mr T. Corkill, who presided over a largo attendance, said the departure °t the Rev. Mr Fairclough came as a How to the young people, for ho had helped them in their diliicultk<3. They hud all gathered to express their sense of pereunal loss through his departure, and their good wishes for his future. PRESENTATION S.

Mr L. Clark, as a representative of the Christian Endoavourers, said thc-y had been given a higher status in the Church cl Ming Mr Fairclough s mmii* trv. On behalf of th-i Biblc-classes and Christian Endeavour Societies he handc-o Mr Fairclough a purse of sovereigns. Mr T. Ralph spoke for the Ladies Bible-class. The itinerant system had its disadvantages, ho said, for through it they were losing their pastor, cut had it not been for the itinerant system ho would still have been at Dunedin. Mr G. Keall expressed the appreciation ?md esteem felt by tho Young Men's lsible-class members for thoir pastor. He had striven to put high ideals before them, and he had taught them, by liis candid criticism and straightforward common-sens© to face problems they otherwise would have shunned. The Literary and Debating Society bod appointed Mr E. L. Burgess to speak for it. Ho acknowledged tho deep mterc-st Mr Fairclough had taken in tho society, and the beneficial influence of his breadth of mind, and handed him a purse of sovereigns, with which to purchase some memento of their helpful association.

Sister Isabel testified to the invaluable help and friendship of th© pastor in her work, and handed him a souvenir from the friends at Tory street Mission.

Mr H. Sansoni, as one of those who had highly appi eciated Mr Fairclough's teaching and preaching, hand©d th© departing minister a purse of sovereigns from a number of Church worshippers. The Rev. W. J. Williams (Newtown) gave some interesting recollections of Mr Fairolough's career in New Zealand, and spoke of the esteem in which h© was held by his colleagues. Similar appreciative remarks were uttered by th© Rev. Charles Porter, of Thorndon. THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

Mr Fairclough's appearance on the platform was greeted with three cheers. It had been, he said, his recreation and pleasure to go amongst the young people to do what he could to help them, and he was thankful for th© kind words which had been uttered to help and cheer him. H© felt that he had not been up to th© level of his predecessors in -somo things, while in some other respects he might have don© something his predecessors had not taken up. Il© had trfed by administrative reforms to lighten the burden upon Taranaki street Church, eo that it could extend its activities in the city. There had always been trouble alout th© Education Fund attached to the Church, but the solution. had been found, and it would be put to a us© beneficial to the city and tho Church. - He had remarked upon these matters, not because h© wished to fill in any voidtl in what had been said, but to illustrate that men who failed in some things might succeed in others, and one of the fin© things about ihc itinerant system was tliat it '■aused all sorts of gifts to come into oh© field. (Applause.) Recitations were given by Miss Dix and Mr Kemsley, and songs rendered by Miss Mueller, Dr Brown, raid Mr G. S. Chisholm. A pianoforte duet was contributed by the Misses Herd. Mies Betty accompanied th© vocalists on the pianoforte.