CHRIST’S COLLEGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8748, 2 June 1914, Page 5

CHRIST’S COLLEGE

HEADMASTER’S FAREWELL

SERMON,

Special to the “ Times.”

CHRISTCHURCH, 1 June 1

Mr E. A. ’ Belcher, who is retiring from the headmastership of Christ’s College, preached a farewell sermon in the college chapel last night. He dealt with the matter of the permanence of institutions, and referred especially to the permanence of public schools. The first condition of a big school’s permanence, he said, was a high Christian standard, and it , was within the walls of the chapel that one-must look for the greatest inspiration. The second condition of permanence, which every great school must possess, was diligence from its scholars. A country like New Zealand would not be willing to tolerate an idle school, nor one which trained its pupils for a life of idleness. It seemed to him that & school like Christ’s College, from its* particular circumstances, possessed very special conditions for producing men competent to work out with wisdom and vigour the remedies which the time demanded. If such men could be made the characteristic product of the school, then they might dare to associate the school with the august thought of permanence. “1 naturally desire,” said Mr Belcher, in conclusion, “to refrain from saying in the sermon anything which may have any personal application. I could not do it, and I have no desire that the memory of my last service here should be spoilt by it. I have two things to say. If there is anybody hero who desires to remember me, I shall best like to be remembered by the things which, very imperfectly, I tried to say in this chapel. If there is anybody hero who wants to serve me, ho can best serve, and only serve, me by serving the school.”