THE LATE SIR WILLIAM JUKES STEWARD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVIII, Issue 12120, 23 December 1913, Page 8

THE LATE SIR WILLIAM JUKES STEWARD.

TABLET UNVEILED IN ST. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH, W AIM ATE.

A very impressive service was held : r) the above Church on Sunday, at 11 o'clock. Before the service the Vicar read the Faculty given by the Bishop to himself and the churchwardens an- ■ thorising the unveiling, and then pro-'s ceeding from the nave to the placir on the south wall where the ..brass was erected, with suitable prayers, unveiled the memorial in the name of the Father, . and of the Sun, and of the Holy Ghost. The brass, which is the work of Mr Wolf, engraver, of Christchurch, has the following inscription:— To the Glory of God and the Most Dear Memorv of "WILLIAM JUKES STEWARD, KT-, M. P. for the Waitaki Electorate, Canterbury, N.Z., for 30 years, ISSi-iyil. This Memorial is placed by liis Widow. "Passed from Death unto Life." Suitable hymns were sung—"Jcsu, Lover of My Soul," "The Saints of God, their Labors O'er," and "For All the Saints," etc. The Vicar, who preached from the SStli Ps. and the 10th verse, showed how the Chrstian answers the despairing cry of scepticism, "Does God show wonders among the dead F Shall the i dead rise up and praise Theeby | pointing to the empty sepulchre, to the white-robed angels that announced "He is not here, but is risen," by pointing to the testimony of the pious women, to the mifltitudeyjf sober and sufficient witnesses who, .both in the first Resurrection Day and afterwards in Galilee; by many infallible proofs, perceived that he was alive, and alive for Evermore. He showed how adoring Christendom to-day bows - before His Name who has "shown wonders among the dead" that in this faith our dear ones close their eyes, in His peace they rest:; that in sure and certain hope of His resurrection power we lay their earthly tabernacles beneath the green sod. The, preacher went on to state that if we do not believe in Christ, then death ;s really changed to us and the dead are really living by the assurance of the living Christ. He said that the deeper our spiritual experience of Christ becomes, the more our soul's life really hangs on His Life as its saviour and continual friend, the more real becomes to- us the unquenched life of those who have gone froni us to be -with Him. "This morning we have added yet another memorial to the many which liave been given to this parish church, and in doing so we have in memory one who has gone from usj one who for more than thirty years worked among .us and for us with much unselfishness. Our brother to whose memory this' brass has now been unveiled was one of the conspicuous figures in our district, and many are the public services he rendered to this ejeetorate and innumerable the servicesgiven to individuals. Those of us who were privileged to know him will not readily forget his genial, kindly nature, .his simple courtesy, arid his keeness to serve wherever service was required, and it'must not be forgotten that many of the settlements, small and great, to be formed in. this electorate, settlements which have not a little contributed to the prosperity of this district, were brought into existence largely through the persistent effort and determination of our deceased friend, it is scarcely possible that any man, holding the position that he held, could have' done, more for the welfare of the electorate he represented than did William: Jukes Steward for the Waitaki electorate. 1 fear that none of us fully <Kkpreciate the strenuousness of the life of our politicians, the exigencies and turmoil of public life are .such that no man can stand it for many years unless he: has some outside sourqe from which he may draw strength and help and com-' fort. It was my privilege to know that our deceased friend found the strength, he so niuch needed in the worship of the church he loved. Especially was this so when" worshipping- in our parish church, for he ever regarded Waimate as his home. Many years ago, when living here, he was V icar's warden, and not infrequently served the office of layreader. His last words to his nearest and dearest were these: "When I am gone, be sure and take me. to Waimate, that I may lav me down and take my rest among the people I have loved,'' and his wishes in this respect were, as you know, carried out. Thirteen months ago his body was placed here at the chancel step, and then we bore it hence and laid it to rest in our cemetery,. 'iri sure and certain hope; of the resurrection to eternal life. r ,' y -

In conclusion, the Vicar expressed the hope that before many more months were passed the people of the district would erect a fitting and suitable monument in Waimate's beautiful cemetery over the ijravc of one who for so many years had been so closely identified with the electorate he had served so faithfully. Although it was not generally known that the tablet to be unveiled, there was a large congregation,. who entered reverently into the spirit of the service. \