INDUCTION AT KNOX CHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8793, 1 May 1890, Page 3

INDUCTION AT KNOX CHURCH.

. The induction of tho Itev. A. P. Davidson, as the colleague of the Rev. Dr Stuart, aud copastor of Kuox Church, took place last oveniue in the presence of a very largo congregation, the church being crowded some time before tho

service commenced. Shortly after 7 pin. the Dunedin Presbytery met in Kuox Church, and was duly constituted, thera being present—The Rev. Dr Stuart (moderator pro. tern.), tho Revs. I Jrof. Dunlop, Dr Watt, W. Will, J. Ryley, J Kirkland, R. R. M. Sutherland, D. Borrio, J. M. Sutherland, W. Campbell, M'Ktrrow, Fiulayson, R. J. Porter, J. M. Fraser, A. Greig, J. Gibb, J. G. Smith, and A Cameron (ministers), and Messrs D. A. M'Uichol, A. Chisholm, Cameron

(Mosgiel), and Ihe llav. J Niven (elders),

The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr Watt, who took for his text the Ist epistle to tho Corinthians, the Ist chapter and the 26th and three following verses.

The Moderatob (the Rev. Dr Stuart) said : Dear friends, —Allow me in a word or two to remind you of the steps that the church authorised to be taken in order to obtain for us a colleague nnd a successor. Some considerable time ago the congregation almost unanimously selected certain friends to be their commissioners to look out fur a suitable pastor. The presbytery was plo.iscd to sanction their choice. Thesu (ri'iiilcmun accepted our commission, and at great personal pains looked over the ministers of tho diffjreot churches at Home, and were ultimately led by a unanimous choice to offer your call to Mr Alexander I'ringle Davidson, at that tiaio Minister of the Free Church of St. Fergus, who was pleased to accept it, and his presbytery at his own request separated him from his charge, and he is hero this evening to be inducted into the collegiato pastorship of this ■ congregation by the Presbytery of Duuudiu. This is not the time for me to express our indebtedness to our commissioners. Personally 1 know them all but one, and I havo no hesitation in saying that to a man they made the work committed to them a matter of conscience aod a matter of great

paiustaking. Our belief is that they have been wisely guide;.l, aud I trust that for many a day wo shall rejoice in their choice, and that we shall have going in and out amongst us a co-worker, a leader worthy of the position which has been offered unto him, and a man of God whose example we may constantly follow. I have now, however, by direction of the presbytery, to ask Mr Davidson to stand up while I ask him the questions that are authorised to be put to men on their ordination or induction, (The questions having been put and satisfactorily answered, the Rev. Dr Stuart continued.) In the name, my brother, of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, and by authority of this presbytery, I gladly welcome you into the co-paatorship of this congregation, and wish you every blessing necessary for the efficient, and for the complete discharge of the miuistry which we have committed unto you.

. The Mev. Mr Davidson was then received with the right hand of fellowship by all the members of presbytery present.

The address to the minister was then delivered by the Rev. Professor Dunlop, and that to the congregation by the Kcv. Williasi Will, who was present at the founding of the church 30 years ago.

fltr B. li. CAnaitx, iv makings presentation, said: I have been deputed by the ladies of the congregation to present to Mr Davidson this cassock and gowu. In doing so I shsll venture to make just one or two remarks—not that I can hope to say what ought to ba said on behalf of the women of the congregation, but I shall just endeavour to say one or two things which I hope will express what they would say, or at nil events will not bn contrary to what they would wish to say. Mr Davidson, you have come out here to a strange country, and to be amongst what are yet to you strange prople. But on your comiug into this congregation, we wish to say that yeu aro not to como with nny feeling that you aro a stranger. We have heard of you from many friends iv whom we have confidence, and we feel very much that you came as a friend of whom we knew a good deal. At any rate you have como into this congrcga ion to take a charge in a pastorate whefu we hopo there will always prevail that feeling of brotherly kindness, mutual sympathy, and good fellowship which has prevailed without serious interruption during the SO years of its existence- We have had.no doubt, onr differences from time to time. We may have had occasions of not seeing altogether as one, but I think I may say that during the 30 years this congregation has existed no serious difference has ever arisen amongst us; we have all been at one. For this, I think I may safely say wo aro largely indebted to the attitude maintained amongst us from the first by our loved and revered pastor, Dr Stuart, who aot only by his unselfish and continuous labours has done everything which his powers enabled him to do in his high office as pastor, but who has uniformly exhibited that large hearted, broad sympathy and friendship which has come home to every member of this congregation from first to last, and which has in itself acted as a bond of union amongst us, in the presence of which anything like discord never has bean able to show its face. That, sir, is the kind of family you have como to be a membor of. The facts which I have stated carry with them no doubt a certain dejjruu of responsibility, for it will lie heavily upon you if by any act of yours you should mar that happy feeling which has so long existed. But, sir, on the other hand, you may take encouragement from the fact that you will come amongst a people actuated by that strong bond of union, in the kindliness and brotherly feeling of which I hope you will be in every sense a full partaker. Sir, this gift is presented by the women of the congregation. Our women do not take a prominent part in our services, but wo all know what a large patt they take in all that makes the strength of a church. Their influence upon the home circle, en which the church is built, the large share they take in every enterprise of benevolence and good, as workers and promoters, goes far to make up the character of a church aud congregation; and, sir,if you have the goodwill and respect and support of the women of the congregation there is no fear but you will have the goodwill, respect, and support of the congregation at large. The hope of the women of the congregation is that from the day you don this gown you will continue a career for which you will be able to bless God with thankfulness, and they beg your acceptance of this as a token of their utmost goodwill, of their prayers and best wishes, and as a pledge of their loyal and loving support in all the labours of your office. The Rev. A. P. Davidsox said : Mr Cargill, ladies, snd all friends here, —I find that I cannot express what I feel, and you will believe it and will let me off with a very few words of sincere thankfulness to you for the kindness you have shown me since I cams to this city, and which has culminated in this presentation to me now. I know very well that if I were so fortunate as to have the confidence of the women of this congregation I should have the confidence of every household in it. I know this that if the women aro sincere, honest, and humble Christians in their hearts and their homes, the families they bring up will believe in Christianity, and will have the very best witness to its truth that exists. I think that I should not say anything about myself, for I am an entirely unknown man to you, and it astonishes me that I have been received with so much kiDdness and sympathy, though you have never till to-night heard my voice, aud only know by secondhand anything about me. But I think I have an opportunity now to say this: that 1 should not be standing in this city, in this place—that I should not be in this city for Christ's sake, as I firmly believe I have come— unless I had been taught from the beginning of my intellectual life to believe in Jesus Christ through the example of a Christian mother. I have seen the day in ray early youth when I believed that Christianity was simply a contrivance on the part of ministers and parents to persuade young men to live a moral life in order that through that moral life they nrght get on in the world. I could not understand how it could be true—l could not beliove it, —but I was led to sec that there was truth in the Christian faith in one heart at least, and I pity the man, wherever he may be, who does not number among his friends one genuine Christian; and I think this, that if you know and if I know one genuine Christian wo have the best witness to the truth of Christianity tbat wo can have. I thank God I had it, and I congratulate every one here who haa that witness to confirm his trust. I was astonished when I was asked to come here, aud I wonder more and more at it now that I have come. Ib is a great work that I have been brought to undertake—a great work that I have been called to partake of,—but lam enc: uraged by what I have heard to-night to say this to you, that I shall never be able to do a great part of the work that Dr Stuart has done. Dr Stuart, as is well known everywhere, has been the great Christian bishop in this city. He has been, I believe you would all acknowledge, the chief founder of the Presbyterian Church in these parts; and just as the early Christian bishops had to undertake many tasks in addition to the spiritual oversight of the congregations and the preaching of the Gospel in the pulpits—just as they had to take charge of education and a great many other things now taken up by others—so Dr Stuart has attended to these different things iv the growth of the congregations of this colony. I believe what I have to do is to devote myself to this congregation itself, and if I can be a loyal colleague to Dr Stuart in that work I shall have dove my part. I trust that Dr Stuart will always find mo n loyal colleague, for I know both in the ministry aud in the work in which I was engaged before I entered it, what it is to work along with men of greater experience and authority than myself, aud I have never had any difficulty in so doing. I may say, though I have not known !Dr Stuart long, yet with all his strength aud sense and wisdom he has a transparent soul. It does not need great insight to see that, and I beliovo I can confidently say that he will never ask me to do anything which ha would not bo willing himsolf to undertake. I havu watched him as closely as I could, and I have said to my wife and to people I have come into contact with tliat there i 3 such unselfishness in him. such constant courtesy even in little things, that I have confidence in becoming his colleague. I

wish tbßt I had the same confidence in undertaking tho work of j,he ministry : I wish that I could be as assured that I can help yon, as 1

| can feel sure (hut I shall have comfort in helping him. But I feel sure if you continue the kindness and tho patience you havo fhowu me, when you came to know me, as yon will soon do, I shall have tha batter opportunity, and I pray that God mny help we to be your servant along with Dr Stuart, your mrvaut (inly for Christ's sake. I thank you most heartily for your kiuduGKK. f have said mere than I intended to isuy when I rose, aud Imve said it incohorently. You your.sulviss know thfi reason. It is a great moiueut in any mini's life to bo inducted to n charge. I thought tho greatest moment in my past life was when I was ordained, but ,certaiuly the greatest moment in ray lifo has been when inducted utnlor Dr Stuart, and j with him to this congregation.

An anthem haviug been sung by the choir, the Rev. Dr Stuart pronounced the benediction, and the newly-in 'ucted pastor bhook hands with a great number of those present as they left the building, nnd iv this manner was formally welcomed by the congregation.