KNOX CHURCH LITERARY SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10416, 19 July 1895, Page 4

KNOX CHURCH LITERARY SOCIETY

There was a very large attendance on Monday evening at the meeting of the Knox Church Literary and Debating Society. Jnst after the opening of the proceedings the Rev. Mr Hewitson (the new pastor of the church) put in an appearance, and received a hearty welcome The chahman (Mr T. W. Whitson) presented bim with the following address :—

Rev. W. Hewitson. Y.t™^' 15th J^9S. +WwgJi he maD/ organisations connected with the church one of the most modest, but still one that tr.es to do a little gded in its quiet way.il the Young Men's Literary.and Debating SoJete It is composed for the most part, as you see of young men just beginning to take an interest in literature, and m those que-tions which affect the general welfare of the community Thr^ocietv was formed in 1864. and during tbe 31 y*lrs ofts existence there have passed through it? ranS SLi ".'""woccupy oroininent portions in the g ™}'J nilT 1' mer<"*^»<"*. and social institu tions or the colony, and who have not been slow to acknowledge the benefits which they derived th^ of the society, Ind from fc d«f d? g?"d,,w of its affairs by its its-^ men of the congregation have taken 'a living for wlV 11 f- w-ork\s lldatothersifc J>« languished for want of sympathy an practical support, but it has lived on througii all, one generation passim' out of .its ranks and another replacing it, and all it requires is your p.reota' interest in its affairsyour assistance at its meetiugs-to make it what chSl?h * P°Wer for S'M- in the work of the nt^l^ nmu yo^l Preached yesterday morning you rightly warned the congregation that the? must not look, to you to do all the work of Knox Church, that they must not think you will take a handle of the plough it is their busiest to' drive! The Literary andl Debating Society, in aVkiag you «nta»C^ Pt c J >f cc ? h"»or^y Presidentf wil not ask you to take a handle of their plough but as no laboui can be turned to the Kst acoount without guidance and -supervision, tbey will ask you to encouraee their elf<,rts when there is uvhill wort t,i do and to put on the brake when the team inclines to travel too quickly down the slope ,N.i doubt you will be called upon to exercise forbearance with, the crucities of youth and inexperience, but' you can rest assured that we shall be quick to appreciate your indulgence and mat your h K lp.will strengthen us in our efforts to improve one another. * ;

(Signed by) T. W. Whitson ;(Vice.p.esident), the "secretary, and Members of Com. mittee.

The Rev. Mr Hewitson said that he was sorry he had made an engagement before he had been requested to be present. He was glad to come just'for a few minutes to receive their words of welcome, and to find them' so hearty As he said yesterday, his duty would be primarily religious work, and he could see already that there waa enough religious work in the" congregation to tax the strength of any man, and more than one man. He had been associated with an old minister, Mr M'Vean, who had iust resigned after being 40 years in one pastorate and through his knowledge of -his old colleague he was able to understand their late minister (Br Stnart) a good deal. Mr M'Vean is a Highlander, with' the strength of five men and The will of 10 men; and if "there is a Gaelic word for ".defeat" Mr M'Vean has not got the English for it, and does not know what it means. He (Mr Hewitson) was following a man like thafc. He did not know if he' was broad enough to sympathise with all the persons and organisations that their venerable minister (Dr Stuart) symoathised with, but he would pray that God would give him a large heart, and he would try to sympathise with them He thought literary work was vary important, and. he tried to do as much, as he could over the way,, for he thought it helped a congregation very, very much. Dr Robinson had been speaking about: the minister of .the future, and he said the minister the church will demand will be a man who can read his Bible in the Hebrew and Greek tongues, and who knows' the English literature. A congregation need not become familiar with the two former tongues, bnt it is a great help to the minister if there is sympathy with good English literature. He was glad to see so many young men connected with this literary sosiety with the object,-lie supposed, of improving themselves, and he had no donbt they knew the value of books and reading. He wonld try and sympathise with their work and would try and help them, for he did not believe thafc " God bless you" was very, much good unless there was something more.. He would spend his time to the best advantage to the congregation, and be thought after'six or seven years spent in preparation he was in a better position to know how to do this than some of his young friends who thought the* conld spend it better for him. He would not hove the slightest interest in neglecting any organisation. He was very glad indeed that there was a literary society, but he did not think ho could do much that conld not be done by his genial friend Mr Whitson,. with the able assistance ot Mr Somerville. He worked hard for a reading circle on the other side, but it wonld not be to: the advantage of the congregation if he gave the same time to it here. He'would do, what he could by,his ej-mpathy, and sometimes by his presence, '■■. and when he knew something about the multitudinous organisations of the congregaticn he would be better able to distribute bis time for the good of the whole. He thanked them for the welcouehe had received, which was as hearty as the sendoff ho had got from the literary society on tha other side.—(Loud applause".) -