THE RIMU'S EXCURSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11574, 7 November 1899, Page 6

THE RIMU'S EXCURSION.

■ Yesterday at 2 o'clock, at the:invitation.of Mt Keith fiamsay; about 100 persons, consist- ; ing qf.,the , members of the ..Presbyterian Synod; together with' those of • tHe 'Anglican; Syn6d,£'also some ministers of the Congrega-: tional,-.Church, assembled on board, the new steamship Rimu for a run down to the headq. A: strong breeze kept many away, but the: run 4oymwas most, enjoyable, with a fair wind and iising. fide.- The party landed at the Maori Kaik, half an hour'was spent in climbing 'the sandhills, strolling the beach, -and"visit-''' ing the'ijlcaik. . The guests 'did justice to an ex-"- :■■ cellent r tea. -provided in the saloon. On the return tpf.Dunedin, the breeze freshened, but-all' being' regaled with the good things provided, the-party weathered the gale with, the best of spirits. Short speeches were delivered by'the. Bey.-Mr:;Gtirzon-Siggers (on.behalf of the Angli-cans),-,the Rev. Mr Saunders (on behalf of the Cqngr^ationalists), and the Rev. J. M. M'Kerrow (for'tbe Presbyterian Synod).- All of the .speeches were characterised by healthy senti-jnent,-'go"6d taste, and brotherly sympathy. '• : W. : Ciirzon-Siggers said ' that ne ; unaerstood; union was very much '■-'-.*£■ ■': essence among Presbyterians just ' ?°w» .-»?* Mr Ramsay's kinaness- had brought .- T about another and more wonderful -union thanthat,—namely, of Presbyterians and Anglieaas;r-(Laughter), He would- suggest ; ■'■- that the-way to matethis union perfectwould' for,'Mr Ramsay to get all the members of r e .A?!^ and .Presbyterian Synods/ on foarp-.tti? Rimu and keep them there "untilthey, Iraa. perfectly adjusted their differences— tLraughter. and applause.) It was probable Wf^.'.that if Mr Ramsay were to provide ,ior.tn& synods as sumptuously as he had for ;£is,guests-,that afternoon, they would' not care how long.i-hey remained on the ship,-and so the umoA .would be'indefinitely deferred Tha way out of that difficulty would be to cross the ■\ i-wC keep■the?x in the grip of mal-de-mer' until they came to terms.-(Laughter). : Owing to the Anglican Synodrhaving come to an end last week, noi many of its members had been' able to avail themselves of Mr Ramsay's kuianes3,;butie (the speaker)1 had done his best to supply-this inevitable deficiency by bringingthe whole, of h IS -family. He understood that this was -an annual excursion*. He had' once iST 4'S anniial dinner,-say.itnat hewished they could, hold their annual-dinner every six, monfK-tLaugh'ter.) ■ Tha?^as™V much h lB mind about thisirip.: By all meaS let this annual excursion be held1 twice a.yearisa^ 6 w; W> Sau?d^B said Mr. Ram ; g 8 # !£**&. Jtf An^liS mmm teS&^P^bSa^SP^-Simil« S at «? Z^A** \ een m-OTe Propitious but «w stiff breeze did not seem to have interfered vnih their, enjoyment. As to union of tne chnrcbes^lle might say that so long as the denomuiations respected each others' convictions and lived in amity together they cc/uia farther; their common ai*is quite as well separately-as, together. He heartily thanked the gentlemen who had spoken for their kind ■words of appreciation of the trip down the iarbour. .. * Three cheers were then given heartily for Mr : ■ and Mrs Ramsay: fwid Captain Suidstrom. The ietdni voyage was completed about 6 o'clock, the outing .being "in every way. a success. It ■was a. fit prelude, to the united meetings to bo teld two. hours later under the auspices of the Council of.the Churches, and if coming events cast their shadows before- tbem the millennium ef tte staMlMßJa,wjthjfl ;. assign '-.■.. -