DEPARTURE OF THE REV. W. A. SINCLAIR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13877, 15 April 1907, Page 2

DEPARTURE OF THE REV. W. A. SINCLAIR.

FAREWELL SERVICE. Every available seat was occupied in ..the Garrison Hall last evening, when the Rev. W, A. Sinclair, who has been in charge of tho Central Mission congregation for the post eight, years, gave'a parting address. Mr H. D. Bedford conducted a part of tho service. ■ ' Tho Rev. Mr Sinclair, , whoso health has caused him to relinquish his charge to take up tho work of ■ St. Albans,. in Christchurch, in saying a few words of farewoll, stated that it was with a. sore heart that ho said goodrbyo to a charge where tlie opportunities .were .60 great, and it wae so easy to do Christian work. It was hard to say good-bye to beautiful Duncdin and to its people, and to friends and fcllowworkcre in, the cause of tho Gospol. But, withal, ho, felt that the right thing had been done—that tho Conference had not made a. mistake in giving him a. charge where tho. work would not be 60 heavy as at the Central Mission, and where ho would. have an opportunity (or two or three years of building up hie strength. For his successor, the Rev W. Slade, who would take charge of the congregation tho following Sabbath, lie bespoke, tho congregation'scordial help nn<l assistance. Mr vSlade, who was tho president • of the AVesleyan Conference, was for 16 years a successful missions.!'.? in Fiji, and for the last four yoara. had Ixjen stationed in Auckland. His work at Fii'i was of a powerful character—so powerful in tho cause of right that the authorities at one period desired to have him deported. The prophot was a, man with a mission, and tho aim of his (Mr-Sinclair's] mission had been to assist those with whom he was brought in contact to a knowledge of the higher Christian life. Every man and woman ehauld keep before them the higher ideal of Christian life—ah earnest desire to bn like Christ: nnt to ho more orthodox, but to be Christ-like. In his (the .speaker's) work at tho Central MiVsion he had to brine before the people tho social a? % well as the spiritual trospol: A bettor and a. happier life hero as a prelude to a greater and -liapoior Jifc hereafter. l)el,t<!i:, liay for the .worker.' bettor conditions of- life for the toilers, hotter dwoliincs, and everything that, tended to make this life hotter, and nurer, inor'o hopeful, and more satisfying for men and women was n. part of. tho Gospel of Christ, and believing this, ho had never hesitated to sympathise with every movement that assisted towards the ends he had mentioned.. Ho had deep svmpathy for the man who was down—for all who worn fighting a. hard battle—for all tlioso who were fighting drunkenness and other sins. Ho had tried to a. monlv Gosppl—he had 'no sympathy with the namby-pamby trospel that ignored tho wants of men and women in this life: ho had denounced sin in nil its forms—drunkemiGSs, tho liquor traffic, gambling and the secret sine that were sapping the li'o o( their young men. Lifo to ]k worth livincr must be lived well. 'Reverting to the onerations of tho Central 51 issionamone working men, the reverend gentleman eaid he thought that his efforts in this direction had been the last straw to tho camel's Wk in breaking down his health, but he had derived proat comfort and satisfaction in carrying this work on. He- had; found in life labours that the working nian who did not attend church refrained from doing so .because he had not faith in tho'practical relision of church people, and not because he was antagonistic io Christ. ■ It liad taughl, him that if Ohrifitiane wow more Christ-! ilci th" working men woiild come back to the Church. He concluded 'bv making a fervent anpeal to those of the con<rros;ntion who had not dono eo—and osp""i?lK' to the young—to give themselves to Christ. slr Sinclair-will he tendered a farowell in the Garrison Hall on Wednesday evening next, when a nrcsentation will be mode to him and to Mr* Sinclair by the nffim-bearers and congregation of tho Central Mission.