PORT CHALMERS NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22546, 13 April 1935, Page 22

PORT CHALMERS NEWS

MEMORIAL SERVICE A memorial service to the late Mr John Tait was held in the Presbyterian Church, Port Chalmers, last Sunday morning, when the Rev. Oilman Dunn in the course of'an address based on the words, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness," made personal reference to the passing of Mr Tait, whose death took place the previous Sunday morning in Wellington. Mr 1 ait had been ordained an elder of the Port Chalmers congregation on September 10, 1888, the minister then being the Rev. John Rvley. He took his seat on the session for the first time on September 24 and continued in office until the time of his death. He had thus been senior elder of the congregation for 47 years. The old tradition was in his veins. His faith was transplanted and flourished in the laud of his adoption. He loved the church of his fathers and knew as a boy the honoured place the elder held in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. Mr Tait lived up to the full height of his office and brought honour to the church bv his long and devoted service. For many vears he was session clerk, and for 45 vears a Sunday school teacher, occupying the position of superintendent for a considerable period. At the tune of the jubilee of the present church two vears ago, old scholars of the school had expressed their indebtedness to their old teacher. Mr Tait was a friend of the young. He remembered those he taught. They became friends and gave him their confidence That was true of old as well as young. People held him in honour and found in him a staunch friend. He was magnanimous in face of criticism and opposition, and generous and kindly towards those who opposed him. As a member of the church he was loyal and

' enthusiastic. For more than half a century he occupied his place and brought his family with him. The preacher referred to the splendid service Mr Tait's family had rendered to the Port Chalmers congregation, and said that so long as they lived theh\ late senior elder would have living memorials in the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. His Christianity was like John Calvin's. It centred in God and worked itself out in the life of the community. He was a good citizen of the town, proud of its history, as he was also proud of the history of this congregation. He had occupied the positions of borough councillor, town clerk, town manager, and Mayor of Port Chalmers. He never made a parade of religion, but he professed a good profession before many witnesses. Tliose who were privileged to know him, whatever their own religious ideas might be, knew that he had fought the good fight of faith, and laid hold on eternal life. All must think better of Christ because a man like Mr Tait had worshipped there for nearly 60 years. They could honour him best by following in the steps of the' Master he delighted to trust and obey. One of the last things Mr Tait wrote was that they must not dwell too much on the past, unless it be to emulate its good works and avoid its mistakes. "The present is ours," he wrote, "and we will be called upon to give an account for what use we make of it. We are the heirs of all the ages. Neither in the individual nor in the church is there any such thing as standing still. Progress is the law of life; there must be no restin" on present attainments; the yet to be won for Christ." The preacher felt that the congregation could not do better than take those words away with them. The world was a better place because John Tait and men and women like him had lived in it. They would honour him best by continuing as living stones in the spiritual temple" of the Lord, with whom he had gone to dwell, in the living hope of one day joining again with him in the Church of "the redeemed in heaven.