OLD-TIME WALLACE.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 1349, 15 December 1931, Page 3

OLD-TIME WALLACE.

THE FOLLOWERS OF JOHN WESLEY. No powers have I that were nc given to you , If you believed what you believe yo do. He that has Faith is throned "abov all ill, - And Death and Life are bdndslaves ti his will. —St. John Adcock m "The Divine Tragedy." The Methodists were always with.us and they have always been very loyal and keen on their Creed. 1 do nol know as much as I ought about them, but what little I have seen and heard I am recording. When we came to Otautau there were strong Methodists m the .Walker, Cupples and Hill families and others too, and they alternated with the Presbyterians m their use bf the Schoolhouse. The Pastor came from Riverton and —l remember as a child —a Mr Nott a very good preacher and a most popular man with all classes of the community. Great Faith and\ Courage our early Pastors had, and I remember hearing m incident regarding. one of them. \ person who made a fine sense of ;he art of discouragement attempted ;o weaken his faith m his followers Tiends and himself anci he was answered thus: "I come from some of he earliest pioneers m New Zealand, vho,y when they took up their holdhgs m the North Island, chose the; and thajfc-had the thickest ahd high;st weeds/ 'for,' said they, 'land that irill grow such hardy weeds must be -■ood soil and if properly tilled, will :row great crops'. And now," he dded, "they have splendid farms and am going to go on tilling the soil a this Parish." In sorts of reather he rode and clrove from ock to flock with;a happy smile and x * cheery, worcpfor all till he passed on- ) another parish. Then we had Mr Fellows, who, be>re he came here, had been a Maori lissionary. He was very musical and id much m training choirs, getting p concerts and would fill up any ; aps m a programme by singing and laying himself. He also was. a very reless worker and a, wonderful reacher and a great favourite with aildreh. They have had very many ! plendid men m Otautau. Mr and '■ [rs. Burrows were great favourites ! ith. all, he afterwards'joined on to ie Presbyterian. Church and was tationed at Dipton. We also had !the larshall family, where Mr. Mrs and ie sons and daughters all spent aeir energy and themselves: on the arish and the Methodists were quite roud of the fact that the eldest son f the. Marshall family '■ gained the , hodes scholarship for New Zealand. , The Methodists have nearly always < ad most tactful and''diplomatic men | ho strove to avoid any friction be- , . the different Creeds and ythe ] resbyterian and Methodist Churches ( ould combine m the. Bible Class, ie Band of Hope, Women's Christian emperance but, like all Pastors m ; small and scattered parish, they < aye needed all their prayers, piety j ad wit to make a job of it. The ramblers and critics are always with < 3 and the gossips too, who consider their Christian duty to repeat back ikind and thoughtless remarks. In - parish, where minister after minis- t r lost heart and left because, t'hcnigh j hristian spirit of tolerance and com- i assion was lacking; but a& last they , let their match m a new man who, ecause of his strong sense of humour. ( with them yet. He spake out from ie pulpit ta few Sundays after he ! rrived and said; "I believe I have, l this Church, many critics who have ; lore tact, more wisdom and who auld preach a better sermon than 1. ■ am only human and am (doing my est and I do not want any' more tabs- m the back, so I request all aese superior people to come into the estry after the service and give me ome valuable hints." The Methodists have a neat itile Church m our Main Street, ,where )ivine Service, is held every Sunday, iunday School for the young peopie, irayer-meetings and socials on weeklays and various, other meetings for he uplift of humanity.. On the Bluff Road is the vicarage «d the various pastors have been rood gardeners and kept the jxounds neat and bright with lowers. The Pastors' wives have jeen hospitable 'and welcomed the people' into their homes and given bhem a place m their hearts. ' rhe Methodist women are great Church workers and' if has ..een largely due to them that the Church from email, beginnings has go.io ahead. They have given much time and labour and spent themselves freely for their Faith. So, loving one another more and more, How could' we bear to see^our brethren poorHow, if -the great were brother to the . least,' Leave them cold and hungry while we feast? —St. John Adcock m "The Divine Tragedy."