THE REV. J. A. FENTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 362, 6 November 1858, Page 6

THE REV. J. A. FENTON.

On the evening of Monday last, the congregrtion of the Church of England assembled in the church, Dunedin, and presented their late minister, the Rev. J. A Fenton, M.A., with a farewell address, accompanied by a handsome Bible, beautifully illustrated, with the following inscription :—: — "Presented to the Rev. J. A. Fenton, M.A., by the congregation of the Church of England, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand, on his retirement (in consequence of ill health) from »he pastoral charps of that district, as the best token they can offer of their sincere affection and esteem, and as a mark oftheir appreciation of his disinterested services in this Proviuce during a period of a seven years' ministry."

The following is the address presented to the Rev. gentleman, with his reply :■— "Rev. and Dear Sir,— lt is our pleasing duty, on bshdlf of the members of the Church of England in Dunedin. whom we represent, to wait upon you with this farewell address on the occasion of your retirement fiom the pastoral charge of thi* district.

" It is with the deepest rrgret, in which every member of your late congregation participates, that we are now called upon to bid you farewell, and our sorrow is the greater inasmuch as ill health is the peremptory cause of your removal. But we trust in God, through whom all things work together for good, that by timely removal to another portion of this Pi ovince your health will be restored, that you may be enabled to labour yet many years, as you have done hitherto, for the welfa»e of the Church, and thereby the advancement of God's honour and glory.

" With grateful acknowledgments, we bear willing testimony to your unweaued and disinterested zeal in the good cause, during the cou-se of a seven s«.irs' ministry in this Province, particularly when we rememher that for the greater portion "of that period, our little church, then itself struggling for existence, could not contribute even one half of what was absolutely necessary for the temporal necessities of its minister.

"We repeat our heartfelt acknowledgments) of gratitude for such disinterested services, and in the name of the congregation we now beg your accep*ance of the accompanying best token we c*n offer of our sincerity and affectionate regard. And while we earnestly hope that this sacred volume may be a bond of union and memento between you and ourselves here, we fervently pray that its blessed contents may piove to each and all of us the meana of eternal iife and happiness hereafter. " We are, Rev. and dear sir, &c."

"TO MESSRS. W. C. YOUNG, J. C. CARNEGIE, &C.

11 Gentlemen— lt is with mingled feelings of pleasure and sorrow that I reply io your very kind, addiess in behalf of yourselves and the congregation of this Church.

" The expressions of esteem and affection which you have used are indeed gidtiiying now, and will be valued as a precious possession so long as it shall please our Heavenly Father to prolong my life.

" But at the same time the assurances of your regard so conveyed increase my feelings of regret that they are parting assurances— a farewell address. The remembrance of our working together ivith one heart and mind during the infancy of our Church here, and of the goodwill and sympathy which have prevailed among us, makes it most painful to be compelled to leave you now, when our efforts are producing such satisfactory results. But we may be sure that this arrangement of an all- wise and meiciful Providence will be for our mutual good, although we miiy not see it so nt present.

" I am glad that I shall be living so near to Dunedin, that 1 shall be able not only to hear of your affairs, but occasionally to visit you. Let me thank you sincerely for that most appropriate memento of our connection and token of your esteem, which you have just presented to me. Most precious in itself a3 the Word of God, this volume will possess the additional interest of being your parting gift.

" As I do and shall daily pray for you, that you may grow in grace and in meetness for the kingdom of heaven, so let me beg that you will not refuse to pray also for me, that I may labour successfully amongst those to whom I shall now be sent to preach the gospel of Chiist, and that having preached to otheis, I may not myself be a cast?