PEN PORTRAITS

Otago Witness, Issue 1621, 16 December 1882, Page 26

PEN PORTRAITS

OF EMINENT DIVINES.

REV. DONALD M'NAUGHTON

STUART, D.D., KNOX CHUKCH, DDNEDIN.

Though unknown, except in ofticia.l circles, to most in this country, Dr Stuart's name is a househould word amongst all Scotsmen throughout New Zealand, and an undeniable power through the whole Southern Piovince of Otago, and fairly merits a place in our portrait gallery. By birth he belongs to Perthshire, having been born near the source of the Tay. .His names, his bearing, his accent, and his sympathies all bespeak his Highland origin ; and we fancy he is not ashamed of it at all. He was educated at St. Andrew's on the verge of the Disruption ; but having taken part with the seceders and cast in his lot with them, he was, by some technicality, disabled from taking his degree. His subsequent activity in all educational matters in New Zealand made it desirable that he should obtain a diploma. The authorities at St. Andrew's, however, declined to traverse the action of their predecessors ; but they offered in place of an M. A. the honorary title of D.D. If abstruse scholarship and profound theology are the sole claims to this title it ought not to be his ; but if active pastoral work", if powerful pleadings in church courts, if setting one's mark on the church and schools of one's country merit the title, he ought to have it. This is certain : "that popular feeling counts him worthy of it; for he is everywhere spoken of, facile pr weeps, as " The Doctor."

After leaving the university, the doctor was engaged for some time as a tutor in' the neighbourhood of Windsor, a position that brought him into useful contact with Christians of various names. Thence he appears to have removed to a charge on tho borders of Cumberland, where — like an ancient monk — he applied his practical sagacity to improving the roads as well as the morals of the people. There are bridges in that district, erected under his pastoral (?) supervision. Such a man, able to teach, able to build, and hill of holy energy in things necessary as well for the body as for the aoul, was not likely to escape the notice of a man of like mind ; and when Dr Guthrie was applied to for a minister of the second church in Dunedin, his choice Ml on Donald Stuart.

Otago was originally founded under two influences. The one was material ; for it was counted a promising settlement. The other was ideal ; for its first promoters and settlers mostly wished it to be Scottish, wholly Scottish, and nothing but Scottish — Free Church, wholly Free Church, and nothing else. The ideal did its work in .stamping the province with some fine elements, and planting some good institutions. But it was impossible of perfect attainment. The sturdy and beautiful thistle grows exuberantly in the colony ; but they say it is exhausted and dies away in a few years. This is hardly the case with the ideal of Otago. Tb.6 thisfcle mark has been stamped on most

things, but it is not the only mark. A Presbyterian Scotsman is certainly at & premium in many ways ; but Englishmen, Irish Catholics, and Freethinkers get a footing notwithstanding. There is a curious myth illustrative of this preference. The Chinese are good gardeners and shrewd. One day a vegetable cart was seen with a pig-tail in charge, and yet on the board was written the name of Mac. " Why, Johnny, how's this, your name's not Mac?" "No savee Johnny, savee Mac, John no sell, Mac sell plenty." There is some reason for the story ; and the thorough Scottish stamp of Dr Guthrie's nominee made his welcome easy and hearty, as his after life made it active, useful, and prosperous. On his arrival, there was but one Scottish church in the city, of which a nephew of Robert Burns was the minister. The time was gone when a small synod met in the manse kitchen over whisky toddy and pipes. Things were shaping to more ambitious and imposing forms. The First Church had planted ministers here and there, and had now sent off a swarm to the north end of the city, to what was fitly called Knox Church. Here Mr Stuart bocamo the first minister, nor was it long before his power was felt. In pastoral visitation he was genial, and soon won a place in the families from which nothing could dislodge him. There ia no man in New Zealand, probably, that has christened, married, and buried more people. His fine, hearty figure— only six feet_ two— with shepherd's plaid over his shoulder is still, in spite of a buggy, to be seen, as of old, at all hours of the day, hurrying from one deed of mercy, and kindness, and duty to another. His interest in public affairs has always been great. His w. rk for education has been rewarded with the vice-chancellorship of Otago University. His presence is sought for at every public assembly, and benevolence flows most freely when " the doctor " sounds the call. These are the chief grounds of his power : he is the friend of the poor and the helper of every public movement. Hundreds go to him for counsel ; for he creates a sympathy by his manner and will help if he can. He has often reminded me of the bishop in Victor Hugo's " Les Miserables." He is unselfish almost to extravagance ; he lives most simply, entertains largely, and gives freely of all that he has. If you wander into his orchard you can never eat plums enough to satisfy him ; when you stop plucking he brings you picked specimens from fresh varieties that you must taste ; and, departing, your pockets are filled for the children. It needs hardly be said that he stands among the young folk as high and loved as Goldsmith's vicar— they are fond of the old man's smile. _He has succeeded in reviving a catechetical service for young people every fortnight, and it is his most popular Sunday evening service. On Sunday morning he has a class of a hundred, and a goodly sight it is to see them troop out after him — " He goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." I have compared him to a bishop in his flock. But he is only primus inter pares in the synod. There he has broken away from the Old Identity narrowness. Though Scottish to the backbone and Presbyterian to the marrow, he has had prevision and breadth enough to see that the earlier ideal cannot be reached, that public institutions must be expanded to meet all sections, and church arrangements varied to suit all varieties. If he does not always get his way, he has done more than anyone else to promote the progressive and expansive spirit in that most independent of church courts. It does not matter where the doctor goes, he is at horne — he brings an atmosphere with him. In company, he is the life of the party; in sickness and sorrow, the soothing comforter, breathing hope and peace ; and travelling, he gets remembered and wished "for everywhere. I_ recollect riding over some forty miles of rivers and rough roads by tho side of the driver. Directly he heard I was from Dur\cdin, he asked if I knew a fine clergyman that had been that way lately. The man was a composite character— an Englishman, born in Denmark, bred in Russia, and married to a Maori— and probably knew little of church affairs. I soon found out who his passenger had been, and was delighted to find that his praises of " the doctor " as a traveller were not surpassed by the volubility with which he swore at the horses — and that alone was amazing. The doctor works with honest preparation at his sermons ; but it is not the study which makes his pulpit a power. He is not a great preacher, but he is a r/ood one. The .stuff and form of his discourses may be open to criticism ; but their spirit and force are undeniable. "It is not what the doctor says," was the remark of a regular hearer, " there are many preach finer ; but somehow he gives me a shove every Sabbath that helps through the week." "A shove that helps through the week " is not a bad idea of what a preached sermon ought to be; and " the doctor's " sermons are that and more. He is loyal to the Confession ; he is sound on the fundamentals ; but on practice he is firm and strong. He has gained the right to be so by his own life and character. " First he wrought, and afterward he taught." "One morning the daily papers published an embellished paragraph to this effect: "Last night, or early this morning, the police discovered a great fellow hastening along the street with a Huge bundle on his iiack. Chase was at once made for the supposed burglar, who proved to be a minister of the city on his way to a poor Woman with a supply of bedding he had promised to send but forgotten." The doctor's promise slipped his memory till he went to his own bed— many would have thought it too Jate — the doctor was up and away with his gift at once. It was just like him.

It only remains to record that in the suburbs several parishes have been formed out of Knox, that the schools are well worked, that the new church is the finest in the country except the Christchurch Cathedral, and that it is all occupied. The labour of so large a charge, of about a thousand communicants,' istoo much for the doctor with his advancing years ; and it is to be hoped that some plan will be devised for his partial relief. Long may it be before he needs more than partial relief ! May his bow long abide in strength ! — J. U. D., in the Christian Leader.

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