DR STUART'S RETURN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 7 December 1888, Page 21

DR STUART'S RETURN.

A devotional service was held in Kuox Church on Tuesday night in connection with Dr Stuart's •return to Dunedin. Dr Dunlop presided, and there was a very large attendance, the church be* ing crowded in every part. On the appearance of Dr Stuart on the platform surrounding the pulpit the audience arose m masse. The service commenced with the singing of the Old Hun* dred. Dr Dunlop then engaged in prayer, after which

Dr Hislop (addressing Dr Stuart) said : Your office-bearers have conferred on me the honour of presenting you with an address-on behalf of themselves and the members and adherents of Knox Church on the occasion of your return. I will now read the address :— Dunedin, December 4, 1888. The Rev. D. M. Stuart, D.D. Reverend Dear Sir,— Your ofnee-bearera, on behalf of themselves and the members and adherent! of the church, have much pleasure in. welcoming you back to Dunedin, and to She scene of your longcontinued and muoh valued labours; and they cordially unite in rendering thanks to Almighty God for His watchful care over you throughout your travels, and for restoring you to your attached people iv safety aud, we trust, in greatly improved health and strength. We need scarcely say that we followed you In our thoughts and with our prayers throughout the course of your journeyings by sea and land, and that we were greatly interested aud gratified at the receipt of your pastoral letter, and of the good news fchab reached us from time to time of your welfare and of the kindly and appreciative welcome so very generally accorded you during your visit to the old land.

We devoutly trust that by God's blessing the relief from your ordinary duties for the past six months will be followed by verjr happy results, and we fervently pray that your Divine Master will spare you yet for a time to labour in His vineyard and to prove, bb in years that are past, a blessing and a source of comfort to many members of the church aud of the community. We are sure you were greatly pleased to learn from time to time how efficiently and successfully the Rev. Mr Cameron has in all respects in all respeotf fulfilled the duties of acting pastor of Knox Church during your absence. That gentleman by his ability, his kindness, and his pious zeal, largely mingled with prudence, has" gained for himself the respect aud gratitude of every member of Knox Church, and of all who are in any way interested in its welfare. Although we hope and trust you have returned to us in the possession of a large measure of health and vigour j yet we share with the whole membership of the ohuroh a strong desire that you will see 16 to be your duty to spare yourself as much as possible in the prosecutiou of your pastoral aud other pqblld labours, bo that, as far as human effort can avail, you may be all the 1 longer preserved "to your attached people and to the general 'community. We feel assured that we represent the wishes of the entire congregation when we express the hope that yda will consent to such arrangements being made as would relieve' you in future from b'ftaring the full strain of the pulpit and pastoral work devolving upiin the minister of Knox Church. l "

We desire in 'conclusion to express to you onx warmest sympathy in your greafc sorrow on account of the state ot your son's health. We commend you and hfm to God, the great source of all true'consolation, and we pray that the Master whom you have so long served will bestow upon you all needful grace and submission in this period of deepest trial.— We remain, rev. dear sir, yours very faithfully, John Dunlop Thos. Moodie Alexander Kennie Alex. Bath John Hislop Jno. H. Morrison E. B. Oargill Walter Hislop Ed. Smith A. Bartleraan John Roberta P. Q- Pryde Jas. T. Mackerras C. Macandrew Alexander Stewart James Wllkie J. A. Torrance Jas. Mann W. D. Sutherland B. B. Smith K. Ohiaholm. William Simpson Jaa. M. Fraser George M'Carten W. B. Harlow Daniel Smith W. Dymock K. S. Sparrqw John Reid Robfc. M'Nabb Geo. M. Thomson W. T. Todd John Reifch G. L. Denuiston Geo. Dutch John Campbell Andrew Cameron J. O. Thomson Colin M'K. Gordon John M'Parlane Clement White Thos. G. Young William Douglas Henry Guthrle. Wni. Downie Stewart Hugh Kirkpatrick Robt. S. Gardiner David Ferguson, Chae. M'Queen D. Wright. I think I may confidently express the convictiojj that the citizens of Dunedin and the settlers throughout Qtago generally share our feeling of satisfaction at your safe return, and join us in hoping that you may long be spared in health and strength to do your Master's work ambnga,^ us. We have in our address acknowledged the valuable ' services rendered by the Rev. Mf Cameron, as acting paster of Knox Church. I desire to say a word or two regarding our deep obligation to the elder whose name is at the head of the signatures to the address. I refer to tiießey. Dr Dunlop, acting moderator of the session and deacon's court in your absence. lam sore I express the sentiments of every one of your officer bearers when I say that the ability and wisdom with which that gentleman presided over our meetings, and the great readiness he manifested at all times to be of service to the congregation, deserve most grateful recognition. I feel also warranted in saying that the admirable manner in which Dr Dunlop conducted the two commadion services, held during your absence, gave rise to a widely-expressed feeling of satisfaction and thankfulness on the part of members of the con* congregation. I have now the pleasure of hand? ing you the address. Dr Stuabt said the pleasure lie bad in meefr

ing Dr Dunlop, the elders, deacons, and members of the church, and in receiving the singularly beautiful address which had been presented to him, far exceeded his powers of expression. He need scarcely tell them that the document was prized by him, and would be prized and read even, not for its style only, but above all for its sentiments, in the days to come. When he left Dunedin some seven months ago tHere was borne in upon his soul the full persuasion that the congregation, through the Divine blessing and watchful efforts of the Rev. Mr Cameron, would have peace and fellowship, and in all his wanderings this conviction never wavered, but rather grew n intensity. And now he had a comfort in proving that his expectations bad been more than realised. Between Otago and Melbourne he felt a mist cleaving unto him— a coldness arid dampness which he could not shake off, but when he reached Mosgiel the unexpectedappearance of the office-bearers of the church shot a beam of sunshine between the mist and his heart, removing the coldness and filling him with light and genial warmth. Then the bright talk afterwards, and the crowds of friends that met him at the Dunedin station, and the welcomes on every lips filled his cup of joy to overflowing. And as he was driven home through the well-known streets and recoginised tho old friencU and old neighbours, his heart beat fast arid strong. He was conscious of a rare blessedness— so great that he was perfectly cortain he could not give expression to it. He need not say that the ' expression of the congregation's wishes in reference to the working of the church in the future would be a law unto him, to which he would gladly conform. In all the efforts of the congregation to promote the cause of God in' the place of their habitation they had always found a right way, and he was sure of this : that as they had hitherto worked eye to eye, bringing to the work a helpipg hand and a loving heart, so long as God spared them their future would as the paßt had been, and they would bring their hearts and their hands to every work required of them. How should he thank them for their generous sympathy in the affliction that had overtaken his poor boy, for their condolence, and for their ptayers ! But he, was sure that both he and his son would be sustained until the appointed end. The prayers of the congregation were needed for his son. What young man in sinking health, having to meet every day the wife of his bosom and his bairns, but what needed the prayers of his friends and neighbours ! But ho trusted that his son had learned that ahint the clouds the sun shines bright, and that he would be entbled to bear what was assigned to him with patience and hope until God declared His will. Dr Stuart then expressed regret at missing many members of the congregation who were absent through sickness or death, and went on to refer to his visit Home, saying he could never sufficiently show his. gratitude to the congregation for insisting upon his taking a rest which had been the means of his recovering health in a large measure, and of giving him very great enjoyment.— (Applause.) He spoke of the " tenderly-loving " ministrations of Mr and Mrs Gleudining who accompanied him Home, and of the kindly reception he received in the old country by many people who formerly lived in Otago, and by others to whom he was only known as the minister of Knox Church. Then he went on to thank the Rev. Mr Cameron for the way in which he had upheld the credit of the congregation during his absence, and conoluded as follows :— Maybe there were times when the thought went through my mind that I was necessary to the maintenance of this church. I see now that no man is necessary. If I were laid aside like a plucked flower this evening the congregation would go on in its career of Christian usefulness— perhaps with more vigour and with more success than has ever characterised it. Know this my friends, that thousands of people at Home know about you, and are pleased to know that you Britons of the South are loyal to the Gospel, and are prepared by your means, by your co-operation, by your prayers, and by your Christian activity to stand by it, to keep it, to defend it, and to rejoice in it. I must now venture upon another word to the office-bearers, to the workers, and to the whole of you. Accept my thanks — my earnest, heartfelt thanks — for your prayers, for your kipdness in the past and to-day, and for all that is in your heart to do or me and for the Gospel.— (Applause.)