THE CALL TO KNOX CHURCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2150, 9 May 1895, Page 12

THE CALL TO KNOX CHURCH.

THE REV. W. HEWITSON. (From Oub Own Corrbspondent.) Melbourne, April 30. No public announcement has yet been made as to tha Rsv. Vf. Hewitson's intentions with regard to Kuox Churcb, but ifc is generally onderetood among his corgfpgation and PfGS- } byfceriaos thafc ha will accept the call. The statement published that the nama of Mr Macrae, of Toorak, was placed before the Kuox Church congregation along with Mr Howifesou's has drawn from Mr Macrae a disclaimer. The Argus has the f allowing paragraph :— " The Rev. J. F. Macrae desires it stated that he distinctly declined to allow his name to ba submitted to the Kuox Church congregation, as reported by our Dunedin correspondent." I am indebted to a member of the Itev. W. Hewitson's cong' elation in Brunswick for the following iutere3tinj{ parMcuHrs regarding his career and peraonal qualities :—: — II Mr Hewitton is in his thirty-flffh year, and was born at Smythesdale, in the BalJatat district. In the golden city he received his early scholastic training, and parsed the matriculation examiuatioa of the Melbourne Ui'ivereity. His first introduction to the world r of business was aa a e'erk in the Union Bauk. His connect : OH with that institution lasted for several years, and for some time he acted as manager of the branch in OlunM. "Fortunately for the church, however, ho abandoned comoierual life and entered the Melbourne Ui-iver*ity with the view of studying for the ministry. After the completion of his aria course of four j ears, he took the degree of B.A , aud entered upon his theological gtudie3 as a Htudeut of the Oroiond College Theological Hall. Shortly affor a course of thre« ye*ra in this institution he waH ordaiued, aud selected as aseistaufc to the Rev. A. Maevcan, at Brunswick. His college career was a euecesj'ful one. AmoDg the honours he obtained being those of prizeman of Professor Laurie's philosophical cla-s, and Hcf-t prizeman in the c-xit examination of the Theological Hall. "In Brunswick he has remained for about seven years — two as assistant &nd five as colleague with Mr Macvean. During his residence in Brunswick he has won thi cordial esteeai of all Borfcs aud conditions of men, and his approaching departure is viewed with feelings akin to dir-m-y by all true friends of the church. Hi 3 frank and courteous manner is only the outward expression of a kind and sensitive nature, and his tact in managing men and keeping in touch with bjth the old and the youDg mark him as a born leadbr of men. In saoial gatherings he displays a humour for which strangerß would not perhaps give him credit, and in his eoriial addresses be seldom fails to lift the subject under di. c cus3ion into a plane higher than previous speakers had left it. "But of course it is as a preacher th*t he muxb finally ba judged, for here hi 3 true work and vocation He. As a preacLe? then, he is fir*t of &U truthful. He nevor gives to his hearers any vi';w of any doctrine or truth which he Las net vejSficcl for himself, and realised in hii own i erajual experience. Hence it is thafc for earnest Bouls he ia regarded as one who learns from the oracles of God, and is in vifc-U contact with ' the living fountain of trubh.' He pieiches extempore, but carefully prepares his fcermous for all that. His logical powtr and grip of (he subject he treats of aie remarkable, and hi-, copious /illusions to the books and the men of the day show that he is in living touch with contemporary life aud thought. He ia in fact an original, thoughtful, powerful preacher*

whose mind has developed sinca he cama to Brumwick, p,nd as he is a student and a thinker the process is not yet complete. Though striotly orthodox and be&ohing all the loading doctrines of the church with fulness and faithfulness, he is of a larger m»nt»l make than tho ordinary evangelical preacher. Broad churoli in its highost and btB 1 ; rneamugs io the class, perhaps, to which he belongs as theologian and teacher." The genfeloms.i\ who has supplied the above estimate of Mr Hewitsoa's qna\itics »b pastor and preacher is very highly fitted to form a judgment, and Knox Church members m»y rely upon bis opthionß. As assistant and colleague in Brunswick, which is one of the poorer suburbs of this gimt city, Mr Hewttson has never had the opuortnnity of taking up a position bs organisT or leader in social movement ; but ray inform t.nt is strongly of opinion that be has it in him to do so, aud that he will show his worth iv that respect when the opportunity arises, as it will if he accepts Knox Ciiiirch. There is every reason to believe that in Mr Howitson Dunedin will roceive a mnn calculated to become a power and a blessing in the community.