WAIMATUKU.

Otago Witness, Issue 2410, 10 May 1900, Page 31

WAIMATUKU.

May 7. — I have again to record a death, not exactly in our own district, but so well known and esteemed was the deceased here, and his residence being on the bank of the Waimatuku Stream, only a few miles farther up, that this note may well appear as fiom Waimatuku. On Friday, 4th inst., the Rev. Robert Ewen, M.A., Presbyterian minister of the Limestone Plains parish for about 22 years, died at the manse of the Rev. W. White, Wallacetown, for whom he had gone to preach on Thursday, 26th ult. Although not feeling well, Mr Ewen thought there was nothing to prevent him conducting the service; but in the evening he became worse, and never recovered sufficiently to return home; but, being a bachelor, and the Wallacetown manse being the very place for him to receive kind, loving attention, the sorrow of his people is tempered with the assurance that he was well cared for.

Carlyle, in his ''Life of Sterling," says: "A life which cannot challenge the world's attention, yet which does modestly solicit it, and perhaps on clear study will be found to reward it." The loss of the Rev. R. Ewen makes no stir in the fashionable world, but his parishioners miss him sorely, and few indeed heard the news of their minister's death with dry eyes. His brother ministers also will miss his kindly, genial face from their meetings. Mr Ew3u was a man whom to know was to love. He was what George Macdonald would term "one of God's gentlemen." One cannot possibly imagine Mr Ewen having an enemy. He spoke to children as if he were one of themselves; his horses were fat and lazy from sheer kindness; his manse grounds a model of neatness. The woids o[ Matthew— "a bruised reed shall he not brr>ak, and smoking flax shall he not quench — and again, Jesus's leferencc to Nathaniel — "a man in whom there is no guile'' — make one think of Mr Ewen. His sermons abounded with eloquent passages, profound wisdom, discriminating talent; and bes=t of all, with Christ and Christian charity. I hear that some of his discourses are xo be published. If so, a treat is in store for those who may read them. An English traveller said of Dr Outline: "He is the only man I ever read of who has written sermons which can be read in a railway carriage." Well, I am certain that to those who know Mr Ewen, his sermons will be, not only beautiful, but profitable reading", m a railway cairiage, study, or fireside. And to those who knew him not, the perusal of his sermons will bo an intellectual treat that will probably call forth the remark- "This man was a good preacher!" This would not be exactly true, because the excellence of Mr Ewen's sermons W£i£> veiled behind a nervous diffidence which was at times painful to witness. This timidity — -peculiar in one so robust and manly in appearance, marred his popularity as a speaker at the usual church functions, such as soirees and maniages, etc. On these occasions he prefaced his remarks with : "Making a speech is one of the things I hate." Mr Ewen had another characteristic that endeared him to one — viz., his letters. These breathed ovit kindness and sympathy in every line, so that even a stranger to him would be drawn to the man, and know him to be a Christian gentleman. My first acquaintance with Mr Ewen was through letter, and though. the cause of our correspondence was not of great importance, though an ordinary man would have dispatched the matter with a few formal words, Mr Ewen's letter was so courteous and kind, so considerate of every detail, that I was diawn to him, and impatient to know him; and to-day I, in common with many more from Invercargill to the Waiau, deem it a great privelege to have known the Rev. Robert Ewen. The remains of Mr Ewen were buried to-day at the Calcium Cemetery. The cortege left the Wallacetown manse at 10 a.m., and as it proceeded along the districts of Waianiwa, Wright's Bush, and Upper Waimatuku, and the Limestone Plains road, sorrowing men, women, and children fell in, and silently followed the reverend gentleman's remains to the clmrch, where only two weeks before he had preached his last sermon to them. Ah, little thought they 'twas his last. The coffin was unscrewed so that the congregation could have a last look at the face of their beloved pastoi. As the people streamed past the coffin, some gazed intently through flowing tear?, and, placing their hands on his beautiful brow, reluctantly turned away; otheis gave a passing glance, and hurried on as if they could not bear to look on Death that robbed them of their minister. One studying the countenances of the people as they looked on that pallid marble 'fuce could almost read the meaning of their look or gaze. Some looked as if they knew him only as a man, a ministei who preached on Sunday, and was paid for it, anch> now he was dead and gone, as all must be; others gazed as if they truly knew the man, and therefore loved him ; for from those cold, pale lips came to them words that were the very bread of life from God.

The ministers present were the Rev. Messrs White, Smith, Lindsay, Robby, Baird, M'Laren, M'Donald, and Connor. The Eev. Mr Robby officiated, and broke the solemn stillness by giving ont hymn 406, which with quivering voices was sung with a deeper feeling than mere lip worship. The Key. Mr Baird read the lesson. At the grave, but half a mile away, the service was still more impressive. The Rev. Gibson Smith read the lesson, and thp Rev. Mr Lindsay engaged in prayer, during which but few indeed were fiee from emotion ; and the solemn service over, each waited for the other to move away, for all seemed reluctant to turn away fiom the grave of the Rev. Robeit Ewen.