DR WATT MEMORIAL TABLET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 23

DR WATT MEMORIAL TABLET.

An interesting ceremony took place mi the Green Island Presbyterian Church on Saturday afternoon, when a memorial tablet to commemorate the Rev. Dr Watt's long period of service ac pastor of the congregation was unveiled by Miss Kirkland, on behalf of the congregation. The proceedings were commenced with the singing of hymn No. 15, "O God of Bethel," after which the Rev. Mr Kilpatriok, the Rev. Dr Watt's successor !who presid-ed), offered 1 up a prayer, anil in a short speech stated the object of the meeting 1 . Mr "J. Blair, as chairman of- the commities appointed to carry out the wishes of the congregation regarding the tablet ia honour of Dr Watt, said : I wish to state as briefly as possible the stepa taken to complete the work entrusted to us. Just a word as to the origin of the movement. When Dr Watt resigned his charge the members and adherents- of the congregation wero very aoixious to give him some substantial proof of their regard. This would very likely have taken the shape of a puree of sovereigns, bvit Dr Watt, with his characteristic self-abnegation, let us know pretty plainly that this would not be acceptable to him, though be modestly hinted that if we did anything at all it should bo in tlw shape of a memorial tablet for himself and those who had been associated with him in the Kirk Session. Of course, I believe Dr Watt meant this should take place after his decease. As you are aware, at the farewell social Dr Watt and some of the members of the family were presented with several gifts as a, token of our regard ; but after these were liquidated there was still a goodly sum over, and it was determined that a memorial tablet should be erected. Th© question very naturally arose : Would we invest the money in trustees, to ennire its erection after Dr Watt's decease, or should we have it erected m Dr Watt's lifetime? The- first course was the one that commended itself to some of us but we snow, became converted to the latter a Jew. If it were an exceptional course, my reply is that it is erected bo an exceptional person — one amcmg&t a thousand. But 19 it leally exceptional? Just look at this week's i=sue of the Outlook and what do we find? The account of a stained-glass window ami brass tablet to be unveiled in honour of the Rev. James Pater-son, the predeces-or of Dr Gibb, in St. John's Church. Wellington, who is now on his way to the colony agaiin. In our case a small committee was formed to look after the matter, consisting of Messrs James Loudon, Wm. Highet, Audiew Love, and myself. You will pardon me, I kaoiy, for specially ajentioniug one

member of committee's name. No one ' took a greater interest in church matters, no one thought more highly of Dr Watt, and no one wr»s more anxious to do honour to Dr Watt in the er-eetion of the tablet than the late- Mr James Loudon ; but to cur sorrow he ha* gone. I daresay the congregation thought that we were asleep over the matter, but we felt that there was no particular hurry with it. The contractors (Me c< !rs Thomson) only receu-ed the order two months ago, and they have been well up to time. The defdgu and workmanship speak for themselves. As to this day's proceedings, I know that it would be in accordance with Dr Watt's wishes not to make a "great display, and therefore we have only invited one or two well-known friends of Dr Yfafct to take part. As the ladies bore the brunt of tho labour, we thought it right to let a lady have the honour of unveiling the tablet, and tbe committee wag unanimous in choosing Miss Kirkland to do the honour cm this occasion. Miss Kirkland is one of the oldest lady members of_ the church, and one of the staunches t friends of Dr Watt. Then we asked our old friends the Rev. Mr Will, who was the means of inducing Dr Watt to come to Otago, and who did us noble- service during the time that we were a sort of outlying station of the Taieri. Then the Rev. James Chisholm we have invited as an old student of Dr Watt's. . As to the members of the Kirk Session whose names are on the tablet, out of a total of 17 there are still 12 alive. Mr Martin, whose name stands first on the list, and who did excellent service for the church as session clerk and in other capacities, is, I am happy to say, still amongst us, although in indifferent health. The names of the dead are Messrs Richard Runicman, James Neil, David Andrew, Jas. Runciman, and James Loudon. Of the office-bearers who held office when Dr Wattwas inducted, only two of the elders remain — Mr Martin and Mr Johnston, of KaihiEu; and of the deacons I am the onlysurvivor. As one who held office prior to and during nearly the whole of Dr Watt's pastorate, and as one .who had every opportunity of judging of his- merits, both as a minister of the Gospel and as a gentleman, I desire to say that he deserves all the love, affection, and esteem with which we have j regarded him during- his long and memorable minisliy of 39 y-eais. Jit-st a word more. A vacant space has been left on tbe tablet to be filled up when that time comes to Dr Watt that" comes to all, but we pray that, in the interests of the Church and of his family and friends, that day may be a distant cine. — (Applause.) Tho Rev. Mr Will said ho stood in a very peculiar position to the congregation in thai; he was its minister before it was a congregation. Green Island was previously connected with East Taieri, not as a congregation, but simply as part of the East Taieri district or parish, and as he was minister afc East Taieri at the time it fell to bis lot to come as often as he could to Grceii Island. Service was held in a schoolroom, but as the congregation grew the place was found to be too small, even when the door of another room was opened and, the people sitting in the two rooms, he stood in the doorway and preached. They sometimes held a service in the bush — under a pine tree that Mr Blair had made- famous. He carried on the work for many years, and on leaving was the recipient of the sum of £150. Tho Rev. Dr Watt was the first minister of the church. The spuakc-r also made reference to the unselfish work ca. 1 '- < riccl on by the early workers in tho church. and counselled the members of the congregation, especially the young people, to live like them and to do the work that was required to be done, so that when their time came to depart their names would be remembered as those of useful workers who had helped to advance the cause of Jesus Christ.

The Rev. J. Chisholm said the action of the congregation in placing the tablet in the church was an expression of their gratitude to the Rev. Dr Watt for the long and faithful service he had rendered to the church, and the people had done well to show their thankfulness to him as they had done. The Rev. Dr Watt, who was received with applause, thanked the speakers for the manner in which they had spoken concerning him, and said he was overwhelmed with a sense of the honour the congregation had clone to him. Though he had been nearly 4-0 years in the district self-congratulation wan by no means the dominant feeling in his soul, but rather regret for what he bad been unable to do. He appreciated highly the association of bis name with the names of office-bearers in the congregation since he had been connected with it — office-bearers who had done so nmch to lay the; foundations of the church, and who had stood loyally by him aud by the interests of the church. He spoke of the necessity of working to improve the condition of those who were to come after us, and of the benefit of looking back upon past works, and after referring to some incidents of his induction and the appearance of the district at the time, he again thanked the congregation for their kindness, and said he trusted they would go on and prosper. Miss Kirkland then unveiled the tablet amid applause.

Votes of thanks were accorded to Miss Kirkland, to the committee for the manner in which it had caried out its work, and to the speakers, and the proceedings closed with the doxolGgy and the benediction, which was pronounced by the Rev. Mr Will.

Miss London' presided at the organ. The tablet, which is placed in the porch, bears this inscription: — "Erected by the congregation of Green Island Presbyterian Church, 1904, in honour of the Rev". Professor Watt, D.D., first pastor of the church, who for a period of 39 years discharged the duties of his high office with great ability and fidelity, adorning the doctrine of God his SaviGur, and endearing himself by kindly sympathy to an attached people, who consented to his resignation only because the duties of the professorship, to which he had been appointed 30 years before, required his undivided energies. The following is a list of the members of the Kirk Session during Dr Watt's ppstorate- — William Martin, John Johnston, Richard Runciman, James Neil, James Runciman, David Andrew, Allan King, John Blair. Thomas King, William Duncan, James Taylor, James Loudon, JamPs Howorth, Neil M'Lean, William Highet, John Graham, James Thomson.' 1

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