FORTY YEARS A PASTOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 53

FORTY YEARS A PASTOR.

REV. JAMES CHISHOLM'S RETIREMENT. " Whilst there is sadness in the thought that Mr Chisholm feels compelled to retire ■ from his pastorate, .there should also be a (note of victory aftbr such a long record of splendid service." ! It was in these felicitous words that Dr Watt, speaking at the meeting in Roslyn Presbyterian Ohur.ch Hall on April 27, voiced the feeling of the large congregation which had assembled to say farewell to the i Rev. James Chisholm, who, after a pastorate of 40 years, the last nine of which have j been spent at the Roslyn Presbyterian i Church, is retiring from the ministry beI cause of failing health. Captain Strang i presided, and amongst those present were Dr Waddell. Dr Watt, Rev. Professor Hewitson, the Revs. J. Kilpatrick, A. Cameron, A. Don, and R. R. M. Sutherland, and Mr A. H. Grinling. The choir was in attendance, and, under the Leader- • ship of Mr Lindley, rendered in good taste several anthems. Supper waa partaken of during an interval. After briefly outlining the object of the 1 gathering, Captain Strang read a valedic--1 tory letter from the office-bearers and ad- | herents of the Church. The fu4l text of I this letter will be found in another , column. "The Rev. James Chisholm. Reverend and Dear Sir, —On the occasion " vour retirement; from the pastorate < Roslyn Presbyterian Church, we, the . oers and adbeients of your congregation desire to convey to you our great appreciation of your many services while n ; years our pastor. Your presence ha.- ,>een much i prized in the sick room, and your sympathetic services rendered during time. 3 of illness and bereavement will never be forgotten by many grateful hearts in Roslyn Church. We would also thankfully acknowledge the benefits derived from your pulpit work; an able and fearless expositor of the Scriptures and an eloquent and i thoughtful preaeher of the Gospel. You j have, Sabbath after Sabbath, faithfully de- ! clared unto us the whole counsel of God, ' and your pulpit messages will ever live in our memories and will bear fruit in days that are to come. " We rejoice thajb your ministrations are not to be altogether lost to the Church.

Wg commend you, your wife and family, tfl the Divine protection. We trust that in your remaining years you may experience that rest and calm that comes of a cSiildhW confidence in Him whom you have so faithfully followed, and we are sure that you will have 'that which should accompany old age, honour, love, obediencetroops of friends.' " He (the chairman) then presented to Mr Chishclm a purse containing 116 sovereigns, uko a, brooch for Mrs Chisnolm, expressing the hope that they would long enjoy the . rest and comfort they had so deservedly earned. Mr R. S. Black (on behalf of the Deacons' Court), and Mr Stewart (on behalf of the congregation) joined in Expressing the prevailing sense of sorrow at theit pastor's retirement and unstinted appreciation of the value of his ministry. The former pointed to the handsome church and manse as one monument tc the energy of Mr Chisholm, reminding hie hearers that at the time their pastor had come to them Roslyn was regarded as too insignificant a, place to have a church of its own. Mr Stewart testified from personal knowledge to the influence Mr Chisholm had exercised not alone in Roslyn, but throughout Otago. He trusted that after a period of rest their : pasor would be able, in some less strenuous way. to serve the Church he loved. Dr Watt, Revs. A. Cameron, J. Kilpatrick, A. Don, the Rev. Professor Hewitsoiiy Dr Waddell, and Mr Brown (representing Mr .Chisholm's former pasto- -,-. rate at Milton) a.lso spoke, the keynote of *"' the remarks being the intense' earnestness of Mr Chisholm's ministry, the "spirituality, ideality, and prophetic spirit of his preaching," as the Rev. Professor Hewitson expressed it. Various speakers paid tribute 2 to the grace of diction in which the rc\erend gentleman invariably clothed hie message, the Rev. A. Don referring to him as " the post preacher," to which the Rev. Professor Hewitson added that Mr Chis- - holm was "steeped to his finger tips in Tennyson, the master of beautiful form in our modern English language." Generous testimony to the valuable work of Mrs Chisholm was also added.

Acknowledging the. gifts and the kindly ; words of both congregation and members of Presbytery, Mr Chisholm expressed himself quite unable to adequately indicate hia sense of appreciation. He had not known, that his ministry had taken such a hold .' upon the people. His onlv wish was that his personality should be lost sight of alto- , gether and that the truths he had enj deavoured to teach should express them- . selves in the lives of the people. 7", s e had done anything to make them feel inui there i was a much higher purpose in life than, merely to eat, drink, and seek pleasure, he would be amply rewarded. He would regard their expressions with respect to his work rather as a prayer for him than as a statement of truths concerning ':"n. He was pleased to meet Mr Brown as a representative of his old pastorate at Milton. Whilst he felt that the speakers had overrated his worth, he was sure they 6poke from their hearts, and he thanked them for their inspiriting words. Mrs Chisholm 1 would also highly appreciate their gift and words of commendation. Although retiring from the ministry, he was not at all regarding- himself as useless, but believed that, after a few months' rest, he would n yet be able to do work serviceable to the *" Church.

The supper interval was availed of by some of those present to pay their respects to Mr Chisholm, a pleasant social termk nating shortly after 10 p.m.