A JUBILEE CELEBRATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3216, 3 November 1915, Page 3

A JUBILEE CELEBRATION

WAREPA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

On October 26, 1865, the Rev. John Waters was ordained and inducted as the first settled minister of the parish of Warepa, some eight miles beyond Balclutha, and it was fitting, therefore, that on Tuesday evening the jubilee of the event should bo remembered and celebrated by the people of the district. There was a large gathering in the church, including many visitors who had come long distances for the sake of being present. The Rev. A. Watson (the present minister) presided. In his opening remarks, he briefly reviewed the history of tho parish, and pointed out that, although so many of the foundation members of the congregation had passed away, the pillar and ground of the faith stood the same. Ho paid a tribute to the pioneers, at whoso hands they had received those things that made for the greatness of individual and national character. He dwelt on the importance at this early stage of our national history of worthi'y maintaining the great and noble traditions and lofty ideals that had inspired tho men and women who first settled this province. The Rev. J. D. Webster (Stirling), as Moderator of the Clutha Presbytery, conveyed the congratulations and good wishes of the Presbytery towards the congregation, and spoke of the lessons to be learned from the backward look over the past year. The Rev. S. W. Currie (Balclutha) explained that the gathering was also in some degree celebrating tho jubilee of the Clutha Presbytery, which had recently occurred. the splendid qualities of the ministers who had served the congregations in the Presbytery from its commencement. Mr J. B. Waters (Dunedin), a son of the first minister of Warepa, presented to the Clutha Presbytery, through Mr Webster, a handsomely-framed group of photographs of members of the Synod of 1872. He had happened upon it, he said, in an auction room in Dunedin, and trusted it would form the nucleus of a collection of historic photographs. Mr S. Young, one of the genuine pioneer band, delighted the audience with a number of vivid) reminiscences of tho very early days in the Warepa district. They were a church-going people in those days, he said, and he would like to see the young people of the present day attending the services more frequently and regularly than they did. 4 The Rev. J. Kilpatrick, a former minister of the congregation, made reference to many of the worthy pioneering families of the district, and indicated how much their successors owed to them. During the evening tho choir, under Mr A. Tweed, contributed a number of anthems. Mr Tweed was made the recipient of a silver-mounted baton from tho members of the choir as a recognition of his skill and enthusiasm as their leader. Muchappreciated solos were contributed by Messrs Robert Ayson and Smellie. The interval, during which refreshments were liberally provided, served as an occasion for many most interesting reunions between old friends who had not met for many years.