A POPULAR MINISTER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 17997, 26 January 1933, Page 11

A POPULAR MINISTER

PARISHIONERS’ FAREWELL TRIBUTE TO REV. H. SPEIGHT The high regard in which the Rev, 11. Speight and Mrs. Speight were held by the congregation of St. Matthew’s Church, Hastings, was shown on Monday evening at a gathering held to farewell them on the eve of their departure for Patutahi, where Mr. Speight is to take the place of the Rev. C. G. G. Salt. After making eulogistic references to the work of Mr. Speight, the vicar, Canoii C. Mortimer-Jones, said that Mis association with Mr. Speight had been particularly (happy. The longer he stayed in the parish, the more valued and loved he became, and it was to be regretted for the sake of the parish that he and Mrs. Speight were leaving it. Continuing, the speaker said that Mr. Speight’s preaching had been all that one would have expected from a man of fiis ability, learning, and experience m life, and his previous service p teacher had been of the utmost value in his work for the church.

Mrs. Speight had most nobly helped her husband in his work, and had made a great sacrifice to enable her to join with him in his Christian service. “We are sorry,” the vicar concluded, “that you are going away from friends who love you, and I assure you of the very deepest and warmest welcome -when y*>u return to visit us.” Other speaker's were: Mr. G. des Forges, on' behalf of the congregation; My. A. B. Harper, the Bible classes; Mr. 0. B. Spinney, the choir; and Miss O’Kane, the Sunday school.