FAREWELL AT MARTON.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9696, 4 March 1910, Page 5

FAREWELL AT MARTON.

TO MESSRS McELDOWNEY AND REMNANT. A social was held last Thursday evening in St. Andrew’s Hall by the members of St Andrew’s Oharch to say good-bye to Mr John MoEldowuey and family and Mr Remnant, who are taking a trip v,o the Ola Country. After a short programme 01 mnsso and recitation, Mr Gordon said:We are met to say gocd-bye and wish a pleasant voyage to our friends who are leaving us for a trip to the Motherland—Mr J. McEldowney ana family and Mr Remnant, We shall miss these friends very much. Mr McEldowney has taken an active interest in the affairs of our town for many years and his influence has always been on the side of righteousness, justice end morality, and whatever tended to the good of the town. We shall miss tnm mcst in the work of St. Andrew’s Ohurcb. As member, manger or elder hia counsel was valuable and always ap- . predated. He was wise in counsel and ready in working. Hia time and means were cheerfully given to everything that tended to the uplifting of humanity ci promoting the glory o!' God. Ha took a deep interest in L the spiritual welfare of the young. The Sunday School ana junior .Bible Olcas will miss him much, hut the seed sown will hear fruit in after years as well as at the present time. We hope others will be raised up to fill these places when* he is nos with or. We shall miss Mrs McEldowney at our Chrysanthemum Shows and ladies meetingsHer good taste and energy were always at our disposal. Liberal in her contributions and unassuming in manner she was a special favourite. We cannot onm Arthur MoEidowney’s name in our good-bye. Possessed of superior talent he was beginning to be a power for good in our church work. In the junior Christian Endeavour Bible Glass and, prayer his influence was felt and we expect to hear of him in the literary world before many years pass by. We wish them all a safe voyage and speedy retain to this Britain o£ the South. It will be an education to the young people to see the Old Land, especially the Emerald Isle, rich iu memories of the past. We shall frequently have them in remembrance when separated from us, I hardly think that Marton, especially St. Andrew’s Church, will look the same when they are gone. We shall also miss Mr Remnant, He has been long identified with the town cl Marton. He was frequently mending our ways as well as hia own. Onr streets seem somewhat deserted when he is not about. We will miss him moat in our ohnroh work. He was moat tegular in attendance at ohnroh and his sene iu the choir was seldom vacant. We will miss him in the praise service of the sanctuary. He was ever ready to help in every way he conld. In our manager’s meetings, sales of work, and entertainments his help and counsel were freely given. Ho is leaving bis family with us as a hostage till his return. We join in wishing him a safe passage, loving greetings from friends in auld Scotland, and a quick return to these warm and sunny islands. Mr John Meyer also spoke referring to the good Mr MoEldoaey Had dene, also Arthur MoEldwoney’s work in junior Endeavour Society, of which he is a loader. Mr A. K. McGregor said he agreed and emphasised all that had been said regarding Mr McEldowney and Mr Remnant. Great changes had taken place in Marton in the last twenty-five years. He hod lived the greater part of hia life in Marton. If any one had left Marton twenty or thirty years ago and come back now he would be surprised at the change in one town footpaths, gasworks, water sop]!?, etc. Mr McEldowney replied at some length, saying he had spent the half of his life in Marton and the latter half was the happiest, partly because he was married. He was a Presbyterian by conviction, believing that form cf church government was the same as tbs Apostles had. He bad six brothers and they were all office bearers in the same church. He had about 60 nephews and [ineioes in the Dominion now. He had a commission from the Church in New Zealand to the annual meeting of the Prebsyterian Ohurch in Ireland to meet in;Balfast in June, and hoped to persuade a number of the right kind of settlers to come out here. He thanked them all for their kind words. , .... Mr Remnant also thanked them and said the chief reason for going away was to see his mother, who is now 91 years of age. The oup which cheers, bat not inebriates. was then handed round. The hymn “God be with You till we meet again” was then sung, ami all pasted wishing them Nisafc.tetwn.