FAREWELL TEA MEETING TO REV. G. T MARSHALL.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 44, 5 April 1884, Page 7

FARE WELL TEA MEETING TO REV. G. T MARSHALL.

On Monday labt, a farewell tea meeting; was given to the above minister in the We^leyan Church, prior to his dopnrtur ; to his new drcnit, Buy of Islands. An abundance of <1 things were provided by several ladies for die occasion, and teri v immenced 6.30. A charge of one ."hilling •being" levied on those attending: to defray exp.-n>es. By the tim • the alter in -eting commenced the building was crowded in •every part by friends anxioLS to pay th".-: mark of respect and esteem to the ipastor. The general meeting commenced With hymn and prayer, after whicu Air Henry Buttle, chairman, addressed th.' •audience. It) the con roe of his retinu ks, ho I) >re high testimony to the sterling worth oi the R-ev. gentleman about to leave them, and. referred with satisfaction to the iidv i nee that lmd been made bs a whole by the church (luring the last 12 months. From the ti\a»uier,s repoit, it appears the Wes'eynn bod}' had made much progiess during ihe year. A very handsome rostrum h .d b-jen erected, en tirely iree of expense, by Mr George Devey. The church had been newly and tmmfoitab'y seat -d, and through the inptrdmenta'ity of the Bazaar, an old debt ot some ,HiO h"d bei j n paid off, md now there weit* altogether but about i£8 due. Thechaiiiucin next called upon Air Ilo(t to say a lew words ou behalf of the congregation. In respon ling, Mr Ilott Niid : I think the chairman parhaps made a mistake in selc-ting me to sp '..lc oa behall: of the congregation, Seeing that I am not a "Wesley an myself, and never regularly attended the Wesley an (. hurch till [ canu to Te Aroha. My own impieSoion is that your church has gr »wn and prospered much during past VA months. The Sibbath school is a large one, and great good is being done thiough its instrumentality. 1 cannot let thitj oppoetuuity pass without b-aung testimony to the st rling wo'th of o.ir old friend, Mr W. John-.uu, who lately left us for the Tlmines t None who knew him could help basing drawn towards him, rttnl to the simple, uiiafCwtfJ way in which he ever presented t!ie Gospel message. The past year has been an eventful one to all at Te Aroha, «is wcii as to Mr Marshall. We Lave seen it prospeious and tlourlfoljinjLC up to a certain po nt } nd now again sufi'o * ing from a time oi depression, brougiit about by various causes. But it will only be for a while, and I do not think the time is far distant when we shall again see it going Ij UisJ J'lout ; tho vu.uj of Its huijiuise range of gold-boaiing country

better known nnd appreciated, and its fertile plains thickly populated by a prosperous and contented people. During the past jear quite a lovolution his been wrought with regard to the temperance question —not only in Auckland, but all over the Colony, and people are waking up the f.ict that alcohol is not a necessary of life in nny way, but is a terribly dangerous thing to tamper with, and must bj put away altogether. With regard to the n >\.^r MmsVll, th- hig'iost t:iWe I can pay him is to .say, as I truthfully can, lh.it I believe the one- great aim and object of his life is to win souls to Christ. I'ersonally, I can say I ever found in him a true and valued fiiend, .m«l h .vc formed a high opinion of bib many atnnble and st-rling qualities. 1 Icunw he has had many things to contend with, and milch to try and discourage him whilst here, but his ministrations have been valued-, and on behalf of myself and the congregation 1 d«>siy his leaving uis the cause of much regret, and our bjt-t wMies and prayeis will accompany him to his new spheio of labour. Mr Ben«ett was n^xt called on to speak on behalf of the Sunday School children, and in the course of his address stated that itt Mr Marshall he had ever found a true friend himself, jmd could., without hesitation) say he carried with him the love :\m\ respect of ;ill the children. He also retenvd to the general advancement I tb.it U,u\ been in idu by tii-o church, lie believed during the past year much good had kn accomplished. Mr llawkin, wn-. requested to sp <ak on behalf of the people of \Vaioron»oinai, and said he had derived great help and eneuHirtgement fioiii Mr Mar-hall himself. He hid ever found in him a faithful friend and pastor. He n^od not refer to the respect and regard with which he was looked upon in Waiorongoma^ the presence of so many Irom that township to- [ night to bid him iaiewell, w.ts ample evidence of the fact. The Row Mr Marshall on being called upon by the Chairman to itjspond, spoke much as follows : " I do not feel inclined to s.ij much on this occasion, for it is a trying thing to say farewell to those one feels deeply intvivsted in. I icjoice to know I have been h. 'Infill to some of von in your heavenward life. I certainly have have had^ many things to contend with, n.y ihcuit is a very huge one, and it was no ea^y ta-4 during last winter to keep all my appointments in the face of the very wet weather, and considering the long journeys that had to be taken over roads otttimes almost impassable. But I made light of it. Faith was my great support through it all. Reviewing the past year's work, he dwelt with satisfaction on the great advances made in the Temperance cause. With regard to the Sunday school he believed it was doing a grand work ; some of his happiest hours had been spent in teaching the children after school hours in the day schools. The extent of country to be gone over precluded much personal visitation. He hoped the church would still continue a working church, and that the same kind help and assistance would be shown his successor that had been to h : mself. He wished to thank those who whilst not members of the church had ' been of much help to him. He felt very deeply having to leave this district, but hoped the piayers on his behalf would be heard, and that he would be more successful in his work in the circuit he was going to. He came amongst those he was now addressing with the sole object in view of faithfully preaching the Gospel, and he was leaving them with that still the chief desire of his heart." The meeting was also addressed at intervals by the American Evangelists, as it was the occasion of their last night in Te Aroha previous to a week's evangelistic work in VVaiorongomai. Mrs Dorman sang as a solo No. Ill in San key's hymn book " Farewell faithful friends we must now bid adieu " The meeting broke up at about half -past nine.