Memorial Service at Woodbury.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3463, 8 July 1899, Page 3

Memorial Service at Woodbury.

UNVEILING MEMORIAL WINDOW. St. Thomas’ Church, Woodbury, was crowded to the doors on Thursday afternoon, when a service was hold in memory of the late Mr C. G. Tripp, of Orari Gorge, and the ceremony of unveiling and dedicating a memorial window in his name was carried out by the Ven. Archdeacon Harper. Amongst those present were many old friends of tho deceased gentleman, who still hold his memory dear in their hearts. Mrs Turton officiated at the organ, and the service was opened by the Rev. J. Knox Barklie, who read the prayers. The Rev. Staples Hamilton, vicar of the parish, read an appropriate lesson in the story of the Samaritan, as recorded in St. Luke’s Gospel, x. chap., 25 to 37 verse. He then turned to the Ven. Archdeacon, and on behalf of the congregation, asked him to unveil the memorial window, stating that they had received the faculty from His Lordship the Bishop of the Diocese for tho Diocese for the erection of the window, and a brass plate, in memory of the late Ohas. George Tripp. Mr Hamilton then read tho faculty. The Ven. Archdeacon Harper said: — “Mr Vicar, —I am glad to be here to-day in accordance with the faculty issued by His Lordship the Bishop, and I shall now proceed to unveil this window.” The ven. archdeacon here approached the window and unveiled it, after which he offered up prayer, and the. congregation followed with Hymn 221 —“ Let Saints on Barth in Concert Sing.” The Ven. Archdeacon Harper then said : —“Mv Brethren, —The occasion which brings us together to-day in the House of God is not one that requires a lengthy discourse, but I have a few words to say which I trust will mark the significance of the object for which we are met. You know that in the Old Country—the dear old Mother Country from which we came—for centuries past it has been a goodly and loyal practice for people to erect in the Houses of God in the land memorials of those whose lives have been such in this world as to merit the words of Scripture, ‘The memory of the just is blessed.’ If you travel through the Old Country you will find that all the cathedrals and parish churches have ” their walls full of these memorials to great and noble men and women, who had spent their days on earth in doing what they could to make the world better than they found it, and who had left their names sweet, wholesome, and full of honor. We are in a new country here. Scarcely 50 years have elapsed—l suppose—since this very spot where wo are worshipping God to-day was a mere wilderness. But in that short time there have been events of deep interest to all of us. People of our own blood came to this remote dependency of England, and had done their best as pioneers to open up this country and make it appear something like some of the best parts of the Motherland. These pioneers of whom I speak are passing away from view one by one, and all we have left are their descendants. Very few of the oldest pioneers are with us to-day, and yet they have done splendid work in all positions of life. They have tried to be not only good citizens in a new country but good neighbours, showing kindness where it was needed and being every ready to succor the afflicted and b elp those who found it hard to fight the battle of life, and if a man has tried to do his duty to his fellow men, to himself and his family, and in the ordinary course of money-making has not forgotten his duties to his neighbours and the country of his adoption, and has endeavoured to live in the fear and the love of God, and that unseen world to which we are all rapidly passing and has done his best in however humble amanner, to be an example to those about him in purity, honesty, and highliving, which comes from living close to God—then he has left behind a name —whether marked by a memorial or not—that will never die, or to quote another verse of Holy Scripture. Their works do follow them,” and we see the great influence of such men’s lives in the community in which they lived on their children and those who knew them, and their names will ever be handed down from one generation to another as pioneers of high and noble impulses, who did their best, not only to cultivate the land, to make a smiling garden of the wilderness, but to live in the fear of God. We have met to unveil a beautiful memorial of one who w as known to you all fully as well as he was known to me. It is not a day exactly of mourning—the time of acute mourning has passed—but we are here to-day to (hank God for - his memory. Through the kind affection and recollection of those who knew him well that beautiful memorial is placed here in the church, and it has been my own special privilege and joy to have taken a great part in the designing of that memorial and tho superintending of its work. The artist who produced it is one of the first artists of the city of London, and happens to be a friend of mine. This beautiful memorial is one of which anyone might feel proud, but what does it signify to us ? Our departed friend lived here almost from the first, and had been fortunate in being able to remain, while others who came and struck root were afterwards, for many reasons, transplanted to other places. What he has done for the district you know better than I do, but what he teas is still more important that what he did, for we might do great things, but it is really what we are that touches the hearts of men. A character never dies ; it lives on, and when we think of this beautiful . memorial erected by the loving affection of those who knew him well, we can thank God and profit by his example. We can try to make our lives as his was, however humble our positions. We can endeavor to be honest, diligent, and ever ready to succour the afflicted and help on those who are less fortunate in life than we might be ourselves, and bid them be of good cheer and take courage. Let us thank God for these things, and as we think of the days of tho past look on to the days to come, and so live that when the time comes that our faculties for enjoying this life are gone, we might pass away into our rest, as perhaps he passed away himself, in simple faith in Almighty God, and nnsevering child-like love in the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and let it be our prayer as life goes on that when we come to receive the last summons to bring ns into the presence of God we might be found there as one family in our Heavenly home —no one missing—through the grace and mercy of onr Lord, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. At the close of the archdeacon’s discourse the congregation sang, with much feeling. Hymn 29, “Abide with me ; fast falls (he eventide”—and dispersed after the Benediction was pronounced. The memorial is placed on the right side of the church, and is the window nearest the chancel. It is a magnificent piece of work in stained glass, most artistically executed by Mr James Powell, of Whitefriars, London, a well-known artist. The colors are beautifully blended, and the designs are really works of art. The prominent features of tho ! designs are a scene where the Samaritan has found the man who fell among thieves, lying on the wayside, and a scene beneath this of the Samaritan carrying the injured man on his ass, while the lowest division of the window is handsomely decorated with Mr Tripp’s coat-of-arms. The surrounding adornments in architectural designs ara also splendidly executed, and give a beautiful finish to the whole piece of wort. On a wall near the window, facing the congregation, is placed a brass plate with the following inscription: —“ To the glory of God, and in memory of Charles George Tripp, of ! Orari GorgeBorn at Kentisbeare, Devon, Ist July, 1820 ; Died 6th July, 1897. Much loved and respected. This window is erected by old friends and the men of Orari Gorge Station.