OBITUARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13651, 20 July 1908, Page 5

OBITUARY.

KEY. GEOKQUiBAECLAYv V, ' News was received'in Timariu by' telegraph from Waimate last, evening! that .ilia Rev. George Barclay: had passed away,' { As Mr Barclay had been lingering at threshold Jor some timo Ihe intelligence of his decease caused no surprise, and sorrow had to some extent been softened jby expectation. Death lias thus "removed from amongst us one of the early settlers <>C South Canterbury, the pioneer of the Presbyterian Church in the district, «nd one who, from the time of his arrival till length of days and failing health compelled his partial retirement, played an energetio part in the progress of South' Canterbury.

The Iter. G. Barclay was a native of the North of Ireland, and, horn in 1835, was in his 73rd year. He was educated for 'ilia Church at the English Presbyterian .College, and coining out to New Zealand as a licentiate of the Presbytery of London, landed at Lyttelton in January 1865, and was ordained at Christcliurch over the charge of South Canterbury in March of that year. His charge was a spacious one, and Mr Barclay was at first untrammelled by programmes of services., He "roamed at liis sweet will preaching the Gospel, somtimes in private houses, sometimes jin woolsheds, and sometimes in the open , air, and whatever settlers were in the district attended iiis services, irrespective of t the denomination to which they belonged." limaru, then a very small place (loading however its first wool ship in the year.of Mr Barclay's arrival) was his heaxi quarters, Mr It. A. Chisholm's house his first home, and Mrs Chisholm his energetic supporter. When he had settled down Mr Barclay usually conducted a'morning service, in the old Mechanics' Institute, and then rode or drove away to Arowhenua, Pleasant Point, Orari.or Geraldine. lu 1867 a church was opened in limaru by Sir John Hall—the blue stone building beside Trinity Church now devoted to industrial uses. Timnru was growing apace, and presently the town congregation began to object to their minister's, frequent absences in the outlying districts, and more than hinted that Temuka and Geraldine should obtain a minister for? themselves. The charge was accordingly divided, Mr Barclay elected to.minister to the new .one and he was inducted at Temuka in "Jannary 1872. Churches were, erected at. ,Temuka and : Geraldine, and a , manse was built in the angle of the Geraldine-Win-ehester and • Orari roads. A flood proved' this site to be unsuitable and the building was. afterwards shifted to Geraldine. Though his residence was now, a good many miles further north, Mr Barclay still continued for some time to conduct occftr sional services there. The Mackenzie Country remained % part of his ministerial domain until 1889. In his' visits to this vast, and remote section'of .his charge Mr Barclay had some hair-breadth > escapes, but lie found,every settler so hospitable, he was everywhere so welcome, A', guest,, that ever afterwards he was accustomed, to speak with delight of the days ha had spent beyond the Pass. Tn 1889. after 25 yeai's of service, -Mr Barclay resigned his charge, on.'.account of a serious impairment of his eyesight, ■which necessitated a visit to. a noHd oculist in London for treatment. ' His congregation arid friends showed their es)««m for him as minister and ajid their sympathy for him. in his affliction, bv subscribing and presenting to him ,a. purse of £6OO. Fortunately the skill of the London oculists saved him , from permanent blindness, and enabled him. to resutria h's work for education with unabated zeal. In his "History of'fheft&V". Zealand Presbyterian Church," the •Bey'.,' John Dickson (to whom we are already indebted for some of the above : information) eay» •' — •• Mr Barclay lias probably left deeper' marks, ecclesiastical, educational and -Social, on the history of the early days of South Canterbury than any other persoti now living or dead. . . There are few churches, and scarcely a school ih this Wjide area, that he has not had a hand in building. He lias been from, their first, inception a member of/ the South Canterbury Board of Education,' and •of the Timaru and Waimate High ' School Boards. In formulating the regulations, and iu carrying on the'practical work of these educational institutions, Mr Bar-, clay has had a large directive hand. Setting up the establishments in the interests of the people, he has always sought to keep them under popular control." To this it may be added that Mr Bdrcln- was associated: with Mr Belfield and Mr Chisholm in Hie establishment' of the first non-denoniiinational primary school, in Timaru, and ever since he has shown the keenest interest in the welfare of the primary schools/" For years past his name has been a household; word in South Canterbury because of the prominent part he has taken in the administration of tha Education. Act as a member of the lioardof Education. Mr Barclay was. a man of extorsive erudition, and during his .early life was a diligent student of many and diverse branches of knowledge,- with quaint chips from which lie was in the hab.r of illustrating and enlivening his discourses and addresses.

The deceased leaves a widow and two sons. The elder sou is Mr A .R. Barclay, barrister and solicitor, of Dunedin, and M.P. for Dunedin North. The younger is Dr H. C. Barclay, surgeort .-.superinv tendent of Waimate Hospital. His third son, the late Mr George Baker Barclay, who was manager of the Waimate branch of Messrs Guinness and LeCren's business, died some years ago. A telegram announcing Rev. Mr Barclay's death was delivered to Rev. T. Stinson last evening, and lie read the message at the service at Trinity Church, with congregation of tihe early days, tho deceased had been so closely counected. Mr Siinson reminded his' hearers of this fact, and of Mr Barclay's ur.dnotrs labours as the pioneer of PrtiibyteriwiWn in South Canterbury; spoke of..his deVo-' tion to the cause of> education; and pai& a high tribute of praise to his character as a. Christian minister and. <v Christ-Mtu .• gentleman. • ,>%fThe funeral will take place from Dr. Barclay's residence at Waimate, nesduy. ' . . ' -r