HIGHFIELD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16477, 23 February 1918, Page 8

HIGHFIELD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

.{fctoOCriOX OF FIRST MINISTER. The induction of tho Rev*; Adam E«gg, MA., to the Hightield Presbyteriaii Cii.sn.-b took place on Thursday nighr. The church was packed.) jnany people having to stand. The ERevr C- J- Tocker (Moderator of the ?Dniaru Presbytery) presided, and with }ittt> on the platform were the Revs. C. King. E. R. Harries,'J. B. Hall, ?T, Stinaou, A. G. W. Staudage, and P. Dickie. There ware also present the Revs. T. A. Joughin and W* Salter, and Paster J. Innes. The sermon was preached by the JRev. .T. B. Hall, who took his test from Matthew viii, 1, 2. The usual Snduction questions were puts by the Bev.-. C. 3. Tocker, the charge to the minister was given by the Rev. A. C. i\V. Standage. and the charge to the congtegation by, the Rev. E. R. Harries. After the induction service a wetcome social was held, during which speeches of welcome were delivered, and several musical items were deredThe Re* - . Harries, as Moderator of the charge, said the call to the Rev. Mr Begg was signed by practically the whole of the congregation. He came, he saw. and he conquered. and the result was that he was before

them that night. JEIe congratailated. the new minister with all bis heart, and ho also congratulated, the congregation in having secured such a man Begg. Tuey must bear in mind that he was their minister, he liad beeu selected by them as iheir minister, but he must not 'oe. left to do nil .the work; He hoped they would prove loyal to him. and give him encouragement and not criticism. He had much pleasure in welcoming the, Hey. !\lr Begg to the church. Mr W. Walters, on behalf of the congregation, extended a. hearty welcome to the minister. He assured him that they welcomed him as a congregation, and they would support him in every wav passible. Mr H. MeTr.byre, on behalf of Wash- 1 dyke, and Mr A. G. Hart on l>ehalf of Rosew?]l, also extended a cordial welcome. The Rev. T. Stinson, on behalf of tho Ministers' Association, assured Mr Begs that the ministers of Timaru wonld welcome him as a brother, and wonld co operate with him in every way. He congratulated the. minister on his appointment and the congregation on their choice, br Mr Beeg stood high among the ministers in the Dominion. • Revs. Tocker, Dickie, Standago, and Hall, as members of the Presbytery, welcomed Mr Begg to his mew sphere of activities, and wished him every blessing in the work that was before lim. He was an ablo and experienced :n«n._j:Key said, .and won!d ba a great help to the congregation.

Mr G. T.. Dawson, said, dwelling on the past>, that, m spite of the establishment of tho Highheld church, taking about 100 members from the parent church (Chalmers), the minister and officials of that church had set to work to help them all thoy could, making their way easy. Everything they possessed at Highfield stood free of debt, and he would like aio thank 'the Rev. Harries for all tho helpfui work he had done in connection with tho church. On behalf of the congregation he presented Mr Haries with a cheque as a •token of the esteem in which.they held him. (Applause). Amid prolonged applause the Rev. Mr Harries briefly thanked the congregation for their gift. The Rev. A. Begg.. in rep'.y io the speeches of welcome, said that no *minister could have received a better welcome, and he thanked theui for it. Ho and Iris wife had met, u'.th every kindness s'Jice they arrived in Timaru. Tt had cheered him immensely to se.» how they had welcomed him, and he had to thank the members of the Timaru Presbytery :wid the Ministers' Association representative for their kind woirffc of welcome. It was pleasant to come m contai* with those whom he had known in years gone by. In conclusion he hoped that they would all pull well together. Mr Thompson moved a vote of thanks to all who had assisted to make the evening a success, ,-md the motion was carried by acclamation.

Daring the ev-eua'ng Miss Darie sang a solo, and quartettes were given Try blisses "WadcTell, Flanagan, Messrs Roundhill an"d Donnelly, and by Messrs Anderson, Crerar, Davie, and Moyes, t'.nd each item was well received. After a supper had been narfcVken of, ill" evening terminated with, the- singing of the National Anthem.