LATE MRS HENRY JONES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 22 December 1932, Page 6

LATE MRS HENRY JONES

DEVOTED CHURCH WORKER. The funeral of the late Airs lliniv J. Jones, which took place yesterday afternoon, was attended 1 y a laige anc representative number of mourners. Alany wreaths bore evidence ot the high esteem in which the late - Jones was held, particularly m church circles. , , , i Th c Rev A\ r . Parker, who conducted services at the residence and the graveside, paid a striking tribute o the nobility of deceased s lito and ie devoted service for God. “Nearly two years ago, when I w as transferred from Canterbury to Kurimini, one of the two. women who ga\e us a warm welcome to the parsonage was Die late Airs Henry Jones, saul Air Parker. “She knew what a dittei cnee a warm Christian welcome mu vcs to a minister’s work in a circuit a at the sacrifice of self and home. She went there that day to prepare ±Ol our coming, so that God s s °rvu - might feel welcome in their new spline of labour. That little homely welcome that dav has had a very happy nilluenco on my ministry at Kuripum. “In the life of Airs Jones 1 saw the spirit of sacrifice in its purest am highest form. Only last Monday morning when I begged to be allowed to relieve her of an official position foi the present, she replied bj lctte • . ing ‘ Thanks to you both for your kind thought. I hope I will l>e able to carry on in a week or two s tune. Another example of her devotion was seen in another message as late as last Monday morning. ‘Through an over-sio-lit I deeply regret my weekU con trfbution the work of Gocl did not reach the church last Sunday; you v.iu find it enclosed,’ was her message. Though passing through period o intense suffering her devotion to God and to the c.liurcli was uppermost in Ivor mind and here again you see sacrifice at its highest and best “Her great motto was first things first’, and though often afflicted b> ill health, yet, in her devotion to the Christian church, she has loft us an example that any of us might wel imitate. AVhenever I offered to relieve her of a position or of some church duty she would say, M m determined to do my part , and Die Christian Church would have a tremendous power in the world would all make that firm resolve ‘I am determined to do my part’. Though she suffered from ‘ill health she rendered a service which was nothing less than amazing. For many years she taught in the feundav school. Sho was a faithful member of the choir and as secretary oi tho Guild she rendered a noble service. Last winter sho rendered valuable service in relieving the distress caused through unemployment at the Kuripuni end of tho circuit. Methodism m this part of the AVairarapa has suffered a severe blow and I feel mj inadequacy to-day to pay a tribute tlu does justice to her noble life. &he had a great lovo for her family and her great- yearning was that her boys should grow up to be good men and her girls to be good women. She lias left them a great example and I pray that they may follow' in her steps. She has been taken from us comparatively a young woman, but her character was developed to such a high degree, thus fitting her for an Eternity of usefulness in tho Heavenly world. ‘ AVhcn I die, said Victor Hugo, ‘I shall have finished my day’s work, but another day will commence next morning.’ “Tho best way in which we can honour her memory,” said Air Parker, ‘‘is to apply her ourselves with all diligence to tlie Christian service she loved so well.” Tho Rev. E. O. Blamircs led the prayers.