NOTABLE SERVICE.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19658, 19 August 1935, Page 9

NOTABLE SERVICE.

DR. SPROTT’S RETIREMENT. LETTER FRO. .a PRESBYTERY. Appreciation of the great service to a wide Christian community given by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Sprott, retiring Bishop of Wellington, is contained in the following letter addressed to him on behalf of the Presbytery of Wellington: — “The Presbytery ol' Wellington having learned of your intention to relinquish your office of Bishop of Wellington at the end of January desires to express its appreciation of the long and faithful service you have rendered not only to your own Church hut to the whole Chrstian cause. Your term of office has been marked by a period of outstanding development in the Church of which you have exercised spiritual oversight and also by periods of unprecedented difficulty in national and community life. In development of the opportunities before your Church and facing its difficulties you have shown a wise Christian statesmanship based on wide scholarship and profound appreciation of the verities of our Christian faith.

"Presbytery places on record the deep esteem in which it holds you as a revered church leader, ever wise, courteous and kindly. It shares your regret at the divergent emphases which, in the past have kept the various sections of the Church apart. It recognises the contribution which your scholarly statements have made from time to time to bridge that gap and prays that the day may yet come when our Lord’s prayer for the unity of His Church shall he fulfilled.

“To Mrs Sprolt and yourself wc extend our best wishes for the future. We pray that the years of your retirement may 'he richly blessed, that health and strength may for long be your portion and that in all your way the peace of God may be your abidingpossession. We pray that in the selection of a successor your 'Church may be wisely guided and that he may ho one in whose hands will prosper tho work which, In the providence of God, you have done so wisely and so well." The Bishop’s Reply. The presbytery has rooeived tho following reply:— “I wish to express to you my heartfelt thanks for the very kind and far too appreciative letter you have sent mo on the occasion of my resignation. I liavo received no letter that gives mo more pleasure. I shall keep it as a memento of a great goodwill. May I say that I have always had great respect and admiration for the Presbyterian Church? Its many scholars have made, and are making, a wonderful contribution to sacred learning. I have read with pleasure and profit the books of Drs, A. B. Davidson, A. B, Bruce, G. A. Smith, W. Milligan, G. Muthieson, John Gaird, W. P. Paterson, Jas. Moffatt, and other scholars of like standing. But it is not only in the realm of sacred learning that your Church has excelled; In tho mission hold and in the Home countries it has done and is doing a great work for tho Kingdom of God. . . . "Mrs 'Sprott Joins me in thanking you for all your good wishes for our remaining years. 1 pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest abundantly upon all your work done in Jlis name and for llis sake."