Presentation to Father Darby, Cambridge

New Zealand Tablet, 30 July 1908, Page 24

Presentation to Father Darby, Cambridge

At the Alexandra Hall, Cambridge, on the evening of July 22, the- congregation of St. Peter's Church entertained Rev. Father Darby at a social gathering, and also presented him with an illuminated address. Father Darby (says the local paper) has been for the past seven years in charge of the parish, working it in conjunction with Hamilton, but owing to the growth of the Church, consequent upon the progress of the district,- it has been found necessary to appoint a resident priest for Cambridge, the Rev. Father Holbrook having been selected for this important position. The high esteem in which the Rev. Father Darby is held by all sections of the community was evidenced by the very large and representative attendance at the function, many members of other denominations being amongst those present. The hall was very tastefully decorated with nikau -ferns and flags. Across the centre of the room there hung a motto of ' Welcome,' and on the reverse side it bore the word ' Farewell.' On the platform were the Mayor (Mr. W. F. Buckland), the Vicar-General (Dean Gillan), Rev. Fathers Darby and Holbrook ; also the Yen. Archdeacon Willis, Revs. W. J. Gow and W. H. Beck. The visiting clSrgy also included the Rev. Fathers Lynch, of Te Awamultfj Cahill, of Ngaruawahia, and Furlong, of Devonport.

After a number of musical items had been lendered, the Rev. Father Holbrook addressed the gathering. He said that Father Darby, although removed from their midst, would long live in the hearts of the people. The gathering that evening, comprising as it did members of all denominations, was a unique one, and spoke volumes for the esteem and affection in which Father Darby was held. Ip going amongst the people he (the speaker) never heard an unkind word said about ' Father Darby. He had been a Trojan for work, and his ministry here had been a most successful one. Although his own people stood first in his heart, he also studied the interests of the community as a whole. In referring to his own appointment, Father Holbrook said that Cambridge had grown big enough to support a resident priest, and he congratulated the parish on aspiring to higher things. Father Holbrook then called upon Mr. W. R. McVeagh to read the following address, which was a very artistic one, and handsomely framed, and asked the Mayor to present it to Father Darby :—: —

' Dear Reverend Father, — We, your late parishioners, cannot allow j'ou to leave us without giving expression to the esteem and affection in which you are held by us all, and to let you know how much we regret your departure. During the seven years you have labored amongst us you did excellent work, notably the establishment of the Convent of Our Lady of the Missions and the acquisition of several valuable properties for the furtherance of our Holy Religion. With the spiritual and material progress of Cambridge district the appointment of a resident priest became necessary, and whilst we extend to your successor a warm and hearty welcome, we beg to assure you that we will always treasure with fondest recollections the memory of many acts of kindness and your solicitude for our welfare, and also that of the little children during the happy years you ministered to us. We pray that you may enjoy the best of health and every blessing ; that you may be spared many years to your beloved people of Hamilton to continue to work for God's greatest glory and the welfare of your people as you have done so nobly and well for us in Cambridge. We beg to subscribe ourselves, on behalf of the parishioners — John Lundon, V. Plescher, Wm. R. McVeagh, J. McNamara, J. Byrne, and J. A. Hair.'

His Worship the Mayor expressed the pleasure it gave him to take part in the function. Father Darby had studied and acted for the health and bodily needs of his parishioners as well as for their spiritual wants. Cambridge owed a good deal to Father Darby, and the speaker hoped his successor would follow^ in the same strain. He (Father Darby) had enabled them to get out of the slough of despond and raise up their heads. Mr. Buckland then, as an .appropriate allusion to the motto of 4 Farewell ' before him, quoted the last stanza of Childe Harold's ' Pilgrimage.' He hoped that every lime Father Darby looked at the address it would remind him of Cambridge, and*T>e the means of bringing him back again.

Mr. T. Wells, J.P. , also-made a few remarks, eulogising Father Darby. He said the rev. gentleman carried Christianity into his daily life. His breadth of view, charity and humanity, and his whole-souled enthusiasm in cause he undertook made him loved by all. 4

Rev. Father Darby-, on rising to reply, was greeted with loud and prolonged applause. He returned his sincere thanks for the address that had been presented to him, and also for the expressions of goodwill by the various speakers,' and he knew they had spoken from the heart. Referring to his ministry in Cambridge, he said" he had always done his best, and always had the courage to go for the best, even if his friends were against him. Those he loved -most sometimes he crossed with, but he asked them- to~~believe he did it honestly. He was an intense lover of men," and the reason he had not made many enemies was because he had always taken a tolerant view of things, and given men the credit of being honest and sincere in their beliefs. Father Darby said he had no idea when he was appointed here seven years ago by the Vicar-General, whom iie described as being full of holy fire, that he would see such a wonderful growth in the Church work of the district. ' The rev. gentleman said he believed there was a fine future before Cambridge, and that his successor would be able to accomplish much more than he had been able to do. As years went on, the city would be replenished from the men of the Waikato, and especially from Cambridge. The large gathering that evening was only another instance of the thoroughness with which" the Cambridge people carried out anything they undertook, and in this connection he thought Cambridge should be called ' Excelsior.' Father Darby again returned thanks for the great kindness extended to him, and resumed his seat amidst applause.

The audience then joined in singing ' Auld lang syne,' and the gathering gave cheers for Father Darby. Light refreshments were provided by a committee of ladies.

During the evening the following musical " programme was gone through : — Selection, orchestra ; song, * Come back to Erin,' Miss Bell; song, 'True to the last,' Mr. Stone; Highland fling, Miss O'Keefe ; song, ' On the banks of the Wabash,' Mr. O'Keefe; recitation, Mr. Lewis; songs, 'Douglas Gordon' and 'At my window,' Madame Isherwood ; clarionet solo, Mr. C. Stuart; song, 'The Carnival,' Mrs. Edmonds. The programme was arranged by Mr. M. P. McDermott, who supplied the majority of the accompaniments.

Votes of thanks were passed to the ladies, the contributors to the musical programme, and lo the committee, of which Mr. J. Byrne was an energetic lion, secretary. The function was a great success from every point of view.