CHAPTER X.
In Memoriam: Mr John Gillies; Mr James Wilkie, senior.
IN the Annual Report for 1871 it is stated that the changes in the membership of the congregation had been considerably above the average of former years, some members having returned to their native land, some having removed to other parts of New Zealand or to the sister colonies, others having elected to join the newly-formed Presbyterian Church of North Dunedin, while a number had been removed by death. Among these last was Mr John Gillies, who was called away to his rest in July 1871. His removal caused feelings of profound sorrow and regret in the church and throughout the entire community. He was undoubtedly the principal founder of Knox Church, in which he held continuously the offices of elder and Session clerk from its foundation till his death. As a member of the general community the services rendered by him were most abundant and valuable, and indeed beyond all praise. "He was one of the best known of our early settlers, and the tried friend of education and religion. During the nineteen years of his residence in Otago, every measure and institution for the general good had his earnest sympathy and hearty support.
"John Gillies was born in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, on April 22, 1802, and was ordained an elder of the Church of Scotland in 1830. He took a deep interest and an active part in the affairs of the Church during the Ten Years' Conflict. Into the questions respecting the civil establishment of religion, lay patronage, spiritual independence of the Church, and education, which in those days were keenly discussed throughout Scotland, Mr Gillies threw himself heart and soul at public meetings, but especially in Presbytery, Synod, and Assembly. Mr Gillies left the Establishment at the Disruption. The educational spirit which he did so much to awaken obtained for Rothesay some of the most eminent educationists of Scotland. Among the first of its class in his own country, the Industrial School of his native town was mainly originated by him. His executive energy and fertility of resource often stood his church in good stead. One of the peculiar features in his character was his constantly acting from a sense of duty after full and prayerful consideration. As an instance we may state that we have heard members of his family mention the following circumstance, after which be resolved to emigrate:—Early in 1851 his attention was drawn to Otago as a desirable field for settlement. But previous to communicating his views to any beyond the members of his family, he asked them to join him in prayer to God for a whole day in reference to changing their home. Having obtained their concurrence, he called them together at the close of the day they had fixed on in order to collect their mind upon the matter, and, finding that it was favourable to emigration, he declared bis purpose to make immediate arrangements for carrying it into effect. On his resolution becoming known, favourable offers came from many quarters in the hope of inducing him to change his mind, but all in vain. Having resigned his various public appointments, be emigrated with his family to Otago, arriving in the ship "Slains Castle" on November 6, 1852.
"Shortly after his arrival Mr Gillies entered into partnership with Mr J. Hyde Harris, at that time the only legal practitioner in Dunedin, and was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of the colony. He was returned as one of the members of the first Provincial Council, and for some time held the office of Speaker. In 1857 he received the appointment, under the Colonial Government, of Sheriff and Resident Magistrate of Otago. Considerable as were Mr Gillies's public services, those he rendered to the Presbyterian Church of Otago were even more important and manifold. He took the chief work in floating the Sustentation Fund, confessedly the great anchor of the Church. The now flourishing church of Tokomairiro had him for a nursing father, and while he was the willing servant of all the churches, Knox Church—of which he was a founder and an elder—will long own its obligations to his activity, faith, hope, and intelligence. He was the earnest advocate of missions to the Maoris, to the Chinese, and to seamen; of church extension; and of the union of the Presbyterian Churches of New Zealand. As a church trustee he did much to secure the settlement of the trust property and funds by the legislature of the colony.
"While an ardent friend of elementary schools, he was a strong advocate for the arrangement by which one-third of the annual proceeds of the church estate should be devoted by ParHament to the endowment of professorial chairs in the Otago University, years before the movement in favour of it was seriously taken up.[1] In Mr Gillies the Bible Society had a sure friend. To such institutions as Sabbath Schools, Bible classes, and Young Men's Associations he extended his sympathy and support. Under a somewhat stern exterior there lay a heart that devised liberal things for orphans and widows. To the penitent he was singularly tender and forbearing. Holding the Gospel to be the true remedy of many of our social and all our moral distempers, he laboured for its diffusion by tract, book, and the living preacher. In a word, in Mr Gillies religion, education, and philanthropy had an advocate who was liberal to self-denial."[2]
The following extract from their minutes shows the very high esteem in which Mr Gillies was held by his fellow office-bearers:— "The Session record their sense of the great loss the church has sustained by the death of Mr John Gillies. As the chief founder of the congregation, as Session clerk, and as elder, his services were manifold, valuable, and always cheerfully rendered. In every department of congregational work he took an active personal interest. He was, in fact, ever among the foremost in works of faith and labours of love. While loving his own church, the Session acknowledge with gratitude to God that their departed friend gave much time and thought to church extension, missions, and the Sustentation Fund. The Session express their sympathy with Mrs Gillies, and direct the clerk to send her a copy of this minute." The minute of the Deacons' Court is as follows:—"The Deacons' Court desire to thank Almighty God for having enabled and privileged the late Mr John Gillies to render many important services to this church. They also record their high appreciation of the intimate knowledge of church government which he possessed, of his marked efficiency and success as a member of the Court, and of the zeal he uniformly displayed in all that concerned the welfare of the church. The Court also sympathise with the widow and relatives of the late Mr Gillies in their bereavement."
In September 1873 the church lost another prominent standardbearer by the death of Mr James Wilkie, senior, at the comparatively early age of 56 years.
James Wilkie was born at Forneth, in the parish of Clunie, Perthshire, in 1817, and arrived in Otago in 1852. He attended for some time the ministry of the Rev. Mr Jeffreys, and took an active part in the measures for establishing a second Presbyterian Church in Dunedin, being a member of one of the committees appointed to give effect to the decision that had been come to. On the arrival of Mr Stuart and family in 1860, Mr Wilkie placed at their disposal for a time a house rent-free, until the manse was ready for occupation. He was one of the first elected elders of Knox Church, and as an office-bearer and member of the congregation he willingly rendered much valuable service. He was not of a robust constitution, and, finding himself in a position to do so, he retired from active business about the year 1862, and ever afterwards devoted a very large share of his time and attention to benevolent and religious work. He was naturally of a modest and retiring disposition. Although preferring to give a helping hand to the poor and needy in the quietest manner possible, yet his strong sense of duty impelled him to associate with others in a more public manner in forwarding objects of a benevolent and useful character. He took a warm interest in the operations of the Otago Benevolent Institution, and was a most active and useful member of its managing committee for a number of years. He was one of its vice-presidents at the time of his death.
The following is the resolution of the Session on the occasion of Mr Wilkies removal:—"In the death of Mr James Wilkie, Knox Church has sustained a great loss. One of its founders and first elders, he always laboured with unflagging zeal to promote its prosperity and usefulness. A wise counsellor and steady friend, he extended ready and liberal support to all its agencies. As a member of the church, he was most exemplary in his attendance upon ordinances, while as an office-bearer he was seldom absent from the Session or Deacons' Court, and never when ways and means had to be devised or difficulties to be met. The Court, while gratefully recognising the many and willing services of their late fellow-elder to religion and benevolence, would commend his widow and son to the Head of the Church, whose kingdom he diligently and meekly endeavoured to extend and establish."
- ↑ In 1867, when the House of Representatives collected evidence on the best way for promoting the higher education, whether by scholarships tenable in the Home Country or by the establishment of a colonial university on a modest scale, I was asked to give my views on the matter. Before doing so I had the advantage of an evening's discussion of the subject with Messrs J. Gillies and E. B. Cargill. The committee having charge of the inquiry reported in favour of scholarships tenable only in the English universities. I strongly recommended the erection of a university with three or four Chairs to begin with. It was a signal gratification to the friends of the higher education in Otago that the Provincial authorities, led by Mr Macandrew, established the Otago University on the lines indicated by others as well as by myself.—D.M.S.
- ↑ Otago Daily Times.