CHAPTER XIII.
IN the course of the year 1877 the opinion gained strength among the office-bearers and members of the church that assistance of a permanent and substantial nature ought to be afforded to Dr Stuart to enable him to overtake with somewhat greater ease and comfort the arduous and multifarious pastoral duties so readily undertaken by him. This matter was cordially taken up by a number of the ladies of the congregation, and in a short time a sum of money was raised sufficient for the purchase of a suitable horse, carriage, and equipments. Dr Stuart was prevailed upon by his friends to accept the gift of the ladies,[1] but it was felt at the same time to be due to the minister that steps should be taken at an early date to procure relief for him from a portion of his ever-increasing pastoral work.
JOHN HISLOP. LL.D., F.R.S.E.
young on alternate Sabbath evenings with the object of exciting a greater interest in Biblical studies amongst the families of the congregation, and of doing something towards supplying the lack of Bible reading and religious instruction in the public day schools. Unless when interrupted by circumstances over which he has had no control, Dr Stuart continued the catechetical lessons with such success as to fulfil in a measure the purpose for which they were begun, affording as they did opportunity for more simple and familiar teaching of the young, while at the same time they were not unacceptable to the congregation generally. The attendance of young people able to handle their Bibles might have been improved, but parents too readily yielded to their wishes in not requiring them to occupy the space in the church set apart for them. After an experiment of over nine years the minister gave the service up, in deference to the wishes of some of his elders whose judgment he greatly respected. Such catechetical service was a part of public worship in the Jewish Church, and was universal in the Reformed Churches for two hundred years.
In the beginning of 1878 Dr Hislop, having received the responsible appointment of Secretary of Education for the colony, which required him to reside at Wellington, gave in his resignation of the eldership. The Session, in accepting it, adopted the following minute:—"The Session record their appreciation of Dr Hislop's services to the congregation as member and elder during the many years of his connection with it. But, while regretting his departure on account of our several church organisations—as the Sabbath School, the Bible Class, and the Young Men's Society, to all of which he was an active, constant, and zealous friend—they are confident that in the place of his habitation he will manifest like activity in every good word and work. The Session unanimously commend himself and his family to the grace of God in the Gospel of Christ."
In January 1879 a number of settlers on Mount Cargill expressed a strong desire for the establishment of regular Sabbath services, and stated that they were willing to defray the cost of a conveyance for office-bearers of the church and others willing to conduct public worship in the district once a fortnight. Dr Stuart was requested by the Session to endeavour to make the desired arrangements, and in this he was very successful. A fortnightly Sabbath service has been maintained regularly ever since in the Mount Cargill School, granted for the purpose by the School Committee. A Sabbath School with a well-assorted library has also been in successful operation. Mr John Reith took charge of the service and the Sabbath School for several years, and his labours were very much appreciated by the settlers. In this good work he received able assistance from Messrs Hutchison and Southwick, and from other friends. On Mr Reith's retirement in 1886 he was succeeded by Mr D. Thomson; and, after the removal of the latter to Victoria eighteen months later, Mr William T. Todd carried on the work for a time with unfailing regularity and much zeal and success. He was assisted occasionally by members of the Session and other friends, including some of the students in attendance at the Theological College. Mr Todd was compelled to relinquish his charge of this station in 1889, through pressure of other important work. Public worship has been kept up since by members of Knox Church Fellowship Union. Many of the settlers, by their steady attendance, show their appreciation of the services. The communion is statedly dispensed by Dr Stuart or Mr Davidson. Those who go up to conduct the services speak warmly of the kindness and hospitality invariably shown them by Mr and Miss Moir of the Schoolhouse.
In connection with the outfield work undertaken by Knox Church it may be mentioned that in 1883 a fortnightly Sabbath service was begun at Pine Hill School by an elder of the church—Mr R. S. Gardner, the schoolmaster—with occasional help from the minister. This was discontinued for a time, but was resumed by Mr Gardner in 1887. Since that gentleman's removal to a distant part of the district the fortnightly service has been taken in charge by the Knox Church Fellowship Union. The Union thankfully acknowledge the help received by them in this work from various Christian friends, both within and without Knox Church congregation.
The opening of the public school in Leith Valley in 1884 enabled the settlers there to accomplish a long-cherished desire to secure the establishment of a Sabbath service as well as a Sabbath School in the district. The success of the movement has been largely due to the exertions of Messrs Hogg, Jones, Booth, and others. The station is conducted as a union church. For a time the weekly service was maintained by Knox Church, North Dunedin Church, and the Hanover street Baptist Church, assistance being given also by representatives of other churches. The present arrangement is that Dr Stuart or Mr Davidson takes one service in each month—the other weekly services being conducted by office-bearers or members of Knox Church and various other Christian denominations.
In connection with the outfield work the Session in their report for 1889 made the following appeal:—"The Session would earnestly press the claims of the outfield upon all members of the congregation. Living, as most of our members do, within easy reach of regular Gospel ordinances, we must not forget the wants of those that are outside. The tendency to lapse from regular attendance at church service is very great in outlying districts, where bad roads often furnish an excuse for absence. It is therefore essential that those who are in the enjoyment of all church privileges should exert themselves to furnish a very regular supply to the outfield. The Session rejoice that the young men of the congregation have taken a large part of this good work in hand, and they hope that their attempts to obtain supply will be warmly seconded by office-bearers and members alike."
- ↑ The ladies took Mr C. H. Street, for many years the willing servant of the church, into their confidence. On his suggestion the carriage was built with accommodation for two persons only, to prevent the minister's overloading the horse by giving stragglers a lift. I am not sure that he did not really use the words "old wives." It is quite possible that the minister in his heart was grateful to Mr Street for limiting the capacity of the carriage. It is a sample of the thoughtfulness of my friend.—D.M.S.
Dr Stuart's friends are decidedly of opinion that the limitation of the capacity of the carriage was a wise and necessary precaution. At funerals and on other occasions it is quite a usual practice of his to dismiss his coachman and take up beside himself some one or other who in his opinion would be benefited by relief from walking. The following story is told of one of the Doctor's adventures:—Soon after the presentation of the carriage he was driving alone to North Taieri to preach for his friend Mr Sutherland. On his way across the Taieri Plain he overtook a man laboriously rolling a keg along the road. He drew up, and accosted the wayfarer somewhat as follows:—"My man, that is rather a hard job you are at. Could you manage to lift the keg up beside me? I shall be glad to take it along a bit." The offer was thankfully accepted, with a request to set the keg down at the road-side post-office. "Conceive my astonishment," said the Doctor, when speaking of this incident, "on being informed by the postmaster that I had assisted in conveying a barrel of beer for the use of a sly grog shop on the Otago Central Railway, then in course of construction, while under the delusion that it was a keg of winter butter!"—J.H.