ones, he contented himself with ascending a neighbouring hill and giving expression to his feelings in prayer.[1] The outcome was that I was asked by the Church Extension Committee to visit Clyde and help to put matters right. I did so, and arrived at the conclusion that my friend, though learned and good, had not the smeddum nor the faith for the efficient discharge of the office of vagum ministerinm. He returned with me to Dunedin, and became seriously ill. Mrs Sutherland, of the Highland Home, nursed him back to health, when he transferred himself and his ministry to another field. I entertained great respect for him, but could not help seeing that he was not the man nor the minister for a young settlement.
The Clyde people being still anxious for a minister, we were able to send them a young man who had come across from Victoria. This, was Mr Charles Stuart Ross, who, coming under powerful religious influences, demitted his situation in a Victorian bank, went to Scotland, and passed through the undergraduate course at Aberdeen. He returned to Victoria for his theological course, and had the advantage of studying under the Rev. Dr Dykes, then in Australia, but now Principal of the Theological College of the English Presbyterian Church. Mr Eoss brought me a remarkable certificate from Dr Dykes, and, on my reporting his arrival, Dr Copland, then minister at Lawrence, strongly urged his being sent to Clyde, and promised to take him there. He was licensed in due course, and was ordained minister of Clyde and Alexandra. He took no notice of the ways of the diggers, but set himself to preach the Gospel, with the result that to a large extent the Sunday trading vanished like the mist of the morning. Mr Ross did noble work in connection with the Church of Otago at Clyde and outfield, at Riverton and outfield, and at Anderson's Bay. He has found time to write the "Chronicles of the Otago Church and Settlement," "Education and Educationists in Otago," and a very able book on the "Early Colonisation of Victoria." A tendency to bronchial affection induced him some years ago to transfer his able ministry to that land of the sun; and at Skipton he exercises it with
- ↑ It is said he never preached, though he was resident in the district for some months. He was scandalised by the Sunday trading which went openly on. "He was really a good man," said an excellent member of the church, "and used to go up to the top of the hill and wrestle with God." "He should have gone down among the people," replied with characteristic energy the convener of the Church Extension Committee [Dr Stuart], "and wrestled with the devil too!"—Rev. C. S. Ross's "Story of the Otago Church."
