History of Knox Church Dunedin/Chapter 15
CHAPTER XV.
In Memoriam: Mr A. T. Stuart—Mr G. Hepburn—Dr Stuart's Tablet in memory of first elders—Mr R. Gillies.
DR STUART was called upon in the inscrutable Providence of God to undergo a most grievous and heavy trial in the sudden and unexpected removal by death of his second son, Alexander Thomas, a young man of large promise, and richly endowed with natural talents. This sad event occurred on July 6, 1883, at the early age of 27 years, and excited a strong feeling of sympathy with the bereaved father throughout the entire community. The Session passed the following resolution on the occasion:—"The Session desire to place upon record their deep and heartfelt sympathy with Dr Stuart in the unexpected death of his son, Alexander Thomas, and sincerely trust that all the consolations of our Christian religion may bear him and his family up under such a trying bereavement." The following is the resolution of the Deacons' Court on the same occasion:—"The Deacons' Court of Knox Church desire to place on record an expression of their deep and heartfelt sympathy with Dr Stuart in the painful bereavement which he has sustained by the death of his son; and, whilst this feeling is shared by them both individually and in their collective capacity, they would express the hope that he may be sustained in his bitter sorrow by Him who alone can minister comfort and support, and that the consolation which our pastor has so often ministered to others may be abundantly vouchsafed to himself. The Court would also express the hope that Dr Stuart may long be spared to go in and out amongst us, and that the trials which have fallen to his lot may increasingly fit him for a continuance of the many labours of love and benevolence which devolve upon him as a Christian minister."
In December 1883 the congregation was called on to mourn the loss of Mr George Hepburn, the last survivor of the original members of Knox Church Session, who departed this life at the ripe age of 81 years.
George Hepburn was a native of Leslie, in Fifeshire, where he spent his earlier years. When still a young man he began business as a merchant in Kirkcaldy, where he devoted much of his spare time to Sabbath School teaching and works of Christian benevolence. He was ordained an elder of the Church of Scotland in the congregation then under the pastorship of the late Dr Alexander, and, along with his minister and nearly all his people, joined the Free Church at the Disruption in May 1843. Having elected to join the Otago company of settlers, he arrived at Dunedin in 1850, and took up his residence at Wakari. He was for a short time in the employment of Messrs James Macandrew and Co., and afterwards joined his brother-in-law, the late Mr James Paterson, forming the well-known firm of James Paterson and Co., general merchants. He was member of the Otago Provincial Council for the Wakari district for a number of years; and he also represented the district of Roslyn in the General Assembly for some time.
Soon after his arrival at Dunedin Mr Hepburn was inducted into the eldership of the First Church, and, as already stated, he was afterwards one of the founders of Knox Church, His long and intimate connection with the congregation, and his manifold Christian labours, are fully set forth in the following minute of the Kirk Session:—"On the 9th day of December, 1883, Mr George Hepburn, member and elder of the congregation, departed this life, full of years and in the faith of the Gospel. The Session record their grateful appreciation of his services to this church from its foundation. He was a member of the committee appointed in 1859 to collect subscriptions for the erection of a second Presbyterian church and manse in Dunedin, to procure suitable sites and plans, and to proceed with both buildings with the least possible delay. He was also a member of the interim Session of Knox Church, and by election one of the regular Session which was constituted in 1860, and in that office ably and cheerfully laboured for the prosperity of the congregation till his death. In his own district he took a deep personal interest in the progress of education and religion—visiting the sick, and serving as chairman of its School Committee and superintendent of its Sabbath School. In him church extension, the sustentation of the ministry, and every plan of Christian usefulness had an untiring supporter. His services to the Sabbath School here and in his native land extended over sixty-five years, and neither age nor infirmity abated his interest in that important institution. To him the words of the apostle are applicable—'Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.'"
Dr Stuart being desirous of showing in a permanent form his affectionate regard for the memory of his departed counsellors and friends who were first associated with him in the eldership of Knox Church, obtained permission from the Deacons' Court in 1884 to place a memorial tablet in the church for this purpose. It is a gracefully-designed marble slab, let into the wall at the left-hand side of the pulpit platform, inscribed with the words:—
ERECTED
BY
THE FIRST MINISTER OF THIS CHURCH,
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF
WILLIAM CARGILL
ROBERT HOOD
JOHN GILLIES
JAMES WILKIE
GEORGE HEPBURN
Who as Friends were Wise and Sympathetic, and
as the first Elders of the Congregation,
able in Counsel and Unwearied in
Works of Faith and Labours
of Love.
"BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE
IN THE LORD."
A.D. 1884.
Mr Robert Gillies, another well-known and useful citizen, and a member and former deacon of Knox Church, passed quietly away to his rest on June 15, 1886, at the comparatively early age of fifty years, leaving a widow and eight children to mourn his loss. His early death (from aneurism of the heart) for which he was long prepared, was deeply regretted by a large circle of friends, who knew his generous nature and his many good qualities.
Robert Gillies, third son of the late John Gillies, was born at Rothesay, Isle of Bute, on July 31, 1836. After passing with credit through the school of his native town, he entered the University of Glasgow in 1851 with a view to qualify for one of the learned professions; but on his father resolving to emigrate to Otago he gave up his college studies and spent the earlier part of 1852 in learning farming. He arrived at Dunedin with his father and family in October 1852, being then in his seventeenth year. For some time he worked on the family farm of Riversdale, Tokomairiro, and about the year 1857 obtained an appointment under the late Mr J. T. Thomson, in the Provincial Survey Department. He left the Provincial Government service in 1860, and in the following year joined the late Mr C. H. Street in establishing the firm long and well known as "Gillies and Street, land and estate agents," &c. The highly favourable times, the ability and intelligence of the two partners, and their high character for probity, soon secured for them a prosperous business. In 1876 Mr Walter Hislop, who had been in their employment from the outset, was admitted a member of the firm, which was then known as that of "Gillies, Street, and Hislop." On Mr Street's retirement in 1878 the business was carried on by the two remaining partners until 1884, when the firm amalgamated with that of Connell and Moodie, and both were incorporated under the designation of "The Perpetual Trustees, Estate, and Agency Company of New Zealand," now under the management of Mr Walter Hislop.
While attending assiduously to his own business, Mr Gillies took an active part in the promotion of enterprises having for their object the public good and the development of the resources of the colony, with the result that he became one of the leading business men of Dunedin. He was mainly instrumental in forming the Dunedin Waterworks Company, of which he was a director; and he took an active part in the formation of the Mosgiel Woollen Factory Company, of which he was a director until his death. He was the founder and liberal supporter of the Patients' and Prisoners' Aid Society, and rendered generous aid to other public organisations. A friend who was intimately acquainted with Mr Gillies's affairs has stated that very few had any conception of his numerous private benefactions, in regard to which he was ever anxious to act in accordance with the spirit of the Master's injunction, "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." Scientific research had great attraction for him. He took a prominent part in the formation and the earlier management of the Otago Institute; he was much interested in the observations of the transit of Venus made in New Zealand some years ago, and fitted up a large and valuable observatory at his new residence, which he named "Transit House." The library left by him contains probably one of the most extensive and valuable collections of high-class books of any private library in the colony.
Mr Gillies in course of time found himself in a position to devote a large portion of his time and attention to public affairs, and resolved to seek admission to Parliament. He succeeded in being returned as representative for the Bruce district in 1882. He served in Parliament for one session, and, by his application to public business, his extensive and intimate acquaintance with the history and circumstances of the colony, and his good debating powers, gave promise of much future usefulness as a public man. But his career was cut short by serious illness, which compelled him to withdraw from pubhc life, and to a large extent from business of any kind.
Mr Gillies was one of the first band of Knox Church Sabbath School teachers, and was chosen a deacon by the congregation in 1862. He proved an energetic and useful office-bearer, and gave valuable assistance in the promotion of various important agencies of the church. He took a leading part along with Mr C. H. Kettle and others in the formation and management of the Dunedin Young Men's Society; and in July 1865 he was associated by the Deacons' Court with Messrs R. Chisholm and W. S. Glasgow as a committee to take the preliminary steps for the formation of a Young Men's Christian Association in connection with Knox Church, He held the office of vice-president for about four years, and did much to advance the usefulness and success of the Association. In the same year he was associated with Dr Stuart and Dr Hislop in organising the evening classes for boys in the North Dunedin School, and about the same time he was appointed with Mr Glasgow and Dr Hislop to procure from Home the first instalment of books for the congregational library, which he and the Young Men's Association were largely instrumental in founding. Mr Gillies also took an active part in the establishment of the congregational Missionary Society, and was president and member of the committee for some time. While a warm and liberal supporter of general missionary enterprise, he took a special interest in the New Guinea mission, and maintained intimate intercourse for a number of years with the Rev. Mr Macfarlane of that mission. He resigned the deaconship of the church in 1869, but continued to take an active interest in congregational aifairs, and was a member of the first building committee. With the exception of a short interval he maintained his connection with Knox Church, and was a regular attendant with his family at its public services as long as the state of his health permitted.
The writer of this History spent fully an hour with Mr Gillies on the last evening of his life, when neither of them had any idea that the end was so very near. His conversation was particularly interesting and instructive. He spoke as one who was prepared for death. He said, among other things, that he had in former times been much troubled with doubts and perplexities, but now these had all been removed, and he was able to rest with implicit confidence upon Christ and His salvation as revealed iii the Bible. He spoke with a degree of sadness and pathos of the pitiable condition in which large numbers of the human family were sunk, both in our own colony and in other lands, and gave expression to some thoughts he had been revolving in his own mind as to the agencies by which something might be done for their moral, social, and physical elevation. He also made suggestions regarding some improvements that he considered necessary in the management of our educational institutions. He spent the remainder of the evening with his family, and retired to rest much the same as usual. Next morning he expired without the slightest appearance of a struggle. Like other people, Mr Gillies was not without his failings, but these were very largely redeemed by noble and estimable qualities. Those who knew him best loved and esteemed him most.[1]
- ↑ I received many kindnesses from Mr R. Gillies—among others the following:—On the sixteenth anniversary of his marriage he was deeply impressed with the unbroken peace of his wedded life. He resolved, Mrs Gillies concurring, to ask me to take at their hands £100, to be used for any object I liked, but with a clear indication that they would be gratified if I used it for personal objects. I was specially charged not to give publicity to the matter. I obtained their sanction to devote the handsome gift to benevolent objects, congregational and general.—D.M.S.