Presbytery of Dunbar as a preacher of the Church of Scotland. He joined the party in the Church that seceded in 1843. He came to Otago in 1852, and fixed his residence at Half-way Bush. He connected himself with the First Church, and was soon elected to the eldership. He proved of much service to Dr Burns and the Church in those early days, and on urgent occasions conducted public worship at Dunedin, Port Chalmers, East Taieri, &c. He joined those who took the first steps for obtaining a second minister for Dunedin, partly in the interests of the city, and specially for the benefit of the suburban districts, which were becoming somewhat rapidly settled. He was selected along with Mr George Hepburn to form the temporary Session of Knox Church, with which both of them had connected themselves. Mr Hood was a man of few words, but he could be relied on for wise counsel and action. When the minister was sent to the country in the interests of Church Extension, Mr Hood, notwithstanding his retiring habits, was ready to provide the preaching with assistance from his fellow-elders in the devotional part of the service. When it was decided to form the Kaikorai congregation, Mr Hood and his household, from a sense of duty, identified themselves with it, and the surviving members are still on its roll, and are its earnest supporters. Mr Hood was called to his rest in March 1871.[1]
At a congregational meeting held on July 22, 1869, the Knox Church Missionary Association was formed for the following objects:—"To excite a spirit of greater earnestness and prayer on behalf of Christian missionary enterprise; to diffuse missionary intelligence among members of the congregation; and to raise funds in aid of the missionary schemes of the Presbyterian Church of Otago." The first ofiice-bearers were—Mr E. Smith, president; Mrs Glasgow, treasurer; Mrs J. Brown, Mrs Mackerras, Mrs J. Hislop, and Messrs J. Gillies, Gunn, and Rennie, members of committee. The Association is still in active operation, and has done a large amount of good work. Within
- ↑ The Wakari prayer meeting had a place in his heart, for whoever was absent, he and Mr Hepburn were ever in their places. Recalling now and again the prayer meetings of those early days, we find ourselves remarking that in point of attendance, life, and spirit, they "bore the gree." In those days the minister saw much of Mr Hood, and learned to hold him in the highest esteem for his strengthening sympathy and his meek and holy life. He was indeed a man without guile. He died after a brief illness, in the faith of the glorious Gospel. His name is inscribed on the tablet which the minister has placed in the new church in memory of the first elders of the congregation, who supported him by their counsel and their active cooperation.—D.M.S.
