Page:History of Knox Church Dunedin.djvu/142

108 moved to the lowest depths of my soul by the declaration of a boy who came up to me in the street, saying, as he looked me in the face, 'Doctor, I pray for you,' and then hopped away like the blackbird in my garden after delighting me with its sweet carol. Having the prayers of our young men and children, I feel as if I could do any work which the Lord is pleased to require at my hands.

"Friends, we live in times when knowledge is flowing hither and thither with the force of the stream-tide. My counsel is to keep your eye on the old land-marks. Should God give you such a measure of illumination as to see some things more clearly than the fathers saw them, and thus necessitate a new setting, you may rest assured that at the right time He will also give the men and the means for the work. With the way of life open and utilised throughout its course, you will not allow yourselves to speak disrespectfully or disparagingly of the labours of men who worked as in the fire for the truth, and whose work has done much to rear successive generations of noble asserters and defenders of liberty, civil and religious. Every new ray of light thankfully receive; but don't overlook that those serve their generation best who 'do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.'

"Realising as I now do, and as I have often done, your surpassing kindness to me since I stepped on the shores of New Zealand in January 1860, and especially your great forbearance with me, notwithstanding blunders, failures, and worse in the work of the Christian ministry among you, I feel a gratitude which I camiot express, and I desire above all things—if permitted to resume work among you—to be eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, feet to the lame, hands to the weak,—in a word, the messenger and servant of Christ as He will give me opportunity. "Yours in the Lord, "."

Every Home mail brought letters from Dr Stuart, which were usually handed by the recipients to other members of the congregation, and were perused with great interest and pleasure. It afforded much gratification to his people and other friends to learn from these letters and other sources of information that Dr Stuart was received with the heartiest welcome and much consideration wherever he went, and that he was deriving much benefit and enjoyment from his visit to