Page:History of Knox Church Dunedin.djvu/151

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OTWITHSTANDING the relief from ordinary duty secured to Dr Stuart by his trip to the Home Country, his office-bearers and more intimate friends felt persuaded that the strain put upon him by the carrying on single-handed of the arduous and multifarious labours of so large a pastoral charge, as well as the duties arising out of his position in the community, was much too heavy, and if persisted in would inevitably be attended with most serious results. This opinion was confirmed by the views expressed by Dr Stuart's medical advisers in Dunedin, and by eminent medical gentlemen in London, which were to the effect that, whilst it was desirable that he should not wholly retire from active duty, it was absolutely necessary that undue bodily and mental exertion should be carefully avoided. After much anxious consideration amongst themselves and consultation with the minister, it was resolved to bring the matter under the notice of the congregation, and to ask authority to obtain a suitable colleague for Dr Stuart. The proposal was unanimously agreed to by the congregation, and the sanction of the Presbytery and the Synod most cordially given. At a meeting held on February 7, 1889, it was resolved that the following memorandum should be forwarded to the Commissioners in the Home Country who had been appointed by the office-bearers and members for the purpose of selecting a suitable co-pastor:—

"1. The Rev. Dr Stuart, now in his 69th year, has been sole pastor of Knox Church since 1860, a period of 29 years. In the opinion of the office-bearers and the members of the congregation, and of Dr Stuart's medical advisers, the time has now fully come when permanent assistance in his pulpit and pastoral work ought to be obtained for him with the least possible delay. The office-bearers, with the full concurrence of the congregation and of Dr Stuart himself, have therefore, with the sanction of the Presbytery of the bounds,