Page:History of Knox Church Dunedin.djvu/86

56 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.

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