ceeds of the church estate should be devoted by ParHament to the endowment of professorial chairs in the Otago University, years before the movement in favour of it was seriously taken up.[1] In Mr Gillies the Bible Society had a sure friend. To such institutions as Sabbath Schools, Bible classes, and Young Men's Associations he extended his sympathy and support. Under a somewhat stern exterior there lay a heart that devised liberal things for orphans and widows. To the penitent he was singularly tender and forbearing. Holding the Gospel to be the true remedy of many of our social and all our moral distempers, he laboured for its diffusion by tract, book, and the living preacher. In a word, in Mr Gillies religion, education, and philanthropy had an advocate who was liberal to self-denial."[2]
The following extract from their minutes shows the very high esteem in which Mr Gillies was held by his fellow office-bearers:— "The Session record their sense of the great loss the church has sustained by the death of Mr John Gillies. As the chief founder of the congregation, as Session clerk, and as elder, his services were manifold, valuable, and always cheerfully rendered. In every department of congregational work he took an active personal interest. He was, in fact, ever among the foremost in works of faith and labours of love. While loving his own church, the Session acknowledge with gratitude to God that their departed friend gave much time and thought to church extension, missions, and the Sustentation Fund. The Session express their sympathy with Mrs Gillies, and direct the clerk to send her a copy of this minute." The minute of the Deacons' Court is as follows:—"The Deacons' Court desire to thank Almighty God for having enabled and privileged the late Mr John Gillies to render many important services to this church. They also record their high appreciation of the intimate knowledge of church government which he possessed, of his marked efficiency and success as a member of the Court,
- ↑ In 1867, when the House of Representatives collected evidence on the best way for promoting the higher education, whether by scholarships tenable in the Home Country or by the establishment of a colonial university on a modest scale, I was asked to give my views on the matter. Before doing so I had the advantage of an evening's discussion of the subject with Messrs J. Gillies and E. B. Cargill. The committee having charge of the inquiry reported in favour of scholarships tenable only in the English universities. I strongly recommended the erection of a university with three or four Chairs to begin with. It was a signal gratification to the friends of the higher education in Otago that the Provincial authorities, led by Mr Macandrew, established the Otago University on the lines indicated by others as well as by myself.—D.M.S.
- ↑ Otago Daily Times.
