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THE REV. J. TITUS DEPARTURE…

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THE REV. J. TITUS DEPARTURE FROM PEMBROKE DOCK. Interesting Presentation. On Wednesday evening a large number of church people assembled at St. John's School- room, Pembroke Dock, i'or the purpose of wit- nessing a presentation to the Rev. J. Titus, who, after being for seven years senior curate at Pembroke Dock, was about to leave for Llan- dovery. The vicar (Rev. S. T. Phillips) pre- sided, and amongst others present were the Rev. Jason Thomas, Rev. Keble Williams,, Lieut. Bennett, Messrs. W. H. Harries, C. T. Davies, H. Hinchcliffe, G. H. Teesdale, H. G. Truscott, A. W. Smith, W. Joseph, G. Williams, Morse, etc. A letter was read from Mr. R. Thomas, one of the churchwardens, regretting his inability to be present. The Vicar said that the Committee who had I organised the testimonial to Mr. Titus had in- I sisted that he should be present that evening. I He need hardly say that if anything would I draw him out—though it was a long time since 1 he had attended an evening meeting—it was the { opportunity of wishing "Good-bye" to Mr. Titus and bearing testimony as to his good qualities. He should like it to go out that Mr. Titus left the parish with the hearty good wshes and sincere appreciation of the Vicar, with whom he had been working for the last seven years. When he said appreciation he did not mean that he was glad to see his back. What he meant was that during the time Mr. Titus had been with him, he had carved out for himself a very large place in his affections. Some years ago lie was sitting on a platform in the Church House in London at a very big gathering. A speaker got up and spoke. He waxed very eloquent and sawed the air with his arms. For some reason, though he knew the speaker's name well, his remarks did not appeal to him. He turned to a WelsfiShan on the platform and asked him in Welsh what sort of a man the speaker was. Tho reply was "papur llwydd" (brown paper). His idea of the man was at once formed. Some years ago when he was. looking for someone to come there the name of Mr. Titus was brought to his notice. He made an appointment to meet him at Swansea. Before he saw Mr. Titus he saw the same clergyman at a similar gathering of clergymen. As in London, he asked "What do you think of this man coming on," referring to Mr. Titus. The reply came "What do you want to know for?" He said, "I want to know," and the clergyman replied "ceffyl cart" (cart-horse). (Laughter). He thought, "This cart-horse is the man I should like working for me." They might have a hunter who would be full of sprint, but he might shy at a little bit of brown or white paper, but the cart-horse, when in the shafts, would pull and pull until he died. That was the man he wanted working with him. He wanted a man who, when there was work to do, would stick to it and would not give in. That had been the impression they must have received of Mr. Titus. It was plea- sant to look back after seven years upon the time in which Mr. Titus had been his fellow- worker. He did not believe very much in the man who could go into the pulpit and string words together to move the emotions of men, but he believed in the man who could tell the people things which they would not forget. He thought those who had been privileged to hear Mr. Titus would bear him out in this, they would not think of his eloquence but of his home truths. (Applause). He thought that many of these would be long remembered, and mentioning several instances of Mr. Titus's apt illustrations he said that they would not forget these in a hurry. Mr. Thomas in his letter had mentioned Mr. Titus's loyalty, and he could bear this statement out. Loyalty on the part of the assistant clergy was a very important thing. One man must be in charge and the others must help him to carry out his plans. The plans might be made as the re- sult of consultation, but once adopted the plans must be carried out, and if the assistant clergy were not loyal, it was almost impossible for Church work to be carried on in a parish. During the last seven years in spite of trouble and difficulty Mr. Titus had loyally carried out the plans which had been adopted. Naturally enough in his (the Vicar's) sickness and weak- ness, a great deal of responsibility had fallen upon Mr. Titus' shoulders, which would not have come to him if he had been as active as he used to be, but Mr. Titus had always been thoroughly loyal, and he had felt that he had someone whom he could trust to take his place. Next to loyalty in parish work was tact, and he thought they would all agree that Mr. Titus had been most tactful in his dealings. He did not suppose that anyone was able to think of a single instance where Mr. Titus had said anything that caused trouble. Mr. Titus was full of zeal and he loved his work. He had never yielded to the temptation to slacken work and had never required any spurring from him. He had never to tell Mr. Titus to do this or do that. He had always done it. (Applause). The Vicar then alluded to Mr. Titus's hobbies of gardening and wood-carving and said that he believed in a man with a fad, for by de- voting himself to that fad he kept himself out of mischief and was able to work all the better. One other thing he wished to say about Mr. Titus. There were some men who went about gassing and talking as if their lives de- pended upon it. They could not keep a secret and if they had an idea they must bring it out. But if ever they wanted to find the Sphinx out- side Egypt let them look at Mr. Titus. There were some things which had happened in the parish, which he had not told even him, and very often he (tho speaker) could see that Mr. Titus had something on his mind. but he would not let it off. The result was that the parish peace had been unbroken. Mr. Titus knew the golden rule of keeping his tongue still. He did not speak when he should not, but he was able to speak out when he ought to speak, and that was the great secret of his success there. He could only say that when Mr. Titus left for Llandovery he left behind a Vicar who did not know exactly what he should do without him, but wherever he went he would carry with him the good wishes of a large proportion of Pembroke Dock people. (Applause). He had with considerable interest, looked through the list of subscribers to the movement of getting a gift for Mr. Titus and it was a striking fact that over 220 persons in the parish had contri- buted towards the gift. In conclusion, the Vicar made some jocular remarks regarding some of these rumours thfit had been going round the parish with regard to Mr. approaching marriage, and said that despite the rumours Mr. Titus was not a married man yet. Mr. H. Hinchcliffe also spoke at length and said that Mr. Titus deserved everything the Vicar had said, though he did not agree with the Vicar that Mr. Titus was a mere cart-horse. If Mr. Titus had been a cart-horse they would find that lie would no: remain so. When he went to Llandovery and became a real Benedict he expected to see him speedily preferred. To go to an intellectual centre like Llandovery showed that Mr. Titus was confident of his own ability to carry him through, and if he had been the cart-horse at Pembroke Dock he was going to be something elke at Llan- dovery. (Applause). He congratulated Mr. Titus very much upon securing a post in a place like Llandovery. (Applause). Lieut. Bennett then made a few remarks and said that although he had only a short ac- quaintance with Mr. Titus, he should like to endorse what the other speakers had said, and he wished him long life, happiness, and pros- perity in his profession. Mr. W. H. Harries, ths people's warden, was the next speaker and he remarked that they all regretted that Mr. Titus was leaving, but their loss was Llandovery's gain, and he had no doubt that Mr. Titus' removal would lead to a speedy preferrment. After giving some inter- esting reminiscences of previous curates, of whom he said he remembered eighteen or twenty, he said that their friend had been as good, if not better tlvn any other gentleman they had had. They had ways found him kind-hearted, sympathetic, and unaffected, and these were grand qualities for a clergyman of the Church of EnglaTId. On behalf of the Church people of Pembroke Dock, he asked Mr. Titus to accept a silver tea and coffee ser- vice. and he felt that he was expressing the feelings of the congregation of the Parish Church of St. Teilo's Mission, when he said that they most sincerely hoped that he would live long to be able to carry ou that most noble, honourable, and glorious work as a minister of Christ's Church. (Applause). He then handed Mr. Titus the silver service, which bore the following inscription: "Present- ed to the Rev. John Titus, B.A., by the congre- gations of the Parish Church and St. Teilo's Mission. Pembroke Dock, as a token of good- will and esteem. Christmas, 1908." The T. Titus, upon rising to reply, was accorded musical honours. He said that lie thought this was the most difficult time he had ever had in his life. He wished it was the rule, as it was at some meetings, to take the minutes as read, to take his feelings as read also. It was not that lie had a great deal to say, but that he felt it rising in big lumps in his throat. The Vicar had told them that he was a silent man and spoks but very little, and that night he did not think he would de- stroy the reputation he had been given, by saying too much. He, however, did want to say something of the happ relations which had always existed between him and the Vicar ever since he had been in Pembroke Dock. When he left he should have only happy memories of the times he had worked with him and he did not wish for a better man as a superior, than he had had in him. He had always spoken his mind and had allowed him to speak his mind too, and they had got on very well together. With regard to the people of Pembroke Dock, he could only say he did not want to find a better congregation. When he wanted anything done he had always found them ready and willing to do it. That he had a pleasant feeling towards the people of Pem- broke Dock, was, he thought, shown by the selection he had made of a present to take away with him. He chose something that the should appreciate so long as he lived. (Ap- plause). He selected it as something which he felt would cheer him and which he would ap- preciate as long as he was in the world. It would always be before him to remind him of the happy days he had spent amongst them. He thanked them very much for this token of their respect and esteem, and he did not know that he deserved all the good things which had been said about, him. He felt like the Bishop of Stepney when he read the papers the day after he had been appointed Arch- bishop of York, and he felt that he did not know himself. (Laughter). He thanked them very much for what they, had said and what they had done. (Applause). Mr. H. G. Truscott moved a vote of thanks to the Vicar for taking the chair. This was seconded by Mr. A. W. Smith, and carried, and proceedings concluded with the singing of the National Anthem Dnring the evening solos were rendered by Mr. T. Allen. Mr. R. Thomas, and Miss Mar- jorie Hancock. A duett was given by the Misse3 K. MacDonald and Marjorie Hancock, and a gl-e "Simple Simon," by Messrs. T. Allen, T. Luly. G. Davies. J. Thomas, W. James and H. Greenland. WIoL-.

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LOST CHRISTMAS GREETINGS.

. INOTED JOURNALIST DEAD.

'CAPTAIX'S WALK ROUND THE…

BRIDE SHOT AT CHURCH DOOR.

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PEMBROKE BOARD OF GLARDIANS.

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