The Address
Rev. and Dear Sir, deeply sensible of the debt of gratitude
we owe to you, first as individuals for your concern for our spiritual welfare,
secondly as members of society for your anxious care for the religious
instruction of the young of our township, we cannot but feel towards you the
strongest sentiments of regard.
Whilst, therefore, we sincerely congratulate you upon your
recent preferment, we cannot but feel and deeply regret the loss of
your valuable services.
We avail ourselves of this favourable opportunity of
testifying to you, in a sincere and humble manner, the affection and gratitude
we shall ever entertain towards you, not only in your high office as an
appointed minister of Christ, but also for your untiring zeal, your valuable
counsel, your excellent example and unvarying kindness.
Permit us therefore to request you to accept with this
address the accompanying present, small in value but appropriate as a token of
our regard to a saviour's undying love and as a token of our earnest wishes for
your temporal and spiritual happiness.
We would not omit to notice on this occasion the marked
difference and great improvement in the children of the schools, not only as
regards their manners and general behaviour but also, and especially in their learning
and intellectual attainments. Without any reference to our own humble
endeavours we cannot be blind to the increased desire manifest in the
children's dispositions for learning and the gratifying amount of useful and religious
knowledge they have accumulated during your sojourn amongst us, which we can
only attribute to your untiring zeal and active exertions on their behalf.
That God will condescend to water with the best dews of his
heavenly blessings all your labours past and future, is the sincere prayer of
your affectionate friends.
The Teachers Of The Guiseley Sunday Schools".
Image courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives, research by Edwy Harling.