IN MEMORIAM.

The West Australian, 17 April, 1912.

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST. ANDREW'S.

ADDRESS BY THE REV. A. S. C.

JAMES.

Last night, in St. Andrew's Church, the

Presbyterian denomination held a special

service in loving memory of "their dear 

departed dead" who were on board the 

Koombana. The church was almost entirely 

filled. Those who officiated at the service 

were the Revs. A. S. C. James, A. McCarlie, 

Taylor, and Crow. The choral part of the 

service was rendered by St. Andrew's Choir, 

and Mr. Chandler presided at the organ. 

The service was held in memory of the

late Mr. Robert W. Main, who was proceeding 

north upon a mission connected with

the aborigines, with which he had been

entrusted by the Church.

In the course of an address the Rev. A.

S C. James paid many warm tributes to

the man who for many years had been one

of the pillars of the Church in Western 

Australia. Mr. Main was, the son of a 

Presbyterian minister and bore in his

character many of the qualities of his

revered father. As a church worker

in many capacities, Mr. Main had 

rendered invaluable service, and as a man

his life had been beyond reproach. He did

not work in the limelight of.the public gaze.

He rather performed his work in a quiet

and unassuming manner that earned for him

the respect of all with whom he came in

contact. He was indeed true mettle all

through. He was solid and reliable in all

that he undertook, his ear was ever open to

the call of duty, and what he did he did

with all his might. In St. Andrews, in 

Kalgoorlie,in West Perth he would long be

remembered for his faithful and loyal 

services and for his love for the church. It

must not be forgotten that it was in obedience 

to the call of the Church that Mr. Main had set 

out upon the journey from which, alas, there 

had been no return. A difficulty had arisen in 

connection with the Nor'-West mission to the 

aborigines, and the Church needed someone 

to represent her in that work and to accompany 

an exploring party, the object of which was 

to determine the best site for the mission. 

"The committee immediately thought of Mr. 

Main, whose judgment, whose life, whose 

experience, and whose thoroughness so 

entirely, fitted him for the work. It was felt 

that in every way he was the man that was 

marked out for the duty. When Mr. Main freely 

and cheerfully accepted the task every man 

on the committee felt that the work was as 

good .as done, and were really thankful that 

he expressed such willingness to go. But 

matters had been ordered otherwise than they

had hoped for. So it was that another good 

man had died in the direct service of the 

Church and given his life for his religion. 

They honoured his memory and revered 

it, and would treasure it in their hearts for 

many a long year to come. It was hard at 

such a time to comfort his sorrowing relatives, 

but he could only say that the deceased 

gentleman was surely with the Lord, and 

that though it had been found fit to take him 

from amongst them they had the knowledge 

that he had lived his life as a God-fearing man, 

and in such, a manner as to provide an 

evergreen example for others.

THE RELIEF FUND.

The Perth Hebrew .Social and Literary

Society will give a social and dance on

Saturday, the 27th, inst.; and the whole of

the proceeds will be donated to the 

Koombana relief fund. The dance will take 

place in Prince's Hall, Brisbane-street, which 

has been kindly lent for the occasion by the

committee of the Perth Hebrew Congregation.


Courtesy Trove.