THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Special presentation to Bible class minister

From the News Letter, March 6, 1916
Mountpottinger Presbyterian Church was the setting for a special presentation to the Reverend Robert Duff “the esteemed minister of the church and teacher of the Sunday afternoon Bible classes”, reported the News Letter this week in 1916.  Picture: GoogleMountpottinger Presbyterian Church was the setting for a special presentation to the Reverend Robert Duff “the esteemed minister of the church and teacher of the Sunday afternoon Bible classes”, reported the News Letter this week in 1916.  Picture: Google
Mountpottinger Presbyterian Church was the setting for a special presentation to the Reverend Robert Duff “the esteemed minister of the church and teacher of the Sunday afternoon Bible classes”, reported the News Letter this week in 1916. Picture: Google

Mountpottinger Presbyterian Church was the setting for a special presentation to the Reverend Robert Duff “the esteemed minister of the church and teacher of the Sunday afternoon Bible classes”, reported the News Letter this week in 1916.

The Rev Duff was presented with a Westminster chime clock as a token of appreciation from the students who had attended his Bible classes during the 1916 session.

The clock bore the following inscription: “Presented to the Rev Robert Duff by the members of his Bible class as a slight token of his valuable services as teacher and pastor. Session 1916.”

Mr Frederick Craig, who made the presentation to the Rev Duff, told how the minister’s classes had always proved very popular during the cold winter months but he personally thought the classes that were coming to an end that day had been the most successful to date.

He referred to the Rev Duff’s “careful and clear” teaching and remark on the amount of study and labour it entailed on the part of the minister.

The Rev Duff, he said, did more than teach he also took a personal interest in each one of his students ensuring that each Bible class afternoon was full of “brightness and pleasantness”.

Mr Craig also extended the students thanks to the Rev Duff’s daughters who’s “interest in the class was almost equal to that of their father’s”.

The Rev Duff told his students that he had been taken by surprise by the presentation but he said that he appreciated the gift.

He said that he always took a special interest in his students but that this interest was “realised” meant much to him.