Since the 1st of May the incumbency of St. John's Church has been vacant by the resignation of the Rev. W. H. Browne, L.L.D.; but during that month that gentleman continued to officiate until the appointment of a successor. The retirement of Dr. Browne as senior chaplain is an event in the history of the Church in Launceston, for doubtless there are few of the Church of England congregation but have in some manner been connected with St. John's Church and its aged pastor; and many of other religions have during its long history become associated with it. Dr. Browne's connection with the parish dates back to a period of upwards of forty years. On the decease of the Rev. Mr. Youl, a successor was sought for in England. In the meantime the Rev. Mr. Norman, who recently retired on a pension, arrived and supplied the vacancy at St. John's. After some delay in England, the Rev. W. H. Browne was appointed to the cure. Previous to his departure for Tasmania, the college of which he was a student, in order to mark their appreciation of his learning, bestowed upon him the degree of L.L.D. Shortly afterwards the rev. gentleman arrived in this colony, and took charge of the parish of St. John's, the Rev. Mr. Norman removing to Ross. During the long period since then Dr. Browne has continued to officiate, an interval only occurring a few years since, during which he visited Great Britain. Altogether Dr. Browne has been in the ministry 44 years, and at the present time has been the longest in office of any clergyman in Tasmania, his appointment dating back to last February, 40 years. During Dr. Browne's service two other parishes have been formed - those of Trinity, and St. Paul's - and many important changes have taken place in the Church.

The Government, on receiving the resignation of Dr. Browne, thus acknowledged his services in the "Gazette" :- "On the retirement of the Rev. William Henry Browne, L.L.D., from the Incumbency of St. John's, Launceston, the Government desires to record its high sense of the zeal exhibited by Dr. Browne throughout his long and arduous services in Tasmania."

On 25th ultimo, Dr. Browne entertained the teachers of the Sunday School, and the choir of the Church, at tea at his residence. Mr. A. Barrett, Superintendent of the school, presented the following address:-

Launceston, Tasmania,
25th May, 1868

To the Rev. W. H. Browne, L.L.D,
Launceston.

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, - On the occasion of your retirement from the pastorate of St. John's Church after a faithful servitude of forty years, we the undersigned officers and teachers of the Sunday School desire to assure you of our lasting esteem and affection. We are unable to recompence you for the benefits the school has received at your hands, for your kind counsel and advice, and for your teaching of God's Word in its evangelical purity. Your reward is on high, and we earnestly pray that it is for you - "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

Permit us in taking the inevitable affectionate farewell, to hope for yourself, Mrs. Browne and family the enjoyment of every happiness, and in the prospect of meeting again in a happier sphere, "where we shall sing with joy, and eternally employ in praising Christ the Lord."

We remain, reverend and dear Sir,
Faithfully and sincerely yours,

Abraham Barrett, Superintendent; James T. Peters, Secretary; Thomas Fuller, Treasurer; W. Horne, Librarian; Frederick Lakin, Visitor; - Geo. E. Boon, F. Claude H. Dean, W. B. 'I'regurtha, Rich. J. Tole, F. Thomas, C. A. Tregurtha, E. T. A. Fuller, Alfred John Peters, Elizabeth Stewart, Eliza Mathews, Laura E. Fuller., Emma Sanderson, Alice Smith, Maria Dean, Jessie Inall, Alice Wilson, Louisa Smith, Fanny Hunt, Agnes McArthur, Caroline Morris, Martha Boyle Lauder.

To the Superintendent, Officers, and Teachers
of St. John's Church Sunday School, Launceston.

My very dear friends,

It is with very great pleasure I receive your affectionate address and kind wishes for myself and family on the occasion of my retiring from the Chaplaincy of St. John's. I have long regretted that regard for the due performance of my church duties prevented me latterly from being so often with you on the Lord's day as I desired; but I have much gratification in the feeling that the Sunday School of St. John's is in so orderly, so healthy a condition as it is. I trust that my successor will be enabled to reside so near to the church and school as to be able at all times to give to them the benefit of that zeal, knowledge, and constant attention which the distance of my residence, combined with my waning strength, forbid. Be assured that I did and do feel a deep interest in your welfare; I am truly thankful that you appreciate my 'counsel and advice,' and my endeavor to 'teach God's word in its evangelical purity.' May no other doctrine be ever sounded in your ears than I have proclaimed for well nigh 40 years in St. John's, and 'may all the praise and glory be God's.'

With best wishes for your temporal and spiritual welfare,
I remain yours affectionately in the Lord.

(Signed) W. H. BROWNE

Launceston, Tasmania,

May 25th, 1868.
To the Rev. W. H. Browne, L.L D.

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, - Now that your long ministry at St. John's is about to close, and your connection with us as our pastor to cease, we, the organist and choir of St. John's, desire to convey to you an expression of our respect, and an acknowledgement if the kind consideration we have always received from you, since our connection with the church. We are glad to know that you have ever participated in our wish that the musical portion of the Church services should be rendered in a befitting manner, and although our efforts have not been so successful as could be desired, we have the satisfaction of knowing that the little we have been able to accomplish has received your approval.

We have now to ask your acceptance of the accompanying volume, which we present as a slight token of our respect, and which we trust will be valued by you, not for its intrinsic worth, but for the kindly feeling it is intended to convey.

In conclusion, reverend Sir, we desire to assure you that our best wishes will accompany you, Mrs. Browne, and family, into that retirement which your long service justly entitles you to, and we trust that the evening of your days may be spent in peace, and in the enjoyment of every blessing, temporal and spiritual, which it may please Almighty God to bestow upon you.

Thomas Sharp, Organist. - Annie Foster, Mary Jane Chick, Louisa Sharp, Agnes McArthur, Sarah Hunt, E. A. Wright, Fanny Jones, Louise Dean, Wm. Sharp, John Chick, William Chick, John Frost, John Wilson.

The volume presented was a handsomely illuminated edition of "The Spirit of Praise," illustrated by Dalziel, and bore the following inscription -

Launceston,
May 26th, 1868.

Mr. T. Sharp,
Organist of St. John's,
Launceston.

MY DEAR SIR, - When I offered my sincere thanks for the unexpected gift of the book presented to me last night by you and the choir of St. John's, I had no idea how very beautiful and appropriate it is. It contains many of my most loved hymns, and nothing can exceed the beauty of its engravings and illuminations. Tell the choir with my christian love that I will always keep their precious present near me as a source of instruction and comfort in my declining days; and a pleasant souvenir of our communion in the house of God - that I will hold it in my estimation next after my Bible and prayer book.

I am, dear Sir,
With much esteem,
Yours faithfully,

W. H. BROWNE.

Dr. Browne's connection with St. John's Church finally closed on 31st May, Whit Sunday, when he administered the Sacrament to an unusually large number of communicants. In the evening the Church was crowded as it seldom has been to hear his farewell sermon, which was preached from the 20th chapter of Acts, the 17th to the 33rd verses. His discourse was of an eloquent character and abounded with good advice to the congregation he was leaving. During the service two hymns were sung by the Sunday School children, and a collection of £9 13s. was made in aid of the school.

On 5th instant a deputation consisting of Alfred Harrap, Esq., J. M. Eddie, Esq., Richard Green, Esq., and B. W. Campion, Esq., waited upon the Rev. W. H. Browne, L.L.D., to present him with an address from his late congregation, on the occasion of his retiring from the chaplaincy of St. John's Church. Mr. Harrap (senior warden) presented the following address, during the reading of which he was very much affected -

Launceston, Tasmania,
28th May, 1868.

To the Rev. W. H. BROWNE, L.L.D.,
Launceston.

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR - We, the undersigned members of the congregation and parish of St. John's, on the occasion of your resigning the charge of this cure which you have held for nearly forty years, desire to express our most earnest wishes for the future prosperity and happiness of yourself and family. Few, if any, of the present congregation were here when you first took charge of this parish - many of us however, have a lively and grateful recollection of your early ministrations in the church, and the zeal and faithfulness with which you preached the truth as it is in Jesus, and now bid you farewell as our pastor with regret.

We all sincerely hope many years of happiness are in store for yourself and Mrs. Browne, and that God may bless you and your family with many blessings, is the sincere prayer of

Reverend and dear Sir,
Your sincere friends and well-wishers.

[Signed by 184 adult members of the Church and parish]

Launceston,
5th June 1868.

MY DEAR FRIENDS - I thank you for the address you have presented to me, and beg most heartily to reciprocate the kind wishes which it contains. I am thankful that you recognise my having 'preached the truth as it in Jesus,' for indeed "there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." I am not unconscious of my shortcomings and unworthiness in the sight of God, but can assure you that I have ever earnestly prayed that He, who can work His will alike by the weakest as by the most powerful instrumentality, would bless my feeble efforts for your good, and I will not cease to do so that He may graciously more abundantly bless the labors of my successor in the parish, for your growth in grace and to the promotion of God's glory. Once more "I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified."

Yours sincerely in the Lord,
W. H. BROWNE.

To the members of the congregation
and parish of St. John's, Launceston.

The Board of Patronage appointed for the cure of St. John's (consisting of the Revs. Alfred Stackhouse, H. P. Kane, and Dr. Valentine, and Messrs. R. Green, B. W. Campion, R. Q. Kermode, and E. Gaunt) met on 1st instant to appoint a successor to Dr. Browne. Nothing, however, was done in the matter, and the meeting was adjourned for a month.