LATE MR. GAMMELL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1939, 23 December 1913, Page 9

LATE MR. GAMMELL.

SIR U. STOUT'S TRIBUTE. A REMARKABLE MAN. '■''■An"oloqi!oi]t".li'ibiitfi was' paid to 'the memory of "the lato Mr. John Gaunnell by Sir-Robert Stout in an address at tlio Unitarian CiiurcJi on Sunday evening. ' ■ ■ ■After giving a short sketch of Ml. Gnmmeli's- career, Sir Robert 'Stout said:—."Ho was in many ways a rc'markablq man. . Ho was a distinguished scholar. ',-.••". His life, however, was

much more than tho lifo of the ' stu dent. 110 took no mean , part in somi of the conflicts of our social life. Whcr ever there was a fight for freedom, foi liberty, for progress, lie was found u tile ranks doing yeoman service foi what ho believed to bo the truth. Tt appreciate anyono's position \va must know something of one's history and descent, for rarely does 0110 belie these factors his life. By descent on his father's side, he came from the Covenanters who bled and died for the right to worship God as they pleased, without tho interference of Church or kmc;."

- Becoming a candidate for tho Congre* Rational ministry. i'i[r. Gammoll entered Nor College, in North London ; passed jus B.A. dearco with distinction, and entoml tho ministry of tlio Church. "Ho had, however," added Sir Robert Stout-, "not entered a haven of peace. Ho striilied and ho gained knowledge, find 110 enmo to tlio conclusion that lie could not. maintain his own self-rcspcct, and preach the doctrinefl nis congregation desired to hoar expounded. Midst storm and -stress he retired from tho ministry. Ho must follow truth wherever slio led." After his retirement, he bec-amo a Tlnitarian minister. _ Ho also took up tho t«acliiii2 profession, arid, about forty years ago, canio to New Zealand, and—"ho has never been idle when there was a defender required ta plead for tolerance and freedom," commented tho speaker. "All that I have said of him ii known of him by many. But all I have said will not reveal tli-o man. You had to com-e into personal touch with him to know him. His unswei'vins rectitudc, his kindness of heart, liis devotion to truth, impressed overy ono. who camo in contact with liini.' Ho never compromised his opinion to pleaso majorities or minorities. He uttered what h« believed to be, true, and lie did not think that tho highest typo of humanity was that which spsnt its timo in endeavouring to pleass the people. Ho thought tho type that should be revered was that which strove to ascertain tho truth and fearlessly proclaimed what was proved to be true. You. cannot, ho believed, remain a pood citiwu if you proclaim as true that which vou know to bo false, or that of which you are really ignorant. Notwithstanding this stern determination to proclaim his highest ideals, he was kind and considerate to. tlioso who saw the universe from a different point of view. He was free from bigotry or any sectional narrowness. . Ho lived the simnle life and died poor. Truth, wisdom freedom, love of friends—all these were his. I do not- think we can spt before our youths a nobler exemplar of. a good citizen than John Gammoll. j

"He loved New Zealand, awl he loved her institution.';. The secular school, with its. freedom from the clamour and noise of discordant creeds, was to him the Holy of Holies. Let us," concluded Sis* Robert Stout,-"keep green his memory bv helping our children to realise what a Slate should be—the oreanic institirtM iwtvdf is-wajw?'ty.-but of all. If tliev realise this, the State will never be the teacher of the religion of a ma-