MORALITY OF SOLDIERS

Evening Star, Issue 16089, 14 April 1916, Page 6

MORALITY OF SOLDIERS

.t. R.F.V. MR GOW'S RESIGNATION ACCEPTED. A commission appointed bv the Waikato Presbytery conferred on Tuesdav last with the congregation and session of St. Andrew's Church. Hamilton, with regard tho resignation of the Rev. A Gow. The commission met the session the previous afternoon, when the session reluctantly concurred iu the resignation, and decided lo place- no obstacle in the way. At the congregational meeting a motion that Mr Gow be asked to reconsider his resignation was received with tokens of approval, but was withdrawn at Mr Gow's request. Another motion concurring in the finding of the, session was adopted unanimously. Mr Gow gave reasons for the step he had taken in an open letter to the congregation as follows : 1. Hamilton was an important militarv centre, and recent unjust attacks upon him had shaken confidence in him. Itwould take a long time to re-establish himself in an important sphere, and his work would be marred. 2. There was a divided session, four elders having resigned. If the ruling of the court was out of harmonv it would be impossible to meet difficulties ahead. In a further statement Mr flow denied haying reflected on the whole bodv of the Mam Expeditionary Force. He admitted reading an article in the 'Outlook,' but did not believe the author meant the whole body. He gave the charges made against him an unequivocal, straight-out. flat denial. The remainder of The *e<sion resigned in sympathv with the minister, but will continue in office until a settlement is effected, when their resignations take effect, to enable, the congregation to elect a fre<h court confidence. '" The meeting throughout was tactfully handled, and notliing unseemly occurred.' Sergeant-major Purdom reiterated his denials of the truth of the 'Outlook' mtiele, and championed the cause of the clubs. He considered that, the minister's strictures were unfair. The Moderator said he considered the Lev. Mr Gow and Air Purdom were both sincere, but took different viewpoint* He advrsed each to regard the subject from tno_ others view, and un/ed the congregation to follow in the "path.* of peace and work iu the common cause.