JOHN WHITELEY.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 3647, 2 December 1918, Page 4

JOHN WHITELEY.

A FAMOUS AUCKLANDER

The death of Mrs J. McElwain, ono of the five daughters of the wellknown early pioneer missionary, John AA r hiteley, recalls a very, old story regarding one side of her great father's character. In some respects he was as ascetic as a cloistered monk, as was the case when he shut himself up for weeks studying some special Biblical subject. _ At other times he was as bold as a lion, and this was never more clearly shown than in the manner of his death. J

! He had gone out to the White Cliffs to hoid a service, and had almost reached the redoubt when he was told by the natives, who were in possession, that if he did not go back he would be shot. He refused to do so and pressed on. A volley was fired, and Mr Whiteley fell dead. But there was another side to his character, and that was the humourous side. A clergyman who had just arrived from England and who had never been on horseback in his life, pleaded with' Mr Whiteley to take him one Sunday afternoon to a faraway out-station at which service was to be held. The missionary knew the difficulties of the situation but, borrowing a quiet old horse, the newcomer was put on, and they set out. When they reached the place of worship the new arrival assisted at the service.

Just as he was in the middle of reading a chapter of the Scriptures, the ludicrous figure he cut on horseback a short time before so took possession of Mr Whiteley's mind that he had to leave the church and find relief in a spontaneous fit of laughter, which could be heard within the building. "If I had not got that outburst out," said the missionary, in telling the story, "I should have burst."