IN MEMORIAM

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8612, 24 December 1913, Page 6

IN MEMORIAM

LATE JOHN GAMMELL AN ADDRESS BY SIR ROBERT STOUT. Tho following is the text of an InMcmoriam address delivered at the Unitarian Church, Ingestro street, on Sunday evening last by Sir Robert Stout, at a special service in memory of the late Mr John Gammell. Sir Robert Stout said: “Wo have mot here to recall the great loss that this community, this church, and many of us personally, have sustained by the- death of John Gammell. The other day he was with us and we hoped he might long be with us, to meet us, and help us, and now his chair is vacant. “He was in many ways a remarkable man. Ho was a distinguished scholar. As a linquist, ho knew Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, and German, and ho studied Assyrian and made himself acquainted with the Babylonian Records in tho Cuneiform inscriptions. I need not toll you of his mastery of his native tongue. His ability to state succinctly, but in luminous language, his views and criticisms is known to all who have had the pleasure of listening to his lectures. Ho was well versed in history, and his knowledge of literature was extensive. His learning was not confined to literature. Ho was a mathematician and a student of science. In his university, that of London, ho distinguished himself in theology. Up to the last he was a keen critic of the theological critics of the Old and New Testament. “His life, however, was much more than the life of the student. He took no moan part in some of tho conflicts of our social life. Wherever there was a fight for freedom, for liberty, for progress, ho was found in the ranks doing yeoman service for what ho believed to bo the truth. To appreciate ahy one’s position, wo must know something of one’s history and for rarely does one belie these factors of his life. By descent on his father’s side ho came from the Covenanters, who bled and died for the right to worship God as they pleased, without tho interference of Church or King. His father was from Ayrshire, and many of his forebears had done some service for the State. One of his uncles was the surgeon on the man-of-war that took Napoleon to Elba. In religion, his father was a Congregationalist, and his mother a member of the Church of England. His mother was a native of London, and ho himself was born in that greatest of cities. He was baptised in his mother’s church. Becoming a candidate for the Congregational ministry, he entered New College in North London, being at the time a student of the London University. There were many distinguished teachers in the New College. Two may be mentioned, Professor William Smith, a great classic, and Professor Lankester, the father of the wellknown Professor Ray Lankester. Just prior to his entering New College, there had been much excitement because of tho appearance of heresy in its domain. Perhaps the events that caused excitement then would pass unnoticed now. The views of our Congregational friends have undergone some change. He passed his B.A. degree with distinction, and entered the ministry of his church. He had, however, not entered a haven of peace. He studied, and he gained knowledge, and he came to the conclusion that he could not maintain his own self-respect and preach the doctrines his congregation desired to hear expounded. The storm and stress he retired from the ministry. Ho must follow truth wherever she led. After his retirement he became a Unitarian minister, and he also took up the teaching profession. He went to tho United States and taught in New York and California, and also lectured there. About forty years age he came to New Zealand and he has been a teacher and an Inspector of Schools. Ho was inspector in Southland and in Westland. Ho has helped our intellectual life by many illuminating and scholarly lectures and pamphlets. ■ His pen has never been idle when there was a defender required to plead for tolerance and freedom. He sought not for pleasure, nor for riches. He lived the simple life, and he died poor. The riches he desired were knowledge and wisdom, and these he got. And these are above rubies. “ His life is of more value to us than it was to him. Is it not an example that we might follow ? Can you compare any patent of nobility with the attainment of knowledge, of wisdom, of freedom, of truth? And if you add to them the love and reverence of friends, have you not obtained the highest happiness? Our friend had all these gifts. “ I do not think we can set before our youths a nobler exemplar of a good citizen than John Gammell. “ To speak of his private conversations, tho thousands that during tho past nigh forty years I have had with him is impossible. But I may be pardoned if I refer to the last talk I had with him about a fortnight before his death. He was weak, and he was suffering much from his trouble. He said tho messenger of death had left to call on him, but he seemed to have missed his way. He had no fear of tho future. Like Socrates, he thought no evil could befall a good man, whether ho be alive or dead. His attitude was that of the Hindu poet Tagore, who said : “ ‘The flowers have been woven and the garland is ready for the bridegroom. After the wedding the bride shall leave her home and meet her lord alone in the solitude of night. “ ‘I know that the day will come when my sight of the earth shall be lost, and life will take its leave in silence, drawing the last curtain over my eyes. Yet stars will watch at night, and morning rise as beforehand hours heave like sea waves casting up pleasures and pains.’ “If he had addressed us, I think he might have used tho same words as the Hindu poet I have quoted has used : “ ‘I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers 1 I how to you all and take my departure. “ ‘Here I give back the keys of my door—and I give up all claims to my house. I only ask for last kind words from you. “ ‘We were neighbours for long, and I received more than 1 could give. Now the day has dawned, and the lamp that lit my dark comer is out. A summons has come, and I am ready for my journey. At this time of my parting wish me good luck, my friends! The sky is flushed with the dawn and my path lies beautiful. ... I start on my journey with empty hands and expectant heart. ... I have no fear in my mind. The evening star will come out when

my voyage is done, and the plaintive notes of tho twilight melodies he struck up from the King’s gateway.’ “Wo who know him will never whilst memory lasts forget him. May we bo able to walk in his ways. May we preserve those things in our government and our life he deemed dear. And may tho time never come when a. majority shall use its powers to punish a minority because of a difference of- religious belief. If that time is to come, it is well he hits passed atvay, for such a reversion to the evil times of past ages would have broken his heart. He loved New Zealand, and he loved our institutions. Tho secular school, with its freedom from the clamour and noise of discordant creeds, was to him tho Holy of Holies. Ho often dreaded that our young people, ignorant, and having had no experience of the evil that State religion has ever wrought wherever it has been in existence, might follow tho load of reactionary dogmatists and destroy our free, secular-, and compulsory education system. Let us keep green his memory by helping our children to realise what a State should be—tho organic institution, not of a majority, but of all. If they realise this the State will never bo the teacher of the religion of a majority- “ Ail that I have said of him is known of him by many. But all 1 have said will not reveal tho man. You had to come into personal touch with him to know him. His unswerving rectitude, his kindness of heart, his • devotion to truth impressed everyone who came in contact with him. Ho never compromised his opinion to please majorities or minorities. Ho uttered what ho believed to bo true, and ho did not think that the highest typo humanity was that which spent its time in endeavouring to please tho people. He thought the type that should be revered was that which strove to ascertain the truth and fearlessly proclaimed what was proved to bo true. You cannot, he believed, remain a good citizen if you proclaim as true that which you know to be false, or that of which you are really ignorant. “Notwithstanding this stern determination to proclaim his highest ideals he> was kind and considerate to those who saw tho universe from a different point of view. He was free from bigotry or any sectional, narrowness. ‘‘He hath battled for the right Be hath won the unfading crown. "Mom'ries all -too bright for tears Crowd around us from tho pact. Faithful toiled he to the last, Faithful through unflagging years. "All that -makes for ■ human good. Freedom, righteousness, and truth. Objects of aspiring youth. Firm to ago he still pursued. ‘‘Kind and gentle was this soul. Yet it glowed with glorious might; Filling clouded minds with light. Making wounded spirits whole. “Dying, he can never die! Toi tho dust his dust wo give; In our hearts his heart shall lire; Moving, guiding, working aye.”