THE LATE REV. J. M. MARSHALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12782, 1 October 1903, Page 9

THE LATE REV. J. M. MARSHALL.

What those "who knew him well.thought of the late Rev. J. M. Marshall, whose untimely death ia generally regretted, may be judged by tho following contribution to the Auckland Star by "Canterbury College":—"He was physically and mentally one of the best alli round men I ever saw, end, though there may ; have been some of his acquaintances who did j not appreciate or understand him, I never wet anyone who did not respect him. He was a quiet mm, not given to hasty speech, but with* a wonderful fund of vitality and energy behind , his reserve, and nothing lft3s than this couid 1 have pulled him through the immense amount of physical and intellectual work that he crowded into his life. He gained high academical honours here. He won Junior and Senior University Scholarships, took his B.A. degree in 1869, and his M.A. the next year with a double class. But all the time he was reading for his examinations and playing an active part in collego life he was doing enough athletics i to satisfy three ordinary men. He was per- j sistent, cool, and resolute, and no man ever : triod' harder at overylhing he undertook. As a footballer he was one pf tho best centre three* i quarters that every played is the colony—a I fine kick, a deadly tackle, and a clever but ua- ; selfish icorer. I doubt if any team in New Zealand ha 3 ever given go fine an exposition of the ' four three-quarter gam-*' as the Canterbury College Fifteen of 1888 .to 1890, when Marshall was at his best. At lawn tennis he was twice champion of the colony; and here, again, he had no special adaptation to the game but his courage and strength. He beat tho invincible | Minden Fenwiok in 1890; and again, by sheer pluck and energy, in 1896 ho won the championj ship ironi H. A. Parker, the most brilliant j player the colouy has yet produced. At*cricket | Marshall Buffered from lack of opportunity; but at "Wanganui, and wherever else he played, j he was known as one of the finest bats in the j colony. But all this meant a constant strain | upon him, and, in spito of his fine physique, his constitution was far from sound. In 1889 j I ho played into the final round of the Tennis I Championship at Dunedin, and collapsed on I tho last day, and was seriously ill for many ; weeks. It would give a very false impression j of tho man to imply that his be9t energies were | devoted to athlotics. After completing his ! university course here he went Homo to Cambridge, and kept terms there. When he came back from Cambridge he became form master at Christ's College, Christchurch, and his personal force of character and his devotion to duty, combined with his pioweso at football and cricket, left a deep impression upon all the boys who came under his charge. "When ho removed to Waaganui to teach and officiate as chaplain in his own old school, ho took up athletics again as enthusiastically as ever, and it was owing to his exertions "tbwfc tho WuEgtmui Collegiate ScKopl lies attained its

present pre-eminence on the football field. Bn( everywhere ho went ha left the mark of a strong, resolute man, inspired by high ideals, and devoted to any and every form of duty that came in his way. Another sovero illness a fow iscekl ago compelled him to stop work for the time; and then camo the final tragic mystery. I knew him in many different capacity;, and I am glad to put on record my respect and admiration for a man who in all the years I know him never did anything unworthy of the best traditions of British athletios aid British university life, nor anything inconsistent with the high and sacred calling that he had chosen."