THE FIGHTING PARSON.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1915, Page 9

THE FIGHTING PARSON.

These verses appeared in the Spectator, "In Memoriam; Lieutenant Frederick Edward Hulton Sams, Athlete, Priest, and Soldier." Mr. Sams, a Trinity man, worked, it will be remembered, as a Bush Brother in Queensland for five and a-half years, and was widely known as the "fighting parson" from his fondness for and patronage of boxing. He was a champion boxer at Cambridge, and on at least one occasion acted as referee in amateur boxing competitions in Queensland. Mr. Sams joined the army shortly after war broke out, and was killed at Hooge on 31st July while crawling from cover to fetch water for his wounded men.

Last night, when sick with grief I fell Asleep, I saw the Master stand And gaze in love unspeakable On me heart-stricken and unmanned.

And in my dream I cried, "Lord Christ Have mercy; on Thy help I call, For this my son as gold was pricedMore precious in my sight than all.

"Moreover, as God's priest he stood—(Preached in rude camps Thy message free— Gave of Thy Body and Thy Blood Into rough hands held out for Thee.

"Strenuous in toil, his fee was naught But nightly rest and daily bread. Nay, save for grace of those he taught, He had not where to lay his head.

"Like Thee in life, in death he bore Semblance to Thee, for 10, he died At thrice ten years and three, was sore Athirst and wounded in the side.

"Shall this in him be held a wrong, That, drawn by that he could not quell, He grasped the sword, took place among His country's hosts and fought and fell?"

Thereon the Christ His silence broke—'Be comforted; he died for men; Thy hope stands sure." And I awoke, And peace possessed my soul again. -G. F, S.