THE REV. MR. BOYS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2151, 18 May 1914, Page 6

THE REV. MR. BOYS.

Sir,—May a Methodist layinan be allowed space to make a few '"remarks upon Mr. Boys's tale of Takapau and his comments thereon?

I am not likely to be suspected of much sympathy with either dirty languago or Sunday football, and I am not going to express an amnion, as to whether the officers took strong -enough measures to suppress tho language of some of the young men at- Takopau. Only those who wore there can speak us to that. Tho whola community* will lift with hi in in demanding that, if there is slackness in this respect, it be got rid of. Arid that mc-ails a tightening np of discipline--not the slackening of it, which tho chaplain seems to desire. Bsit the other statements you have ouhlished, and' what- I-have beard f'rorrt men who were there, roafco m-fi doubtMr. Boys'g -eoiiolusioits on this point: it looks as if getting amongst- a . large number of average young men w#s a new thing to uim—aa<t he p-ot a. shock.

As to the' Sunday football, the. camp was big, it stretched for miies s those didtfttori.il officers did not compel attendance at it, and there wns no reason why the voting moil, for whom Mr, Boys is so anxious, should hot have staved in their tents or kepi out of sight and sound of things thov d-isap* proved. Others of us Jiavo done the same.

It seeros to mo that Mr. Boyfi's remarks about Christian parents going to prison rather than lot their "hoys" fro to camp is a confession «'f failure. If young men of 18 to .24, brought ur>_ in Christian homes and under _ Christian influences, arc not able to mis for ten days a year with ttio average yotiag men of the same ago. without fear of contamination - from those who are helow the moral or religious average, those- influences must have hcen very unsuccessful! Would it ho Peeksniffian to suggest that those young Men far whom the chaplain is so anxious, to be imparting, rather than receiving, unpi'essiaiis. I have a tolerably wide acquaintance with Methodist young ineH, and a considerable knowledge of camp life, and 1 am not afraid for the .young men of our Ghnroli who arc taking their share of. national #tity.

To rightly value what Mr. Boys says as to the officers, ft clue to his mental bias might he useful. Perhaps I can supply it. Only iijw-n one Sunday have I heard hija preach, but that left a distinct impression. In each of tho two. sermons he indulged in. a diatribe against dress suits and the people who wor* them—apropos of some trivial lota! incident which should never have been mentioned during an net of worship. No clmibt uniforms and badges of rank would be equally abhorrent to so sound a democrat.

And that probably cspkins the silly sneer at his commanding officer with which his remarks conclude. _ It seems like wasting the time of tour intelligent renders to point out that this was the only camp of the year for Mr. Boys and his'regiment. Thfc commandant is attending camps-All the year round. His record is well enough known.: a record of experiences amongst which a mere "wet camp" is not worth mentioning^ May,l add that I. am perfectly sure thai if Mr. Bovs's public, -affront to his commajuline officer results in the cancellation oflus commission, it will not be.' resented, but approved, by the Church to wliich 1i» belongs,—l am, etS '' T. E. CGRKIIA. 200 York Terrace, Oriental Bay.