A MAN'S PARSON

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2863, 30 August 1916, Page 6

A MAN'S PARSON

CHAPLAIN-CAPTAIN MULLINEUX AT

FEATHERSTON

A MAN WITH A PERSONALITY

"Chaplain-Captain M. Mullineux reported for duty at Featherston Camp yesterday." In this brief fashion the advent of a new influenco into a big military camp was recorded—and who was to guess that it was THE Rev. Mr. Mullineux who was referred to —the man who waß chaplain iu the Navy for eight years, captain of tho British football team that visited New Zealand in 1899, and veteran of two wars? Nevertheless, this is he—tho man concerning' -whom "Banjo" Patterson wrote^"I'<l reckon his weight at eight-stun, eight, ■ And his height at five-foot-two, With a face as plain as an eight-day clock, And a walk as brisk as a bantam cock: That's the boss of the English team— The Reverend Mullineux.' In these new- lands of the south sport nils for a man as much fame as can be won; so the Australian poet's verses could not have been more appreciative had they_ been inspired by some of the more imperishable, yetunrecorded, deeds that the little fighting parson did oil the battlefields of South Africa and in the Russo-Japan-ese War. '.For all his short stature and slight build, tho Rev. Mr.' Mullineux is a man's parson, one who knows sin by actual contact with it and with the lives of sinners, and not from abstract study of the subject on academical lines. He is acquainted with, the art of, self-defence, too, in the same intimate and realistic way, and the man who starts any "rough house" when the chaplain-captain is about will be liable to get hurt. But this trait of his character, this feature of" his method of mixing with men, is only used for disciplinary and defensive purposes. One form of. misbehaviour which often provokes it is the habit of swearing and using obscene language. Anyone who knows anything of the New Zealand camps knows that thero is a large amount of objectionable language used by a small minority in every hutment except where a strong stand has been taken by the majority in tho very beginning. Young lads have been led to follow tho ways of those who talk in this foul-mouthed fashion. Older men have been disgusted. Chaplain Mullineux does not like bad, language at all, and he will be sure to show his objection in a decided manner. Altogether, there la an opening for him in the camps.

.From 'Frisco, as a bock-hand. When',war broke out the Rev. Mr. MuHinenx was working, in charge of a seamen's mission, in San Francisco. He got no salary, because -he knew: that if he took any the mission would go, short of many things for lack of funds. But, as time passed,, the longing to be with the British Forces was more than he could resist. He resigned from Ms mission work, and shipped on the Moana (Captain Stringer) as an ordinary deck-hand. He worked his way to New Zealand to enlist. During this voyage he had to scrub decks and do. all the. work of a deck-hand. The leading seaman of his gang was a big Swede; and ho and the others had niclmamed Mullineux, Joe—short for Holy Joe. Ono morning, tho captain, who know quite well the identity of the man who was working his passage across the Pacific to enlist, called him up to the bridge to speak to'him on private matters. The gang was thunderstruck, for the' captain ; of a ship of, any sort is, in a way, a demigod; much more so the captain _of a mail Steamer. . When the fighting parson returned _to his deckrwashing, tho Swede said:

"What did the old man want you for, matey ?"_ ■'. . "Well," said Mullineux, "he's been watching us swabbing down decks for some days." .-.'.■'■•''. "He has, has he?" said the Swede, showing eonio cpnc&?n. '■ ' "Yes, he .has. ■ And he told me thai he _ thought it a strange thing that a little chap like me should be able to Tift twice as much water on his mop as a big chap like you." The Swede: stared in surprise. "He said, that, did he? Tho old man did? Well, I'm bothered; well, I'm blowcd!" But the Swede was not the only big man that the Rev. Mullineux upset, as "Banjo* 7 Patterson has it: — "Kick! He can kick like an angry . mule—. Runs like a kangaroo! . . , Hard to get by as a lawyer plant, Tackles his man like : a bulldog ant, Fetches him over too! Didn't the people oheer and shout Watchin' him chuckin' big blokes about— Reverend Mullineux." _' Yes, it is THE Mullineux, the Fighting Parson, wKo has reported at Fcatherston to help to teach tho men to bo men as. well as soldiers, and the men will be just as pleased to meet him as ho will be to meet them—for he is a man in overy way.