METHODISTS AS SOLDIERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1516, 29 February 1916, Page 4

METHODISTS AS SOLDIERS.

2354 IN UNIFORM. MANY SONS OF MINISTERS. The part that members of the Methodist Church are playiug in the great war was mentioned by the retiring President of the Conference, the Rev J. Dawson, at the opening meeting in Auckland last week (r e P orts t^ie Herald). Mr Dawson said the figures were incomplete, but he had the names of 2354 men who had been accepted prior to the end of last year. The names of many others swelled the list credited to other churches. There were 41 sons from the Methodist Mftnses of New Zealand in the ranks, and some of these had been credited to other churches. The Revs. H. Bull. G. Clement, P. W. Fairclough, C. Griffin, J. Clover, S. Griffiths, J. D- Jory, W. L- Blamires, P. M. Knight, A. C. Lawry, J. Olphert, W. Lee, J. A. Luxford, J. J. Mather, A. Mitchell, D. J. Murray, S. F. Prior, J. Pendray, G. Penny, S. Rushworth. G. W. Spence, and the late J. N. Buttle had each given one son. The Revs. C. Abernethy, T. Fee, C. H. Laws, S. Lawry, G. T. Marshall, W. Ready, and M. Turner had given two sons each, J. W. Griffin and C. E. Ward three sons each, and the Rev W. J. Williams had given four of his sons. Amongst the 2354 mentioned, there are 25 ministers, students and home missionaries, besides a host of local preachers, Sunday school and Bible class workers. There were still quite a number waiting to go in different capacities. Of those who had gone, the returns show that 83 had won commissions, 201 were n.c.o.'s, and 12 were nurses. One hundred and forty-six would never return, for they had sealed their patriotism with their blood, and died the death of heroes. Reference was made to Chaplain - Major J. A. Luxford, a Methodist minister, who had lost his.leg on Gallipoli while helping to save a fighting man. Mr Dawson added that Mr Luxford would be certain to receive a very warm welcome from his Church when he arrived back in New Zealand.