PERSONAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 52, 4 March 1915, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Rev. A. T. Thompson, of Masterton, is to receive a call to St. Andrew's Church, Christchurch.

The death of Professor James Geikie, a well-known geologist, brother of Sir Archibald Geikie, and an even more famous geologist, is announced from London. Professor Geikie was 76 years of age and was a specialist on the subject of glacial action r His "Outlines of Geology" is the leading work of the kind.

Queen Elizabeth of the Belgians is noted for'her deep fund of smypathy. She is called by the Belgians "Our Angel Queen." Numerous stories are told of her personal kindness to all classes. For instance, when she heard that a Belgian artist was threatened with the loss of his sight, and was in despair through being compelled to give up his work, she immediately sought him out. She visited him in his own home and brought her violin with her. And she did not leave till she had cheered him by playing all his favourite pieces. The visit was "repeated day after day.

The Rev* Dr. G. Brown, president of the General Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia, who is attending the conference now sitting in Christchurch, is eighty years of age, but is strong, healthy, and energetic. He was born at Barnard Castle, Durham, England, and tried several vocations before ho entered the Church. He arrived in New Zealand in 1855, and shortly after married the daughter of the Rev. J. Wallis. a missionary at Waingaroa, and decided to enter the mission field, He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and has contributed papers on natural history, philology and ethnology to the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, and to the "Proceedr ings" of the Royal Geographical Society. This is his first visit to New Zealand since he came here in 1855.