MORALITY OF SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1916, Page 4

MORALITY OF SOLDIERS.

REV. GOW'S RESIGNATION* ACCEPTED. Hamilton. April 11. A commission' appointed by the Waikato Presbytery conferred with the congregation and session of St. Andrew's Chureli with regard to the resignation of the. Rev! A. Gow. The commissioners .were the Revs. S. Hird, llhindell, Shaw and Mclnnes, Elders Fisher and Sturgess. The commission met the session yesterday afternoon, when the session reluctantly concurred in the resignation, and decided to place no obstacle in the way. The congregational meeting was held last night, and was largely attended. Mr. Hird (moderator)- presided. A motion that Mr. Gow be asked to reconsider his resignation was received. with tokens of approval, but was withdrawn at Mr. Gow's request. Another motion concurring in the finding of the session was adopted unanimously. Mr. Gow gave reasons for the step lie had taken in an open letter to the congregation as follows: (1) Hamilton was an important military centre, and recent unjust attack* upon him had shaken-confidence in him. It would take a long time to re-estab-lish himself 111 an important sphere, and his work would bo marred. (2) There was a divided session, four elders having resigned. If the ruling of the court was out of harmony it would be impossible to meet difficulties ahead. In a further statement, Mr. Gow denied having reflected on the whole body of the Main Expeditionary Force. He admitted reading an article in the Outlook, but did not believe the author meant the whole body. He gave the charges made against him an unequivocal, straight-out, fiat denial. The remainder of the session resigned in sympathy with the minister, but will continue in office until a settlement is effected, when their resignations take effect, to. enable the congregation to elect a fresh court possession confidence. The meeting throughout was tactfully handled, and nothing unseemly occurred. Sergeant-Major Purdom reiterated his denials of the truth of the Outlook article, and championed the cause of the soldiers' clubs. He considered the minister's strictures were unfair, The Moderator said he considered the Rev. Mr. Gow and Mr. Purdon were both sincere,' but took different view-points. He advised each to regard the subject from the other's view, and urged the congregation to follow in the paths of .Beac.e. and work in the cojamou cause.