FATHER ROLAND.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 3 October 1868, Page 3

FATHER ROLAND.

Those who have not yet heard of Father Eoland, will be charmed to make his acquaintance. Here is a sketch of him in the field, given by a soldier of the Protestant faith ; — " On that grey and rainy morning, when the ' snoring waters ' of the Waingongora wore muttering of floods and fury to come, when our ' three hundred ' mustered silently in column on the parade ground, one man made his appearance, who at once drew all eyes upon him with silent wonder. His garb was most peculiar ; scanty but long skirts shrouded his nether garments ; an old waterproof sheet hung loosely over his shoulders. Weapons he had none, but there was a warlike cock in the position of his broadbrimmed old felt, and a self-confidence in the attitude in which he leaned on his walking-stick, that said : here stands a man without fear. Who is it ? Look underneath the flap of that clerical hat, and the frank, good humored, brave countenance of ' Father Ronald' will meet you. There he was, lightly arrayed for- a march of which no one could say what the ending would be. With a good humored smile he answered my question as to what on earth brought him there, with, that on holding evening service he had told his flock that he would accompany them on the morrow, and there he was ! Truly there stood ' a good shepherd.' Through the rapid river waist-deep, along the weary forest track, across ominous-looking clearings, where at any moment a volley from an ambush would have swept our ranks, Father Roland marched cheerfully and manfully, ever ready with a kind word, a playful sentence to any man who passed him. And when at last in the clearings of Te-Ngutu-o-te-Manu the storm of bullets burst upon us, he did not wait in the rear for men being brought to him, but ran with the rest of us forward with the enemy's position. So soon as any man dropped, he was by his side ; he did not ask are you Catholic or Protestant, but, kneeling, prayed for his ' last words.' Thrice noble conduct, in a century of utilitarian tendencies. What Catholic on that expedition could have felt fear when he saw Father Ronald* by his side, smiling at death, a living personification, a fulfilment of many a text preached ; what Catholic could have but felt proud to be a Catholic on that day, on Father Roland's account !"