VALEDICTORY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3419, 10 January 1912, Page 2

VALEDICTORY.

FAREWELL TO SALVATION ARMY OFFICERS. PROMINENT CITIZENS PARTICIPATE. 31 ic farewell social and meeting to Adjutant and Mrs Melksham and Captain Copp held in the Salvation Army Citadel Last evening was very well attended, and so great were the demands on the accommodation at the tea tables that two sittings were .ne-ces-.‘s;try. The chair was taken by Mr John Townley shortly alter eight o’clock. Mr Townley said lie had been placed in a position that evening for which he felt very unsuited. They were there to bid Mr and Mrs Mclksnam and Captain Copp good-bye, and he felt that Gisborne was losing three of the best workers in the cause of the ueople it had over known. Adjutant Melksham had led the Army through the most successful march it had over had in this district, carrying out the words of the hymn they Intel .just, sung, which said “AA’e will never give in.” He was quite sure that if a ballot was taken that evening to decide whether Adjutant Melksham should remain or go they would decide unanimously that he should remain here. Adjutant and Mrs Melksham had entered into the work in this district with great spirit, and they had done much to alleviate the sufferings of many. It was a Law in the Army that their officers must move round, and Adjutant Melksham would doubtless find an •abundance of work to do in Palmerston North, to which town he was going. While here the Adjutant had. been a Salvationist from top to bottom., and had done all he could to benefit the people he had met. Tne Rev. Keith Ewen said he was delighted to be there that night because he loved to he in the company of the good. He loved to rub shoulders with men who were doing things. The world was not so much. interested in what they believed as in what they were doing-. He loved to grip the hand of a man-; and it was for this reason tliat he was sorry Adjutant Melksham was leaving them. He and (Mrs Melksham bad done much noble work—work they would be proud of and would do again elsewhere. The Adjutant had lived with one passion ever in his heart, one desire ever throbbing within him, and that was to bring men and women in closer contact with Jesus Christ. He was very sorry that the Adjutant and his wife were going away from Gisborne, because be was just beginning to know him. He was glad to hear the Adjutant say that the Army believed there was salvation for everyone. He hoped tliat God would. long spare Adjutant Melksham and his wife to spread abroad the word of God. His Honor .Judge Jones said he was pleased to be among those present. It was not often lie did have the freedom of being with them, as his duties took him away from Gisborne a great- deal. He was stil.l, however, interested n the work of the Army, and watched with interest announcements of their doings which appeared in the newspapers. He was pleased to lie present but, as a former speaker had said, his pleasure was tinged with sadness. In praising j the Adjutant lie naturally praised the j Army, because all of the officers and I soldiers were in some way responsible for the good work that was being done, it was a good tiling there was such an institution as the army in these times to preach peace on earth and goodwill toward men. The Salvation Army in 1 Ids opinion did more than preach the doctrine of peace: they lived it and went out into the highways and byways of life to lift the fallen. He hoped the Adjutant, Airs Melksham, and Captain Copp and their officers would long be with them to do tin’s ivo-’K. He desired to wish their departing friends ‘(God speed” and hoped that the blessing of God would be upon 1 them. Mr AY. Lissant Clayton said it afforded him great pleasure to be there testify as a citizen to the great esteem in which Adjutant and Airs Ale Misha m had been held. There was a. saying that “The evil which men do lives after i them, the good is often, interred with their bones.” He was sure this would not he so in the case of Adjutant Afelksham and Captain Oopp, as the works they had done were such as would bn remembered. Bandmaster Pert, Mr F. S. Malcolm and Ensign Baker also spoke, and Ad-, jut-ant Melksham replied feelingly, heartily thanking the speakers for the kind things that had been saidi of him and Ali-s Alelkshaim, and asked all tne friends in Gisborne to give Adjutant and Airs Marshall the same hearty welcome they had given him. He felt now that he had done very little, _ hut hoped to be able to make up for it at his next station. He had appreciated his comrade, Captain, Copp, and felt the parting with him very much. Captain Copp and Airs Melksham also returned thanks. During the evening the ladies of the Corps presented Sister Dot-rant with a,n inscribed writing album as a token of their esteem.