by ter ian ▁church ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁( although ▁without ▁becoming ▁ord ained ). ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁appointed ▁manager ▁of ▁The ▁Northern ▁Times , ▁a ▁local ▁newspaper ▁which ▁he ▁eventually ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁propriet or . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁and ▁military ▁service ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 3 , ▁Gil ch rist ▁tou red ▁the ▁North - West ▁as ▁an ▁organ iser ▁for ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁campaign ing ▁against ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁refer end ums . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁prominent ▁advoc ate ▁of ▁migration ▁schemes , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁S ett lers ' ▁League ▁and ▁the ▁Big ▁Bro ther ▁Mov ement . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁state ▁election , ▁Gil ch rist ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁Gas co y ne ▁for ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party . ▁He ▁defeated ▁John ▁Mc Donald , ▁the ▁sitting ▁Labor ▁member . ▁Gil ch rist ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁Imperial ▁Force ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁and ▁served ▁with ▁a ▁medical ▁corps ▁until ▁receiving ▁a ▁medical ▁dis charge ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Car nar von ▁in ▁time ▁to ▁contest ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁election , ▁but ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁Edward ▁Ang elo . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁Gil ch rist ▁moved ▁to ▁M ild ura , ▁Victoria , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁becoming ▁a ▁sub - editor ▁of ▁the ▁Sun ray s ia ▁Daily . ▁He ▁owned ▁ 3