EMPIRE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 122, 24 May 1909, Page 2

EMPIRE DAY.

ITS ALMS AXD OBJECTS. , (By the EARL OP MEATH.) "Empire Day/ May 24, was first observed within tho "British Isles and throughout portions of the Empire in 1004, but May 24 had Iwen kept for some years in Canada as "Viqtpria Day," "Empire Day" being celebrated by thp Dominion schools on the last schooidsy bpfnrp May 24. The promoters of the Empire movement recommend that tjii- arrangement should be followed in t'lc r-:i=p of schools throughout the rest . of the Empire whenever it may be found difficult or inconvenient to observe the day nn May 24. The real importanoe of the movement i« thp systematic training of the rising generation, in the home and in the school, in tlip knowledge a.nd virtues that, are likely to make them good citizens. Its spirit is expressed by the watch-words. " Responsibility, Duty, Sympathy, and by iis moUo. "Ore King. one. Flag, one Fleet, one Empire"; and by its rallying cry, 'For God, Duty, and Empire." The movement enjoins Britilh citizens to Lovp and fear Ood; To honour the King; Tn oboy the laws; To prepare to advance the highest interests of the Empire ia peace and war: To cherish patriotism; To regard the rights of other nations; To learn citizenshipf To follow duty; To consider duties before rights; To acquire knowledge; To thi.ik broadly; To practise discipline; To subdue self: To work for others: To consider the poor and the suffering. INFLUENCE THE CHILDREN. All supporters of the movement are advised to supply themselves with the Empire movement leaflets, to ; be obtained of tlie secretary at S3 Lancaster Gate, \V., and to see that every British child over whom they may have influence learns the "Empire Catechism," the National Anthem, the "Flag of Britain," and "'Empire Songs," or some of them, by heart. Moreover, they should agitate until | every school possesses a full-sized flagStaff and Union Jack, a large wall map of the Empire, a portrait of the King, and a framed copy of the "Message" ' printed in connection with thp movement; and until every school observes annually "Empire Day," May 24. Systematic instruction in good citizenship should be given in the schools, and every child be trained in such a way as to enable him or her *.o give, in after life, the best service possible to the community and the State. The Union Jack should be ceremoniously hoisted and sainted 'by both boys and girls; portions of the "Empire Catechism" recited, and the National Anthem and Empire Songs sung on the King's Birthday, '"Empire Day." and on such other notable date 3 as maj- be considered desirable. Such are the aims of the Empire movement, and such its spirit. • It must be allowed that its claims to* represent a broad-minded and sane Im-' prrialism are amply justified. It is nonparty, non-sectarian, and non-aggressive. Its whole spirit is hostile to that condition of mind known as Jingoism. Its supporters desire no aggrandisement of the State for the mere sake of aggrandisement. They do not believe that the honour of the nation or the respect due to the. flag can in any way be augmented by wars carried on for mere military giory, nor do they desire to flaunt the national standard defiantly in the face of any potentate or people. But they believe that if a true union of hearts could he established between the 400.000,000 subjects of the. King, who constitute one-fifth of the population of the globe, it would not be long before such a mighty force would make its influence for gnod irresistibly felt among the other four-fifths of the earth's inhabitants. i PROGRESS OF THE MOVEMENT. The supporters of the movement hold that Britons are right in their belief that, on the whole, the influence oi the Anglo-Saxon race has been beneficent and has tended, in the mum, towards the advancement of civilisation and of xighteousness. This is, therefore, an effort to arouse the peoples who constitute the British Empire to the serious duties which lie at their door, and to lead them to subordinate selfieh or class interests to those of the State and of the community. What progress has the movement made during the five years of its existence towards , the fulfilment of . these lofty ideals? It is almost impossible to gauge the progress of spiritual forces. All that can be said is, that the annual increase in the number of schools coming under its influence throughout the Empire has ibcen phenomenal. There is hardly a portion of the King's dominions in which the movement is not to be found at •work. It is officially recognised in all the self-governing Colonies (with the txceptinn, perhaps, of the newly created South African ones), end is at work in practically all the Crown Colonies. If a great deal has "been accomplished since the birth of the movement, much more remains to be done. Who will hf-lp to train the rising generation in the duties of Imperial responsibility and of duty? The aeeistanc* of volunteer workers of both sexes and of independent means who are willing to labour in the promotion (if the Empire Movement, villi remuneration, and at their own expense, is urgently needed and invited. THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER. 'Loyalty, patriotism, obedience to lawiui authority, Lhoughtfulness, and love of humanity, fidelity to duty, and readiness for eacritice—these are some of the virtues which the movement desires to sec instilled in tlie minds of the young, btlieving that by such teaching good citizen- are created. How can we best make and like virtues not only acceptable, bui greatly to be desired, by the young around u-V First, by showing that they are in accordance with the Divine will: secondly, by example: thirdly, by pointing out the reasonableness and wirdum of these virtue?, ond that the pn-se?sion of them increases the cum of human happiness. Let us never he weary of urging on our fellow-subjeci? the importance of character. I.pt us pn'nit out that the possession by its citizens of genius and ability i? not as important to the Empire as that they should be men and women of Stl-rling. upright, trustworthy character. -Havo you read the 'History of Nations" v says Bishop BoulWrn. "If you have, and have forgotten, then borrow n as your next book from the lib- ■ rary. "Sou will find that the calm, cold, deliberate verdict of the impartial historwn will tell you that it is not from «sss oi commerce, or of trade, or of 1

the markets of the world; it is not from the volcano, or -the earthquake, or the drought, nor even' from the wounde of a defeated 1 army that a natibii's downfall comes, but from the tremendous downward forae of the ungovernedj untrained passions of men." The last word I wish to leave wit! my readers .is that of Character. It is the possession or the non-possession of character by the peoples of the British Empire which will, in the long run, decde : whether it is speedily to enccurriW to the fate of previous Empires and disappear, or to be a mighty instrument for many generations to come in the hands of the Almighty for the regeneration of the world. "Self-reverencfe, self-knowledge, self-con-trol, : — These three alone lead life to sovereign power." MEATH.