BLACK FLEECES AND POOR CHILDREN.

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1927, Page 26

BLACK FLEECES AND POOR CHILDREN.

Science is making such rapid strides these days that many. believe before long we shall not only be able to hear what is gong on in London, but see many of the things which take place there. If such a wonderful thing should come about, there is no doubt that a good number of New Zealand children would be interested to >vateh the happenings at the Guildhall,- London, when over one thousand poor children are entertained at a very plentiful and happy dinner. The meal is a, New Zealand one in that it is provided by school children in this country and by donors of black deeces, and it is held under the auspices of the Church Army. If wo could "look in" ah well as "listen in" at this yearly gathering, we should see a great crowd of children all crowned with the gayest of paper hats, and doing full justice to the many good things provided. The last dinner was held m 3rd Janu-. ary, and proved a great success. The boys and girls marched in detachments with a leader at the head of each yarty, and when they were seated, the' band of the British Legion.from Lewisnam played all kinds of tunes which the children knew, and which - they sang lustily. In due course, an army of waiters appeared on the scene with hot meat pies and steaming potatoes, and cups were filled with iniJk. Father Christmas came in at half-time and distributed boxes of bon-bons and; soon the hall was filled with deafening ound as the crackers were pulled. Next came a huge pudding, piping hot', and decorated with a branch of holly, and generous, slices were cut from it for er.ch hungry child, and there was fruit to follow. The catering for the dinner is done by the firm who arranges all the civic, dinners in London, and they are very generous in that they charge only the bare cost of the food' provided.

.After dinner all th.c tables were cleared away, and the children quickly seated themselves to listen to the band and watch the entertainment which followed. These ..children come from the poorer districts of London, and are not • accustomed to State functions, so there were many "Oh V and "Ah's" when the Lord Mayor himself arrived in his gorgeous scarlet robe and jewelled chain of office. With *iim came the Aldermen in full dress, and the Mace Bearer and the Sword Bearer, both perfectly apparelled. <The suggestion in one of the speeches that a cable of thanks be sent to the children and farmers out here who had made such a wonderful party possible, was instantly approved by the children, who also cheered the suggestion that loyal greetings should be sent to His Majesty the King. The entertainment went on until 3.30 in the afternoon, when each child loft for home armed with a bag of sweets, and so ended he fifth successive New Zealand dinner to poor children. New Zealand children should feel happy and proud that they were able to give such a very happy day to so many children who, although they are respectable, intelligent,-and wellbehaved, are not so well endowed with this world's goods. '

A!N OLD STOEY TOLD Ui PERSIA.

Here is the story of the Three Wise Men in its wonderful Persian dress. T' Three Wise Men came from Phars in Persia. They were ulents of the stars, and h-d seen from the stars that One would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. But the stars told not enough. They were uncertain whether this One would be King, Priest, or Physician, so they took with 'iem gifts c itable to each, gold and fraul.incense and myrrh, and went forth on *heir journeying far across the desert ways, guided by the stars. They were three: an old man, a middle-aged man, and a boy. At last they came where the Young Child lay, in a stable at Betnlehem of. Judea. As they talked by the way they agreed that each should go ■!.. separately, the boy first, so that .the accepted" gift might tell them whim they worshipped —King, Priest, or Doctor." And now all three had been into the stable, bearing their precious gifts in

their hands, and each had returned empty-handed. •-He is all three—King and Priest and 'caler," they sr to. each other with bated breath. But they stood puzzled and hesitant looking each a"t each, aiting to speak' and yet fear jug to say word. ' At last the old mad had courage and put the question which all desired to have answered. With a hand on the boy's shoulder he. asked: "Of what age perhaps, .my son, was the Child you saw?" , "Ah, that was troubling me also, my father," said the boy. "He was a boy of my own age." "Nay," said the middle-aged man, "He was a man of exactly my.years." "Ye both err," said the old man, "for an old, old ma. a lie lik e unto me!" . . This story belongs to aX time-and all lands and peoples. It 'means that the Child had come to be Brother to everyone. • '