TO ENGLAND

Evening Star, Issue 19839, 12 April 1928, Page 10

TO ENGLAND

AN AMERICAN TRIBUTE “OUR TRUE MOTHER" A noble tribute paid by a “ 100 per tent. American ” to Great Britain was contained in tho address by Bishop Stires of the Espiseopal Diocese ol Bony island (U.b.A.) at tho unveiling of a war memorial in St. Thomas’s Church, tilth avenue, New York, on Armistice Day. _ i'Hiop Stircs served as a chaplain in France during the war. His classic utterance (says a Canadian report) may be taken as representing the convictions of all rightthinking Americans regarding the place of Britain and British ideals in the affairs of the world to-day.

Bishop Stircs said: “ The people who read history with the larger understanding, who feel the presence of God in every page, who behold Him working His purpose out, now helped by man and now hindered, these students know (hat tho true peace of the world, the peace of obedience, depends more upon deep and abiding friendship between these two great peoples than upon any or all other considerations. “ Our two forms of government were born of our character and not enforced by political icebanics. We have in common a fundamental temper in tho making and administration of law. Stronger than the tie of blood ami the bond of common speech is our kinship of spirit. This is most clearly proven by our most serious conflict. For the Declaration of Independence is the child of Magna Charta; and the lion’s whelp was true to tho call of the blood in its veins.

“It is unnecessary to recall, however briefly, to such a company as this tho annals of England’s glory from Alfred’s day—and earlier—to our time. With all her faults and all her mistakes, she yet stands pre-eminent in character, ability, and strength; the greatest teacher of truth and justice, and the most faithful examiner ami guardian of the ideals she has taught. Civilisation may need for its larger beauty tho contributions of many i-rlior nations, but who could think I hat a civilisation worthy of the name could be possible without England? “Often in the same family there are two lads totally different in temperament and in gifts. Each has strong qualities and some weaknesses, yet each is strong where tho other is weak—and therefore they sometimes misunderstand each other. So it is with these two great peoples—each strong, but in different fashion; each exhibiting characteristic weaknesses, but totally different in their nature. Yet they are brothers complementary of each other, if not always complimentary to each other. And when united for high, unselfish purposes, they seem like the two hands of God for the moulding of a better world. “ What shall we say of those who would prevent this work, who would sow the seeds of hatred and conflict between England and America? Think you that the Christ of history has no clear rail for us at this hour? JTe reminds us that though we aro a nation of many peoples, yet our true mother is England. From her are tho lessons, the examples, the spirit which made ns great. Can you not hear Him bid those go band in band for tho comfort and strength of the world?

“Wo sing the hymns England taught ns, wo pray the prayers halloweed by her, wo study the Bible she defended and gave to tbo world, we read with a brother’s pride the record of her sons in the great struggle in which at the last hour one sons fought and fell with hers—rushed on and won with hers. Wo should stand to-dav with one hand raised in loyalty to God and with the other we should clasp the hand of onr English brothers, onr fellow-soldiers in Christ. That is the best basis for peace and for a Christian civilisation.”