Y.W.C.A.

Evening Star, Issue 20263, 26 August 1929, Page 6

Y.W.C.A.

FAREWELL TO MISS ETHEL LAW Miss Ethel Law, the national general secretary of the Y.W.C.A. of New,Zealand. gave an inspiring farewell address at an “ at homo’' hold in her honour by Mrs Sutherland Ross at “ Broomhill,” Roslyn. About sixty guests wore present, including past and present members of the board of dircctofs of the Dunedin Y.W.C.A.

Mrs Ross, in introducing tho presented to ’her a blue triangle composed of forget-me-nots and lilies o. the valley, and paid tribute to the long and arduous hours of work which Miss Law had given to tho Dunedin Association, during her fortnight’s visit, and especially welcomed old members who had embraced- this opportunity to show their appreciation of tho-valuable contribution which Miss Law had made to Dunedin.

Miss Law said that- she had been asked to speak on what the association was ready trying to do. “I have,” she said, “ talked at other gatherings about travel and international contacts, and some of you, 1 know, would like to have a statement about what wo are dnving at. We have so many activities, crowds of'girls in our sports teams, so many come to our various clubs and parties, that it is difficult to gob a perspective of our real aim. .ft lias so many definitions. T think that the obvious reply can be formulated in that very interesting statement of our New Zealand purpose which'was made by a group oi over eighty women and girls at the Paerata convention. Tin’s was tiie result of group thinking, and expressed what women and girls thought that tho association actually (.id achieve. ‘To unite women and girls in a world-wide fellowship; to help them to have a delinite purpose in life; to bo honest and fearless in their thinking; to attain the fullest appreciation of the joys of friendship, of service, and of beauty; and’to interpret by radiant living the love’ of God.’ r lhe idea was tho purposefulness -in life; this group of girls at Paerata knew others who drifted aimlessly along, and they thought that the association might help these girls to see a track along which they might walk. VVe really were trying to help women and girls to a full realisation of duty, of friendship, and of service—three factors of immense importance in their lives.

“To interpret, by radiant living, the love of God,” said Miss Law, “we arc 'toing to add to that clause at the convention next month a phrase which was not included in the original statement — 1 The love of God as revealed in • ; esus Christ.’ The association aims at nterpreting through its members the Avo of God, and lives can bo stodgy and dull only when failing in that radiance. We are trying to interpret what God is to a world that is seeking light and purpose, to instil in the uiinds of girls the idea of joy; finding God in friendship, in joy, in service" and in beauty, “The Girl Citizens count tremendously with the younger girls of our movement. This is the code to which Girl Citizens strive to bo loval, that through beauty and truth they may help to. build the spirit of their country. Then follow the code standards of health, of self-control, of self-resnect and courage and knowledge and dutv and co-operation ; and love is the fulfilling of that law. To hold up to a girl the law of self-respect; God made man in His own image, and that image is worthy of_ respect. • Co-operation and duty: think what they mean; the girl’s homo life with her family, with other girls at her work, with her employer, learning to co-operate with other girls in her club life; it stretches out right beyond ourselves. Other laws, snAi as courage; girls have to learn that that is one of the fine things of life. And finally, through all these standards that wo . hold up to girls—beauty, tr.uth, and love as the radiant things "of God, with honour and a sense of duty and courage. You cannot teach all these things' without giving to a girl also some -lea of what is expected of her, and that she can only achieve the aspirations of life from the aspirations which conic to her through, her spirit, which comes from the Spirit of God. This is what wo in our younger girls’ work try to do. Wo as a part of the world’s Y.W.C.A. endeavour to give to girls some nurture of their growing religious consciousness. Wo think of "a girl as a young growing spirit, and, through her period of growth, try to give her ideas as she is equal to receive them. This is our definite New Zealand statement of our aim. The World’s Association made a statement of aim, but that statement had to bo different for our younger girls from wdiat we want for ourselves. Sometimes wo nave lost the vividness of ideals; somc.times we have lost the aspirations of youth. A girl is only growing her aspirations. The World’s Association says that, what wo are trying to do is to give to girls a preparation for life hat will help them to recognise the essential oneness of body, mind, and spirit, and that we endeavour to provide opportunities to girls for adequate expression in their home relations, in community service, and in church I’fe. Youth is impatient to the older generation, and the older generation cannot see the younger’s point of view. Unless you have a pretty accurate idea of what a girl’s homo circumstances happen to be, yon cannot supply an adequate supplement in the association programme. If there arc girls who feel Uiat their work is cramping, wc as an association have to give opportunities for the development of their faculties. We believe that the adolescent girl has an indispensable contribution to make to the association through her vision, enthusiasm, and youth, through her _ demand for a 'joyous living Christianity and for an unyielding standard of' sincerity, her openmindedness. her readiness in applying principles, her potential leadership, and her democratic spirit,. Wo have to strengthen a girl’s link with her church. It very often happens that girls get married. They cannot easily go to a place where there is no church, but they often gel, to a place where there is no Y.W.C.A. Wo should be Jinking a girl’s life on to the greater body of the church. As many girls take no responsibilities of adult life, they crave for light and help; Wo should aim at making some contribution to the church, as well as taking a contribution from it. Wc take that most earnestly as a part of our work. Wo provide outlet for that group instinct, and that impulse towards leadership which is necessary for the development of a girl’s personality. You would bo astonished at the businesslike way the girls in clubs handle their own affairs while the secretary sits by in the capacity of adviser or suggester, and not as autocrat. “The purpose also says that in our activities' we should bo teaching girls, tho joy of , labour and emphasising- its essential dignity, making every girl realise that tho work which sheds doing is a piece of service to tho community. “ Another thing which we are attempting is to promote world friendliness and world.peace. That is ( hat t m Yorld Y.W.C.A. means when it inludes in its aims the sharing of life m all its richness and beauty and

f'-eodoDi ami joy, ns we fir cl it in Christ, tho Lord of every side of human life. Our work is to communicate these things as wo find them and to provide a world basis of constructive Work ; to afford girls opportunity for all-rouml development, for self-expression, and for training in .service and citizenship. In attempting to interpret Christ wo are interpreting One Who meets our insufficiency. Who is a real and Friend for every-day life, Who desires for us joy and the fullest development of our personality, Who gives power to he free and strong, Who is a real and ever-understanding Friend, showing infinite love in cvCry-day life, Who calls for ns to explore His teaching, and, in personal allegiance to Him to follow tho - guidance of His Spirit iu the pursuit of beauty, truth, and righteousness, Who a-sk.s of us a constant translation into life of our growing understanding and experience of Him ” Votes of thanks were passed by Mrs Taverner and Mrs Duke to Miss Law and to Mrs Itoss. Mrs Taverner .summed up her remarks with the statement that the Christian ideal was at the back of the \.W .C. A., and that without Christian thought it was inadequate and was not as successful as it might be, and it. was for members to see that it was expressed in their lires Mrs Duke asserted that tile Girl Citizens, in keeping their code, were truly following the Lord Jesus Christ. Afternoon tea was afterwards served in an adjoining room.