SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1922. EASTER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 15 April 1922, Page 4

SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1922. EASTER.

We wonder what are the thoughts uppermost in the minds of people as th© great Christian festivals come round each year. Are they regarded only as blessings because they carry with them certain recognised public holidays, which by long custom have been made permanent, or do the people ar, a whole, really give some thought to the influence and power of these fe.'-tivals in shaping the life of the individual and the destiny of the nation? Do the people as a whole ever think of what the world would be like | without Christmas and Easter, without | the Sunday, and without the great fundamental principles which are based upon Christian teaching? We all know That the worlTwould be sadly at a loss were it not for the high ideals of the | British nation. That has been mani-! fested very frequently in recent years when the Powers have come together m conference. Britain has over and over again been looked to for a lead because, we believe, the nations have confidence in her and know that her <de«sSons are made with a high sense of duty and a desire to be just in her attitude towards other nations. We cannot think that this sense of duty is by- mere accident a trait in British character. It is based upon some rock foundation, and we think that it is • reasonable to attribute it to the boM which our people, with all their faults have upon the ideals and teachings of Christianity. Easter is a suitable time to think of the nation's dependence and reliance upon Christian principles, and we hope that during the Easter festival people will ponder over the wonderful influence which the life, death, and resiirrection of the Founder of Christianity have had upon the world. The past centuries witnessed many long and keen arguments concerning the dates upon which the observances of the Christian festivals should be held, and many disputes have taken place concerning the meaning and intention of Christ's teaching. But the spread ] of Christianity and its leavening ' influence seem to \u to far outweigh.

the importance of • , • ' ,- .•• , . tUseussions and analyses. f p ~ ~. . , . ~r* • historical records handed d^ u tQ us contain in ■jsain accurate accounts of tfee ' ev,eafcs which feave had ouch a rtia&rkabifc iftfhsene© upon the world, why is it < tfeai Ctari'Siii&nity lias not perished t>r its Ipo'w&r «,-antd steadily? That seems to us a (r%asona;ble question. But what 'do w© Etid? "We look out upon a world torn Stfid refnded by the threat war which "was planned by tlift disciples of T?r«isgianism—the v^ry antithesis of CSiristianity in its principles. We find iJhsft the Chris'tiaTi principles that tlie "Weak should b© protected against the strong, that Justice and Freedom should not bfe alowed to be trampled underfoot by Prussianism, were the great mocive powers that led millions of men to make great sacrifices. They believed That the conflict was between Eight and Wrong, and consciously or unconsciously, the men of the- British Empire formed their beliefs by comparing the Prussian objective? and reasons with the standard of morality set by Christ. ISFow, had there Tieen no Resurrection would Christian morality have become the standard of comparison? We think not, for it is wellknown that the great power and influence of Christ grew most rapidJy after His Resurrection. 'liie llesurrection was complete proof of the immortality of mankind, and, therefore, that man has a responsibility and duty far greater than if he perished finally at death; that is, if death were the absolute end of his existence. We think that Easter is the greatest of the festivals and that the Resurrection has

a. more poweiiui lijiiufciico upon the lives of people tiTau any oLiier event. If that Is so, the (Jhriotiau nations do well to keep the festival as a great thanksgiving day. At the present stage in the world's history there is a greater need than ever lor the application of the principles ol Christianity to national and international problems. The majority of the world's most prominent leaders have expressed that opinion, and some go so tar as to say that without the Christian ideal as its standard the" world cannot hope for permanent peace and concord. We believe that to be absolutely true, and we hope, that by the influence of Christian ideals the Genoa Conference will be guided to finding a sound basis for the reconstruction and restoration of shattered Europe. This influence has been passed on to us by our forefathers, to whom Easter meant practically everything. Do the civilised nations of this generation realise fully tho importance of Christian ideais, and do they practise them as they should? If they did there would be much less strife and conflict which so mar relationships,' personal and national. After all, the Resurrection makes a personal appeal to each man and woman to rise to the ideals of 'Christianity, for the nation's influence for good depends upon the observance of the highest code of morality by T , the units of which the nation is composed. To their thanksgiving for tjhe hope and encouragement which people receive from the Easter festival let them add their resolution to follow more closely the great Christian teachings, which are by no means a dead letter, but which are exercising an enormous influence upon the world in these days when so many efforts are being made to bring about new conditions and to lay down sound foundations for permanent peace and goo'dwiiT: