SERBIA'S NEED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16842, 28 April 1915, Page 7

SERBIA'S NEED.

APPEAL BY THE ARCHBISHOP. The Serbian Legation in London has forwarded the following appeal by the head of tho Serbian Church, for tho relief of suffering caused by the war:— As the Chief Shepherd of the heroic but sorely-tried Serbian nation, with wounded heart'l address myself to you, generous men, and I appeal to your human charity. Our Serb nation, in Serbia and Montenegro, was the first.to be attacked by the covetous Germans. The AustroHuiigarian Monarchy, which has for centuries fed on the tears and blood of enslaved nations, has moved its great military power to annihilate, above all, our little Serbian nation—the Serbian nation which has just returned home after the hard struggle with the Ottoman power, which lor five centuries kept it in.an unbearable and barbarous slavery, crushing its progressive culture *

Austria-Hungary, which had already tried to frustrate all' intellectual and economic progress, in order to be free when she pleased, to subduo , Serbia, has hastened-to attack her while she was already by t\yb. previous wars, and unprepared for a third one. The Serbian nation, though lacking everything that is necessary, is defending with great self-sacrifice its freedom and its country, breaking at the same time • the' chains of slavery of all her other enslaved kinsmen. God, the eternal guardian of Justice, in His merciful Providence, has already given proof of His rich mercy towards the Serbs, who, in- a heroic manner, are repulsing>the grasping and malevolent power'of tho stronger; But they will have to make further efforts .and to still greater sacrifices. Therefore, I; call upon you, dear brethren in God, -to join your prayers to God, with ours, that He, tho all-merci-ful, may by His mighty right hand, increase the strength" of 'the' honest and heroic Serbian-nation, and .may. grant them the final victory over the enemy who seeks to crush them, utterly'Tram-, plihg under foot the brotherly love: recommended to us by our Creator. :., At'tho same time, I beseech .you all, generous and kind men, to make, ac- f cording to your power and good-will, material flacfiJiees in aid of the poor Serbian soldiers and sufferers. Even the smallest contribution for this object will be an act most pleasing to God. During this long war a great number of adult Serbs havo already bden either killed or disabled for work. Their families and their orphans will havo 'to suffer -greatly from hunger and destitution during the winter sea-, son. ' '■...' .•••-- . ' f.

The barbarous methods of warfare of the German! allies, the object of which is to annihilate other nations and their culture, have inflicted on us, as well as on the Belgians, bloody and incurable wounds. Vast numbers of quibest and noblest Serbs, who, as noncombatants, peacefully received tho Austrian army, have been killed with a cruelty of which even savages would be ashamed. Men and women, old men and innocent children, have been murdered, after .terrible torturing, with gun, sword, and fire. Many have been locked up in schools and other buildings and burnt alive.. All tho churches to which the. Austrians have obtained access, have been desecrated, robbed, and destroyed. The schools and the best houses havo shared the same fate. Belgrade, the beautiful capital of Serbia, with its churches, its educational and humanitarian institutions, have been destroyed The University, the National Library, the Museum and scientific collections, have been ruined ; For those who have escaped, and for the nrnhans of the falleD^peed^elp

addressing this letter to you, and I appeal to all the heads of. God's churches, and to all noble-minded men and women, to, hasten with their- charity to the aid of the. Serbian nation in its present great 'distress. .The principal committee for speedy relief is' under my presidency, and I therefore beseech all kind men in your happy country to collect contributions for the Serbian sufferers. I, with other members of the committee, will take caro that monetary relief is properly distributed to real sufferers. We shall be pleased if with.the gifts wo also receive tho lists of benefactors, in order that tho entire Serbian nation and I can pray to God for their health and happiness.

DEMETRIUS, Archbishop of Belgrade and Metropolitan of the Kingdom of Serbia, president of the Principal Committee in aid of soldiers and.their families and other sufferers from the war.

-All contributions may be sent and cheques made payable to the Boyal Serbian Legation, 195, Queen's Gate, London, S.W. Names and addresses of contributors should bo written as plainly as possible so that each donor may be sent an official receipt with letter of thanks.