"HELP SOMEBODY TO-DAY.”

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 120, 21 April 1932, Page 4

"HELP SOMEBODY TO-DAY.”

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —It was with great pleasure one read in the ‘‘Standard” of tiro 18th the statement made by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe.. concerning the “big effort’] to be made by Her Excellency to link up in quiet, sympathetic and unostentatious helpfulness those who are thrown into dire want by the present economic distress, and those who are more fortunately circumstanced.”

Surely, if there was ever a time in the history of our Dominion that such an effort should be made and given wholehearted support, it is just now. It has been coming home to one very forcibly in recent days that Christtians, at least, worthy of the name, have a tremendous responsibility in this time of terrible distress in so many quarters. Only last Sunday night, sir, during the course of an address delivered in this city, one quoted a case in which he was vitally interested in_ Auckland. A relief worker whose earnings per month were £5 12s Od, with rent £4 l'Os 6d, had for himself, wife and three children a balance of 5s 7d per week to provide food and clothing. There are thousands who are in equally as bad a .condition throughout th/e Dominion. We have the greatest admiration for the lovely language used—and lovely is not too extravagant a word —by Lord Bledisloe to set forth the proposed effort by Lady Bledisloe in her very worthy Christian effort. Wisehearted women after much prayer who would systematically visit the homes of needy cases would render a great service to Jesus Christ, their Master, and bring much joy to the lacerated and depressed lrearts. It is very certain that no Christian can continue in the love of God who has this world’s goods and seeth his fel-low-man in need and hardens his heart against him, or does not help to make his burden lighter. We are even commanded that if our enemy hunger we are to feed him—See 1 John

3, 17; Prov. 25 21-22. —Yours faithfully, (Pastor) WESLEY E. RICHARDS.