IN THE PULPIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14729, 11 July 1911, Page 9

IN THE PULPIT.

SIR JOHN FINDLAY'S SERMON.

[prom our OWN correspondent.] # London, June 2. Whitefield's Tabernacle, in Tottenham Court Road, was crowded on Sunday afternoon with an audience of about 3000 young men, whom the Hon. Dr. Findlay addressed. This tabernacle is under the pastorate of the Rev. C. Silvester Home, who was elected at the two elections of last year as one of the Liberal members for Ipswich. The men's meeting every Sunday afternoon is the feature of tho week's work, and the chief address is always delivered by a well-known public man. The Rev. C. Silvester Home, M.P., said they were exceptionally fortunate in getting the Attorney-General of New Zealand to be the speaker that afternoon* "We have followed with exceeding interest," he said, " the story of social progress in Now Zealand, and sometimes we have even dared to hope that we here may be permitted to follow in your train. By-and-bye, when we havo plucked up a little more courage, I shall not be surprised if our legislation bears more resemblance to the legislation that has made New Zealand so attractive." (Applause.) Dr. Findlay, who was cordially greeted, referred to the British Empire as a great oak, spreading its branches over the world. He caused much laughter by exclaiming, " We in New Zealand are a purer British and Irish race than you are," and he was loudly applauded when he stated that New Zealand had increased in love and affection as the Mother Country had given her her freedom and added to her liberties. He felt it hs duty, however, to say that British liberty had sometimes (and not seldom) been rather a mockery than a real thing to many of the people in tho Old Country. To talk to the masses of the people about British liberty and their freedom to exercise their rights, when they had no material rights to exercise, was just about as great a mockery as to tell a man in a waterless desert that he might quench his thirst. (Applause.) It was not freedom that was mainly wanted, but something upon which freedom could operate, not solely or mainly the absence of restraint, but the presence of opportunity. Freedom in New Zealand was built upon access fo land —(cheers) —access to insurance, access t,o capital, access to means of transportation, access to justice, and access to education. In conclusion Dr. Findlay made a powerful appeal for closer union, and his short, sharp declaration, " Gentlemen, wo own the Empire as much as you do," was loudly cheered. He appealed to the audience to grasp the hand of brotherhood which tho Oversea States held out. It was said that Togo once remarked to a French statesman, " Colonies are like fruit; they hang to the Mother Country until they are ripe." " Well," added Dr. Findlay, "we will falsify that prediction. But let your statesmen devise some system of closer union so that in the centuries to come the EniDire, welded together and unchallengeable by the Bowers of the earth, will stand for righteousness and peace." (Loud applause.)