IDEALS OF ROTARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20307, 15 July 1929, Page 13

IDEALS OF ROTARY.

GREAT POWER FOR GOOD.

AID TO WORLD PEACE.

ARCHBISHOP AVERILL'S ADDRESS.

Tho ideals of the Rotary movement and its great power for good were stressed by Archbishop Averill, preaching at St. Mary's Cathedral last evening. The service was attended by members of the Auckland Rotary Club and their families. Taking for his text, "But by love serve one another," Archbishop Averill said the word "love" in the New Testament did not have the general meaning. The quotation "lovn thy neighbour as thyself" did not mean love in tho ordinary sense. The proper outlook was service and real greatness was inseparable from service. That undoubtedly represented the highest possible ideal in life. This idea cut tho ground from under national selfishness and any society which set before itself the idea of service was carrying out the real moaning of lovo. The Rotary movement, which had penetrated into 44 different countries, did not profess to be a new revelation or contain any new or original ideas, but it sought to adhere to certain principles taught by Jesus Christ, but which had 100 often been interfered with and overshadowed by less worthy and selfish ideas. Although Rotary stood for high ethical standards in business and professional life and for good fellowship, its greatest work and greatest usefulness in the world lay in the cultivation of true national and international spirit. Men coming face to face wore able to study each other and obtain an idea of the at her man's outlook. By breaking down "fences" and international boundaries it would cultivate a broader spirit in tho world. This was the first and most important of the elements which made for peace.

"What the League of Nations was doing, and trying to do, in creating better international relations tho Rotary Club was doing in a more subordinate, but no less important, sphere. It was endeavouring to create a solid foundation upon which the League might rest. Popular goodwill toward the ideas and principles of the Leaguo was fostered. The very fact that the Rotary movement had developed in all parts of the world was a certain indication that deep down in the souls of men there was a growing dissatisfaction with ,i self-contained and self-centred national-

"Rotary, like any other great and worthy movement, may be misunderstood and caricatured," said Archbishop Averill. "In tho same way Christianity was misunderstood at tho beginning. Those who take the trouble to penetrate below tho surface will find that Rotary stands for one of the biggest things in the world, namely, world unity, as tho outcome of world sympathy and mutual understanding. The purpose and aim of every true Rotarian is to penetrate beneath the outward and visible signs to the inner meaning. It has been said Rotary is not. a band of good fellows, but is a state of mind—a mental attitude—attuned to God's service for mankind." The archbishop said he would recommend Rotarians to have a. vision and a programme if they were to accomplish anything worth while.