NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23719, 27 July 1940, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS

PRAYING FOR VICTORY What shall we pray for? asks Dr. Jlnttliews, Dean of St. Paul's, in a recent article. I know quite well what I shall pray for —victory and that we may be worthy to be victorious. Soino very good Christians seem to be shy of mentioning "victory" in their prayers. I have even heard it said that we ought to use no prayer in which a German could not join. 1 do not understand this. In the past there were devout Christians who owned slaves and others -who, apparently with a good conscience, made fortunes out of slave trading. Are we to think that it would have been wiong to pray any prayer in which a slave-owner could not join? The German nation is, at the present minute, a slaver-owner on a vast scale,' and aims at even further enslavements. I refuse to believe that 1 am not right in praying that they shall be defeated and overthrown and their victims delivered. HEATHEN NAZI CREED "The stark fact remains that Christendom and heathendom now stand face to face as they have not done in Europe since the days of Charlemagne. In spite of the various vague references in sermons and public speeches to the war as a 'crusade,' I. think we have scarcely begun to realise the full implications of this," said Miss Dorothy Sayers in a striking address on the subject, "Creed or Chaos?" given to the Church Tutorial Classes Association. "We still go on scolding Germany for disregarding the standard of European ethics, as though • that standard was, something which she still acknowledged. It is only with great difficulty that we can bring ourselves to grasp the fact that there is no failure in Germany to live up to her own standards of right conduct. It is something much more terrifying and tremendous; it is that what we believe to be evil Germany believes to be good. It is a direct repudiation of the basic Christian dogma on which our Mediterranean civilisation, such as it is, is grounded." " RIGHT MAKES MIGHT " "We meet in circumstances which demand of us all the utmost exercise of faith and courage," said the Lord High Commissioner, Sir lan Colquhoun, addressing the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. "Our nation is engaged in a fierce and desperate struggle. We entered that conflict believing our cause to bo just. For long tragic months the enemy has by his every action proved, and doubly proved, how truly just our cause is. With unbeclouded eyes* wo seo before us the dragon of unrighteousness. Can we, as Christian men and women, for one moment doubt that this evil thing, which by the sword has arisen, shall by the united crusade of Christendom, bo utterly destroyed ? Paganism against Christian civilisation—that is the clear issue. We ask Almighty God to judge between us and our enemies. This is a testing time of our faith. It is, above all, the hour of opportunity for the Christian Church to give light to them that sit in darkness, to establish the doubting, to comfort the anxious and the fearful, and boldly to proclaim the righteous will of God. 'Let us have faith that right makes might,' said Abraham Lincoln—'and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as wo understand it.' "

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Early Nestlings

Two half-fledged thrushes were discovered last Sunday in the hedgerow of a Hamilton farm, the owner stating that lie had never seen nestlings so early at any time in the past. The nest was found when a thrush was startled out from a barberry bush. Monterey Delayed

A cylonic disturbance has delayed the Matson liner Monterey, which was expected early this morning from Sydney on her voyage to San Francisco. Travelling through heavy swells at reduced speed the liner, which left Sydney on Wednesday morning, is now expected to berth at Prince's Wharf shortly after noon to-day. She will sail tliis evening for San Francisco. Green Peas Dear Small supplies of green peas were again offered at the city markets yesterday, and were keenly sought at prices ranging up to Is lid per lb. The very early appearance of this table delicacy has been accelerated by mild winter weather, and growers have reaped a fine profit from the rapid growth. Prices will drop sharply when further supplies bogin to come in shortly. Use for Old Lamps Old and burnt-out electric lamps will be accepted at the offices of the Auckland Electric-Power Board in connection with the recent Ministerial appeal to the public regarding disposal of waste materials. Consumers are being asked by the board to leave old globes in a receptacle specially provided for the purpose in the Power Board Building. Arrangements will be made later for the salvaging of the brass fittings on the lamps. Farmers and Territorials

A remit urging the extension of the territorial system in New Zealand to give military training to young farmers and farm employees who are unable to devote a full three months of their time to training was carried at yesterday's meeting of the Franklin subprovincial executive of the Farmers' Union, it was stated that there might be some difficulty at present in making instructors available to organise parades in rural areas. Yacht Club's Flag-Pole

The flag-pole which is shortly to be placed in position on the Richmond Yacht Club's new clubhouse at St. Mary's Bay boat-harbour was once the slide-pole used in the old fire brigade tower in Albert Street. The pole was purchased for a few shillings at a liquidation sale some years ago for Mr. G. M. Dennes, a member of the building committee of the yacht club, and he has now presented it to the club for use as a flag-pole. It will be tapered and will have at its base an inscribed plate explaining its origin and former use.

Wrestler's Mistake Wrestlers have often been known to attack the referee when lie gives a decision against them. One of the professional contestants at a rceent Napier bout, however, varied the custom by vigorously elbow-jolting the . referee after the latter had awarded a fall in his favour. Apparently he had misunderstood the official's action and thought he was attempting to break the hold, for on realising that he had gained a fall the wrestler changed his attitude and shook hands with the surprised and dazed referee.

Messages to Soldiers The cheap-rate cablegram service extended earlier in the war to members of the Army and Air Force serving abroad is now available to Canada, states the Post and Telegraph Department. The rate fixed when the service was inaugurated on a more limited basis is >sd a word for the text and signature, with a minimum charge of 2s Gd for each message. No charge is made for the words in the address, which must include full particulars of the addressee's number, rank and unit. Similar messages are accepted from the men abroad addressed to their relatives in New Zealand.

Busy Ambulance Fleet Winter ailments have affected many people in Auckland this year, and consequently St. John Ambulance drivers have been' called upon to work at high pressure in recent weeks. Their duties yesterday were unusually heavy, and throughout the day the despatch officer at the Rutland Street depot found difficulty in fulfilling all demands made upon the service by the different hospitals for transporting patients to and from their homes, or to the various departments at the Auckland Hospital. Between times, calls for blood donors placed an extra burden upon the .drivers. School Class In Court A group of senior Auckland Grammar School boys who attended the Supreme Court yesterday to observe at first hand something of legal procedure, was a trifle unfortunate in the nature of the business that came up. After a youth had been granted probation for burglary and several bankrupts had been discharged, j\ir. Justice Callan, who presided, took notice of the boys' presence. "I regret there is nothing coming on by which their education will be advanced," ho said. "The business the Court is about to do is of a. nature highly unsuitable for these young people to hear." The boys were not slow to take the hint. Centennial School Essays The opinion that the centennial literary competitions for New Zealand schoolchildren proved of great educational value was expressed yesterday by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry. Ho said the participation of children from somo of the smallest primary schools was a pleasing feature of the competitions, in which a high standard of literary effort was achievod. The school teachers deserved congratulation on encouraging their charges in literary work, which impressed the judge, Mr. W. B. Harris. "The knowledge and craftsmanship displayed by the writers of some of the ossaj's astonished me," Mr. Parry added. Generous Patriotism Remarking on the patriotism which prompted people to sacrifice articles of priceless sentimental valuo to be raffled or sold in aid of the National Patriotic Fund, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, said yesterday that many interesting gifts had been receivod. Ono was a gold sovereign of great ago, which was an heirloom of a New Zealand family, and it was expected that some patriotic citizen would pay the value of the coin and return it to its donor for safe keeping. Regarding a number of ancient gold necklaces, the Minister said their actual value was not great, except when viewed from the aspect of the donors' patriotism* j