HOME AGAIN

Patea Mail, 8 January 1940, Page 4

HOME AGAIN

BISHOP HOLLAND BRITAIN AND THE WAR Something of the atmosphere of Britain under wartime conditions, the calls that have been made on the people, and the sacrifices they have accepted, avero vividly described by the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. H. S-i. Barbe Holland, when replying to the welcome extended to him on his return with Mrs. Holland and Miss Robson from his health trip to the Old Country*. Holy Eucharist was celebrated in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul and was followed by a morning tea function in the Sydney Street schoolroom, at winch the clergy and laity wore pro unit.. The celebrant at the Eucharist -was the Vicar-General of the Wellington Diocese, the Yen. Archdeacon W. Bullock, who was assisted by the Rev. Canon D. .1. Davies. ’Wellington clergv comprised the choir. To the question, “Are you glad to be back again I” said His Lordship,the answer hud come in a very spontaneous, way when from the ship they caught sight of the islands off the New Zealand coast before their ship entered Auckland. He had turned to his wife and said, "I am really glad to be back again. He knew at that moment that he was in the place that God meant him to be, and t that- there was going to be a now sphere of work for him.

Bishop Holland said that while he was awav he had the most extraordinary freedom from anxiety and worry. He paid a glowing tribute to the way Archdeaeon Bullock had managed the affairs of the diocese, and spoke in appreciation also of the work of Mr, Stewart Sprott, who had charge of his private affairs.

A NATIONAL SOHL Everyone -was asking him what England was like under present conditions. The approach of war, said Bishop Holland, became more and more evident as August wore ou, and when it came lie thought that all were almost surprised beyond expression by the extraordinary unity and holidarity of the whole nation in the grim moment. It seemed that there really was such a thing as a national soul, and every single Britisher was aware that the very integrity of the nation’s soul was being challenged by Hitler and his aggressive policy. When war came it was accepted without fuss. It had fallen to his lot to Lave been in Scotland at the beginning of the war of 1914 IS, and this war, and the difference in the reception of the people was extraordinary. This time there was no' gathering of crowds, no excitement. There was in the calm way the situation was accepted a measure of the sense of responsibilities that had to be faced. The nation know it was in for the greatest test in all its history. The judgment of everyone seemed to be that what was at stake was the great moral issues. He thought that the mind of the . nation was focussed on the fact that tile only values worth living for were those that were being challenged by Hitler. That was at the beginning of the war. I,u the weeks that followed, in spite of the appalling dislocation of life, the. tragedies, and; the unutterable irritation of Government regulations of all sorts, and the horror of the black-out-—and that was really a horror there was no sign of any change in the nation’s spirit. The patience of the people and the lack of criticism wore quite extraordinary. His Lordship referred to the task and the complications associated with the evacuation of children from the cities. It had led to a revelation of how completely civilisation had failed by any standards of life .that were really worth while. The nation had had its eyes so fully opened to the conditions of living of the people on the lower levels that this would be a first thing to be tackled after the war. There were other implications of the evacuation. The whole of the education system, for example, had gone bv the board meantime.

Bishop Holland related experiences he had had in.the black-outs. - One concerned a trip he had made by car to Scotland at night, a journey of 12 miles. They had driven clean through the town without realising it. Archdeacon Bullock; Who was the driver, my Lord? (Laughter). “'There were four eyes in the car, I can tell you that,” Bishop Holland laughingly replied. Referring to' the regulations which had been introduced, Bishop Holland sgid that: freedom had been given up for the moment in order that the Slate might be helped. WAR OF MORAL ISSUES The war was 'one of the great moral issues, and one which it was hoped was going to have a great moral issue at the end. The one topic of controversy was whether we ought to declare our peace aims. The people at Homo who were pressing strongly lor a declaration of our peace aims were people who were terrified that if war really broke out in all the horror of the last war, and even -worse, there might .arise a spirit, of hatred which might make peace impossible. H was only after twenty years that one or two of the gravest issues of Versailles were being realised. Because of what happened last time, there were a number of people who were more concerned about the pace that was to lie made, and rightly so. Bishop Holland said he believed that it was an extraordinarily good thing that the Labour Party at Home did not join up with the Government. When there was government by regulations it

seemed that it was all to the goon to have a strong, 'well-informed Opposition. If there had been a Coalition Government at the beginning of the war, ho felt certain that the Government would not have had the advantage of the advice of a body of people who were really expressing the minds of the nation. LOWER STANDARD OF LIFE As a result of the war a far lower standard of life would have to ho faced in this country. Euless there ;was a complete repudiation of war debts, there was no possibility of paying for the last war and this war without a tremendous scaling down of what the people were spending on themselves. One of the most immediate things necessary was for all to face realities and not to indulge in wishful thinking. ♦ TASK OF THE CHURCH Dealing with the Church and the war, Bishop Holland said that ho was thankful that he was the Bishop of a diocese in Hew Zealand and not in England. The Church was going to go through difficult times. .He refer' red to some of the difficulties that arose immediately after the 'war. Owing to the evacuation 50 curates had been given notice in London. Then there was the effect on services ltecar.se of the black-out conditions. The Church had to face the problem of how to keep worship alive. There Avas also the bigger question of what lead the ■Church was going to take. He was perfectly certain that there must be an aggressive move on the part of the Church unless its days 'Were to be numbered. Unless the churches could show,-without evidence of consciousness and without any spirit of arrogance or pride, that they had a contribution to make which was absolutely essential, they were going to fail. He .was hoping, therefore, that clergy and laity in Nc*w Zealand would realise the tremendous responsibility resting upon them. There seemed be in England on the part of the Church generally a sort of tragic apathy that there was nothing really that could be done.

Bishop Holland expressed gratitude for the welcome home, specially mentioning his pleasure at the holding of the Eucharist. He also thanked the clergy for the presentation of a book to him. „