A BISHOP’S PIPE

Southland Times, Issue 17455, 23 June 1915, Page 2

A BISHOP’S PIPE

CHURCHMAN'S' self-denial,

MY LAJYY NICOTINE AND BISHOP JULIUS. {Special to the Times.) ’ CHRISTCHURCH, June 22. Bishop Julius wrote as follows tills morning:— "Colonel Cliaffey knocked the bottom out of my speech at the K. of K. pledge meeting on Sunday night. I came away with a bad conscience, so the pipe must go until the end of the war; men at the front want it more than I do.” Bishop Julius was asked by a reporter this afternoon if giving up his pipe involved any real sacrifice. "Oh, yes;" said the Bishop. "It hurts, indeed. 1 have been a smoker, and a hard one. for many years, and just now it’s not safe to come to Bishop’s Court. Yes." he added, as though in self-com-mune, “it hurts.” "Does your Lordship suggest that the example should bo followed by the rest of the clergy and by the laity?" “Oh, dear, no,” came the answer. "You see its this way. I was one of the speakers.at the K, of K. meeting on Sunday night. 1 was urging the people listening to me to sacrifice the use of unnecessary things, such as drink, hut here is ttie point. I don’t drink at all —not a pledged total abstainer, you know—but I don't care for the stuff. I might drink the King’s health in a drop of claret at a social function, but really 1 don’t want it, so it was easy for me to give it up. it was no sacrifice at all, in fact; and then. Colonel Chaffcy turned to us on the platform and said: "It's all right for you follows asking us to give up our drink, but why don’t you give up your tobacco?” "Now, I’m logical,” continued the Bishop, "and 1 felt strongly the force of the Colonel’s argument. The more X reflected on it the stronger did f feel it my duty to make a personal sacrifice, and I just did it, so now you have the story.” "And your Lordship docs not suggest that others should follow your example?" queried the reporter. “Oh, no." replied the Bishop. "With me this matter is purely personal. If the others want to continue smoking they may do so as much as they like.” Ono of the evening papers in referring to the Bishop’s resolve says: "And what about the Bishop's tobacconist. Is he to starve?”