"WE TALK BIG."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13636, 2 July 1908, Page 7

"WE TALK BIG."

BUT WE ; ARE VERY LITTLE.

WHAT BISHOP JULIUS THINKS.

Bishop Julius speaking at a man's service at Pahnerstou North, at which Lord I .Plunket was present, reterred to the iu* and decline of nations. In tile course of his remarks he said there were sign,-, of a change in the working of the human mind . Take Socialism: everybody was talking about it. Some hoped< it would come, others feared it. Some prayed God that if it came it would come in tneir children's lime. When it did come would there be absolute revolution? Was there not ia this a definite sign that something was to come which must imperil eveiy existing order? Were we prepared, or were we like o.her nations who had turned their back and faded into nothingne.vs because of their , unbelief ? He believed in the old saying that the nation that was prepared" for war was the nation that could best afford to dwelljn peace; and how about the Dominion of New Zealand? We we're simply playing with the question of defence. The- volunteers had done what they could, and he believed they were animated with. a real desire to serve their country; but what could such » small number do? Every man in the Dominion ought to learn how to hold a rifle and how to • use it.' The crisis would take the form of war,' and the question was were we prepared? It was not our treatks and alliances that would save us, but the fact that we were worthy of keeping and preserving. If we were, God would keep us. The question came: Had we got an horizon? In a sort. We had a great idea of building an empire, and were'always talking about is ps if mere bigness wa6 better than. power. We went about in' hysterical fashion crying " Bule Britannia,'* and playing our little tin trumpets, and saying what a great nation, .we were. There was no horizon there. He loved New Zealand, and that was why he spoke as he did. We were the narrowest people on earth. There might be a people who had a horizon, but they were not in New Zealand. We thought that New Zealand was the hub of the universe, and that the Old Country was dependent upon us, "but blew your hearts," he continued, 'we are dependent on England for the very breath we breathe. Let her close'her markets, and we are done. The fact is we are very little and we talk big." The New Zealander was not even

as big as his country. ""With him it was: a queution of his class or his party, ; and thai was what he caded his horizon.. Men might say there is not much to do;"..and that an individual could do nothing, but the Empire has been built up by individuals, and everything depended -v upon what each man was going to do : whether lie was.going to live.a noble life.or live a life of ease, .ind pleasure that rtrould even.ually bring decay upon the nationIt was "essential that every man. .of the Empire should recognise the nececsity for this sacrifice, and help towards the life of the Empire with a li.-tle less bragging, a- little less boastfulness; a little lees big talking, and a great deal more earnest, honest, faithful service. In conclusion his Lordship said that if the Empire ever fell into ruin it would not be because her. Army failed her, or her Navy was weak, but because her people was incapable of that sacrifice by which alone a nation lived. ■