POINTING THE WAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11732, 23 June 1916, Page 3

POINTING THE WAY.

BISHOP JULIUS SPEAKS TO WOMENFOLK, -FITNESS, READINESS, DETACHMENT." Bishop Julius's address at the intercessory service of the Girls' Fiiendly. Society last night was a plea for preparedness for whatever task _ might arise during the war, or after it. He spoke from the story of Queen Esther's deliverance of the Jews, his text being "'Mordecai said to Esther, 'Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as tllis? ' " „ + i '•'One of God's reserves," was tho Bishop's description of Isaiah, and he went on to speak of Kitchener, the stern, strong, self-contained man, who had passed through a great many trials and dangers, a man not always loved, a man sent to do hard work and get hard knocks. What, he asked, was all that discipline and training forr' All of a sudden there came a great need, and in one voice Britain called for Lord Kitchener. He stood up, and the biggest piece of work ever given to a Britisher was put into his hands to do, and lie /did it Surely it might be said of him that he came to greatness for such a day. Their lives said the preacher, were ordered by God. They had .a very limited choico from within. Ho could say that a man's duty or a woman s duty was fitness, readitess, and detachment, by which ho meant a carrying about ot very little luggage. "Look at the Roman Catholic Church. 1 ' said Bishop Julius. "If they want teachers they don't go coaxing about to come, and teach the children in the Sunday school • You needii t come more than once in three weeks, and you need nevor come if you don i like it.' No, they go to the Sisters, and the Sisters come and teach. I'ney want someone to run the Nazareth Home, and they go to the Sisterhood Tho Sisters don't say, ' How much will we get a week?' They say, 'We aro ready, we are trained, and wo are detached ' That is the strength of the Roman Catholics. They never have to go 'worriting' about when things are to be done They have a crowd of trained, ready ar?d detached women. That is what we want. We have forgotten it through a great number of years. ... I have got one house of Deaconesses in Christchurch, but God knows I would like it multiplied by twenty." "I wonder," the Bishop "if the Girls' Friendly Society has come into the world for such a tiaie as this. I have been wondering whether this gieat machine, with its enormous power and spiritual wealth, might find in these days something very special to do. I cannot say what, but I hope some spirit may inspire tho Girls' Friendly Society to do something that God meant it to do. Jf there were some great hostel, some big ambulance, some vast convalescent home, some shelter for what you will, that was tho special caro of tho Girls' Friendly Society all over the world, wouldn't that stir you up. I believe it would. Think about it; pray about it. Even such a thing as that might come!"