THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1915. THE SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXV, Issue 10713, 3 November 1915, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1915. THE SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE.

Tub Bishop oi' Auckland recently delivered a rigorous address upon the subjedc of sacrifice. Ho eiuphasfsed fclio -fact that it avrS tJio spirit of Kicridieo that was goino; bo win ftho war. The groat bulk of the people in. New Zealand possibly dici not realise this fact. 'But U>« Itirne is comma wheji eveiiy mail and woman \ Wiis haw to face the issue. Only those who have sent their sons; to t'ho field of battle. an\l those who have Tought and are lighting for liberty and jusiiee, can ho said to haro.niade a real sacrifice. "Wli.'n wo realise that mw <i (nation is seriously iit stake, and when wo apiweciato the two •si&Tiiiieaneii of (the; domination ol' the world f>y Prussian militarism, we shall sihtwhlcp uvoryfchiug wo possess, if needs bo, in order to avert a world-wide calamity. The .Bishop of Auckland has roud'erai useful service in mtbwvoitrinEj 100 awnkon the. p:ople to a souse of their responsibility.

But ho treads upon lliin ice when he ask.s tltfo following questions:—■ "For what purpose are wc sending our young men, -;ho Jlower of our nation, to fight, and. possibly, to suffer and dicr Is i.; lor the sako of the existence o|' th.> Ivmpire afoue • it nuvcly for the protection and increases ol our cr.ininercc? , . . Has the philosophy of sellishtvss taken the place of altruism;-' 'Ha.s the thought of what thu world would suffer if Germany isucei edrd <*s winning t-11 1* war been supplant*■,! by the. thought of what u»j should suffer)-"

Tho implication contained in those questions is that t'u> ."British Empire is prompted by s.-liish nmt'iVes ,in waging. war ji.tfjwn.s-t IV'u.ssian milijoarism. W'tli due deference 'to His Lordship, we submit t this implication is tofeiily mn,i\ust. : if? .cl. '.I ho spirit >c:l' '.selfishness is, no doubt, possessed in a greater or lesser degree by every individual ar.-.l ■•very .Sic.a.to. 33ut there is selfishness and selfishness. It may br selhshiu ss that lii'"ompts the owner of a house to forcibly eject, a .burglar who is rifling Ir® sals) of its eon/.euts. -But the man who allowed liis valuables to bo piivlainod without raising a: finder in protest would bo regarded "Hot only as a coward, bui as an absolute lunatic. Tlio Teujion.e .b::rglar vs at the doors of the safe, lie is vudeavouriug ty -I'ob us of :•iir national birthright, our institutians of freedom, our individual and collec.t've hbei'cy. Is it selfish-tlial uo s!:onkl seize him by tho throat and en.dea.vour to tinvairb his fiendish designs; It is selfish that -we .should endeavour lw» omajieiipate the world from the. yoke of militarism'i Ls.it selfish that we should sJjok to save our propirry from spoliation and our ivomen and children fipin ontra.g\. :ii the hairJs of a liordo of soulless ruffians 'i The British, nation is not p.'-ompled to deeds of sacrifice <b.v a. desire to acquire other .people's territory, or <vsmniorce, or goods. If it were pursuing: a war of -aggress ion might rea.s.onablv 'bo 'accused of .solusbness. But it is not. Tt is engaged " : ui the saci'ed duty of defending its hir'iiour. its life, its in.W;itui.ions. If thebo lost to us, thou we shall be truly huniil'ated. 'But, so long a.s we have men possessed of tho instinct of Britishers, so long n,s wo hav y the ability to fight and .tho arms to fighlo with, we shall resist tho assaults of tho arrogant Teutons (:o the very uttermost. There can be no lir'f-nnasnros atv.l no |>atchod-u;-> pivieo. The cause of. civilizat : on ■ will Ik* fought to tlie bitter end, and as sure as nigh l : follows day. so sure* will .our light IV a just caus a be triu in pliant.