The Boy Scouts

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18823, 13 July 1923, Page 7

The Boy Scouts

Commissioner, Rev. David Campbell,

’Phone S 4 0. Deputy-Commissioner. Captain A. C. Buist. 'Phone 1361. There are three rules all Boy Scouts must obey: Ist. To fear God and honour the King. 2nd. To do good turns to other people. 3rd. To obey the Scout Law. V.’HER.E ARE THE MEN? “Where are the men to lend a hand. Echo it far and wide; Men who will rise in every land. Bridging the Great Divide? Nation and flag and tongue unite, Joining each class and creed: Here are the boys who would do right, But where the men to lead?" ZULU TRAINING. The native boys of the Zulu and Swazi tribes learn to be Scouts before they are allowed to be considered men, and they do it in this way. When a boy is about fifteen or sixteen he is taken by the men of his village, stripped of all clothes, and painted white from head to foot, and he is given a shield and one assegai or small spear, and he is turned out of the village and told that he will be killed if anyone catches him while he is painted white. So the boy has to go off into the jungle and mountains and hide himself from other men until the white paint wears off, and this generally takes about a month; so that all this time he has to look after himself and stalk game with his one assegra, and kill it and cut it for his food. He has to light his fire by means of rubbing sticks together in order to cook his meat; he has to make the skin of the animal into a covering for himself; and he has to know what kind of wild root, berries, and leaves are good for food as vegetables. If he is not able to do these things he dies of starvation or is killed by wild animals. If he succeeds in keeping himself alive, and is able to find his way back to the village, he returns when the white paint has'' worn off, and is then received with great rejoicings by his friends and relations, and is allowed to become a soldier of the tribe, since he has shown that he is able to look after himself.

TRUE RELIGION. (By the Chief Scout.) The old knights who were the scouts of the nation were religious. They were always careful to attend church or chapel, especially before going into battle or undertaking any serious difficulty. They considered it was the right thing always to Be Prepared for death. In the great church of Malta you can see to-day where the old knights used to pray, and they all stood up and drew their swords during the reading of the Creed as a sign that they were prepared to defend the gospel with their swords and Ilves. When you meet a boy of a different religion from your own. you should not be hostile to him, biti recognise that he is like a soldie-. in your own army, though in a different uniform, and still serving the same king as you. I don’t want to 'adv-goody,” but just tell you that the ' faith of our country is a fine thing. In pari four or Scouting for Boys, I give a little definition of religion which is very straight and simple. Religion is just: Ist.—To believe in God.

2nd.—To do good to other people. Here are one or two more simple definitions of religion that peopb who are keen on we Scouts have been good enough to send me:— “Religion is a life, not a ceremony.” “True religion is practical care of others and a-fioly life for oneself.” “Usefulness is the rent we pay for room on the earth.” “Until we cease to live for self we haven’t begun to live at all.” TOO BIG FOR HIS BOOTS. I expect you’ve heard that expression often enough. I remember with whom I used to play who, ac-

cording to my mother, was much too big for his boots. He certainly 1 deserved the title, for he had a wonderful idea of his own importance and would never give his elders credit for knowing more than he did. Just you think about the matter for a bit and see if you know anyone like this—l hope it isn’t yourself! If it is, well, just sit down and shrink until you do fit your boots—that's all. TALKING THROUGH HIS HAT. There’s another kind of chap who talks without thinking. He loves to hear the sound of his own voice. People like to listen to an interesting conversation, but there is nothing more boring than to have to listen to someone talking through his hat. It is a good plan to hold your peace unless you are certain that what you have to say is accurate ano sensible. The chap who talks for the sake of talking is like a parrot—jarring. A NEW RELIC! The geology class was sent out to collect specimens, and their teacher was to explain upon their return what the different specimens were. One of the boys for a joke brought in a piece of brick. When the teacher came to examine what they had to offer he took up one specimen after another. "This,” said he, “is quartz, this feld-spar, this sandstone, and this” = —taking up the piece of brick and looking gravely at the boy who brought it—"this is a piece of impudence." VERY IGNORANT. Teacher: “Now, Tommy, can you tell me whether a cat wears fur, bailor feathers?” Tommy (pityingly); “Haven’t you even seen one, sir?” SALTY. Professor: “What else is found in salt water besides chloride of iodine?” Youngest Pupil: "Herring, sir.” HE THOUGHT HE KNEW. Little Sammy: “What’s your father, Willie?” Little Willie. “He’s a man.” Little Sammy: “Oil, I mean, what does he do for his bread and butter?” Little Willie: "He’s an artichoke, and draws houses!”