PATRIOTIC RELIGIOUS SERVICE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9945, 22 January 1900, Page 2

PATRIOTIC RELIGIOUS SERVICE.

There was a big gathering at the Drill llnll yesterday aftemoon,_when a patriotic religious service was held under the auspices of the Ministers' Association. The Rev. G. Bond presided, tho Eev. C. 11. Poole road a scripture lesson, prayer was offered by the Rev. J. F. Jones, and addresses were given by tho chairman and the Revs. R. M. Eybnrn l and J. Cocker. Tho Mayor and Cr Liffiton. also occupied seats on the platform." The Gurnson Band opened the proceedings with a selection, and during the offertory nlso rendered "Ora Pro Nobis." Smeral appropriate liymns were sung, the closing one being the National Anthem. The collection realised a little over .£2O, In his opening address, the Rev. G. Bond stated that they were not therepresent in a snirib of deep despair and imwortl.y humiliation, by re.ison of tho failures ol the 2>abt, but rather in a spirit of gratitude to the God of battle, the (God of justice and the fountain of all mercy for victories achieved and the spirit of hopefulness attaching to The future. They uero thankful for the bravery of (heir brave soldiers at the front. The achievements of the last few weeks for bunery and moral heroism had nfver been surpassed. Thoy were thankful for the readiness with whHi every part of the great Empire had responded to the aj-peal of tho Mother land, and while there was mich patriotism in the colonies of Great Britain thcTc wat no need to fear that a spirit of decadence had set iv. Victor Eraannel had said that England was tha ancient home of (he brave, and they were proud tint wherever the old Union Jack floated in the breeze there was to be found protection for the weak, liberty for the slave, and justice for men of all nations. They were thankful for the noble way in which the colonies with tho Mother Lan'l were rallying today. They were thankful for the justice of their cause, and believed they were fighting in a righteous cause. It might have been possible for England to have ej.tered on a war of aggrandisement, but thi3 was a moral fight, and there were great moral issues at stake. They were thankful for tho success of the British aims. They felt their hearts swelling with pride for the gallant officers and i) on who had so distinguished themselves at Glenooe, Elands Laagte and

other places. Tho officers had acted nobly. They were not tlio men. to say "go, but "come," and the mou had followed and officers and men had fallen for their Queen ami bolihtry. The lew lfvcieci they hud sustained, like aiKiotion in the home, had brought the members of the family closer together. These reverses had thrilled the Empire and made them ieel tlmt they nm inembera of the great body politic. They believed that Ho who reigns on high out, of chaos would bring peace, liarniony, and piosperity not only in Africa but in the whole world. The Rev. B. M. Byburn spokn on "War from the Christian Standpoint." He stated that War nnd Christianity woie altogether opposed. With war thcro was associated tho gathering together of soldiers and the ronr Of cannon, and on the other £>lde whitc-washod walls whore tho dead and dying lay, sorrowing homes, weeping widows, and mi urning mothers. On the other hand, there was nesociatcd with Christianity c\ ay thing that w?s peaceful, the ping*i)ig of hymns, Worship in tho sanctuary, and the birth in Bethlehem's chamber. But still there was a connection between v.nr and Christianity. Christianity told them that thero wa9 sin in the world and the \vay to readieate it. They could not, licwever, compel men to be Christians. Wbeiever an endeavour had been made to compel men to bo good there had not been success. Christianity struck at sin, and as tin was eradicated from mankind, so would Wir tie eradicated. War sprang him the passions of men and was overruled for the curtailment of sin. He instanced'the cases of the tribes ill tho South Pacific, who were kept down from my position of greatness in the world. Ho then referred to what war had accomplished, instancing benefits arising from the wiir of American Independence, which ha"d resulted in freedom being extendod Hot only to America but to all the British colonies, and also to the berefits conferred on India under British rule. War was not a weapon, of the gospel, but was one of the things that had gcod results under the providence of God, In war we Bhonld acknowledge God, as men, horaDs, and money were not our mainstay. The object of the meeting was to call their attention, to the fact that they needed God's help. Tho Rev J. Cocker, whose subject for address wris "The Present War," stated that lie desired those present to remember that the speakers were not there to ciiticise the polioy of the Home Government or the leadership of the British generals. They were there to try and put an end to the war. They had come to the conolusion that tho best way of doing that was by sending more men. Ho desired tlleln to remember that they were engaged in the biggest war that Britain had ever been engaged in, and never had such a number of Britishers takon part in any conflict as were engaged at th 6 present time in South [ Africa. They Jiad road of the famous Battla of Waterloo, but only 24,000 British soldiere took part in that memorable fight. They had read of the war with Russia, but in the Crimea Lord Haglan only had 36,000 men under him. In the famous Indian Mutiny but 40,000 fought under Lord Clyde. Lord Wolseley in tho Egyptian campaign had 30,000, and only 13,000 were fighting in India ttndei Lord -Roberts! To-day, however, Lord Roberta had under his command in Soutli Africa upwards of 100,000 men. Such an army had never taken the field on the side of Britain in the history of our Great Empire. He desired them to remember the- Wagnitudo of the task they had undertaken to put down the Boers and plant the English flag in Pretoria, for he understood that was the intention of Britain. (Applause.) - He knew thai in 1881 the British had buried the flag, btit he firmly believed there was going to be a resurrection, and the resurrection wquld take place in Pretoria. (Laughter and applauße.) He had read of the bravery of the British generals in tlte past, but he maintained that to-day our 'generals were making uames that would raise them as heroes, names that would ever live in tho memory of the great Empire. Such men as General^ White at Ladysmith and Baden Powell at Mafeking would have their nanjes e^iscrplled on the pages of fame as the greatest of British Soldiers. (Applause.) They were not present that afternoon to iia-ng their heads in humiliation and shame; they were there to ujjhold a cause they conscientiously behoved to be a t righteous one, and they were going to win ih the name of God. They were not fighting' for the love of war, not because they wanted to figlit. "We don't want to fight, but by jingo if we do," — (laughter and applause.) They knew the rest. They were not fighting because they wanted to lay hold' of fresh territory, for Britain had vast possessions. They were not fighting for the sakeof annexing the Transvaal, although without a doubt "they would now annex it. They were not fighting simply to give . the franchise to the Outlanders ; they knew they were entitled to it, for all that, and they would gut it. It wae distinctly understood* in 1881 that there was to be no difference between the Boers and the British in the Transvaal, but Kruger had broken Ms. word, and Britain was going to make him keep his promise. (Applause.) If Kruger could not understand any other argument* he would probably understand it when it was brought home at the rcoint of the British bayonet. (Applause.) What was the country like before theJJritish went to the Transvaal' Did' they not go to save the Boers from the Zulus, and had not they sacrificed their lives at Korke's Drift and other places? They, therefore, had a. right to demand that they should" be treated- fairly by the Boers. The British had gone to their country when it was almost bankrupt, and had taken the woalth that had made the country,' and it was base, boorish ingratitude for the Boera to turn against them now. The real reason why they were fighting, was this..^ The Dutch had determined to drive" the British out of South Africa, >and if we desired to retain our South African possessions we had to fight, or otherwise be prepared to sneak out of Africa and go back home. What would be tho position if the Boers had possession of the ports in South Africa? We talked aboi't developing the trade of our country, but what would result if the Boer ruled in South Africa? If ' the Boors would take advantage of 'the foreigners away' in' Johannesburg, how would they treat our trade. ' It would be a severe blow to the Empire to lose, our South African possessions. They were I fighting, therefore, to retain their position in South Africa. There were other benefits they would gain from the war. First of all, it would unite the Empire. What great outbursts of enthusiasm had boen-Ivitnessed when Canada, Australia, and other colonies had contributed tjheir gifts of men-, money and horses to support the Mother Country. He thanked God lie Jived to-day to witness such, scenes. They were living in a time that would be looked back to by future genelations with pride. They wore a united Empire. It had been said that New Zealand, being the furthest away from the Old Land, would be the first to cut the painter. Jhis he knew; that>New Zealand was the 'first of the British I colonies to land' troops in South Africa i to help the Mother Country. (Applause.) That was the best reply they could give i to such a statement. He knew that Britain could win without the help of her [ colonies, but a mother liked to ree'eive a present from her son — (laughter) — and s6 the Motherland said to her sons, "God bless you; we are glad to see you." The gathe.ing'in Africa waß, as Kipling aptly wrote, "a family picnic." It was a proof of a united Empire. The war had furthermore, proved that British, hcroißm was not a thing of the past. They* had had wonderful exhibitions of bravery during the present campaignmen carrying their wounded comrades out of danger in the thiokest of the fight, snimming swollen rivers in the face of a hail of bullets, dashing through the trenches, and doing deeds of daring that ever would be remembered. He noticed also that women had been brave. He had read in ancient history of how the Grecian and Spartan mothers had sent forth their eons to battle, putting on their armour for them, and bidding them bo worthy sons. During the vi£sont campaign they had mothers givin» U]? their sons, and fathers going forth" with their sons to battle. wS had fathers and mothers to-day cheerfully giving up their children to fight for tli Empire. He had read of Florence Nightingale going forth almost alone in the Crimea to nurse the wounded, but today they had hundreds of brave iromen volunteering to go to the front to care tor the wounded and dying. Tho war had brought out some of the best parts found in human nature. The war had also killed a number of slanders. They had frequently heard, no doubt, that the race had deteriorated, that the British

officers wero only fit for the ballroom/ - t parties and parade, and that is won as . there wits a war and an enemy came t0,,; New Zealand the Volunteers would b»,f back in the bush. (Laughter.) v Wnat'"* did they find to-day.? That the colonials had distinguished themselves in every fight they had taken part in, and 'ihp British generals had staled that they, were proud to lead them. (Applause.) Talk about running to the bush; they ran to the'front to meet the enemy. Did Old England need it, and tho welfare of the Empire was at stake, Australasia would, willingfy send 50,000 men. They had during the campaign killed a few slanders as well as Boers. (Laughter.) Tho Transvaal would bo better :>fo* British rule. Did they ever know tt, country that was not better for British, rule? What was the experience of Indian and Egypt, and they would soon see the"~ benefits arising from the conquering ol'^ tho fanatics in the Soudan. Out of this war thefo -would come untold blessinwC * for they were going to conquer. \Whap • about the way tho natives weje.treftteft by tho Boers? Did not- the Bqers trek because the would not 'allow 1 them to make the natives their slaved?' Tho British were fighting for justice.andrighteousness. There were some thingsiu that wero worse than war. The position in tho Transvaal before the war was even* worse than war itself. Were he not corivinced of the justice of the oause of Britain he would not be found lifting 1 ud his voice in support of it. The British had gone to the Transvaal to show the< Boers how man should treat Ms brother"* man, and extend the -principles' of-jUSs tice, equity, equality, and rigfiteottsneisjK,; The teaching of the Blaster was '"Do unto others as they would . that they, 1 should do to you"; and they should' carry out that-principle and allow Briton and Boer to have equal rights in future. .