A LAY SERMON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XII, Issue IV, 27 January 1894, Page 90

A LAY SERMON.

BY A WOMAN OF NEW ZEALAND TO THE WOMEN OF NEW ZEALAND. IN endeavouring to say some words which may prove useful to my sisters recently emancipated, I feel sure should such words contain wisdom, the thoughts will have been nttered before ; if empty and vain words—mere idle talking—this also has been. So my readers, if such be fonnd, need not expect new things ; but seeing that so often ‘ the old is better,’ they may extract some grains of troth which may, like salt, prevent these graine from petishing. As to whether the boon lately conferred be a benefit this is not the question. The boon is ours, and we must endeavour to make it a benefit. Some one has said that questions prefixed by * what ’ or * when ’ are easily answered, but the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ remain ever difficult. We must try in part to answer this difficulty. Why should we convert this boon to a benefit ? Because it is our bounden duty so to do. Also, because the happiness and welfare of a large number of our fellow creatures depend upon our so doing. How are we to do this? By denying ourselves and humbly endeavouring to do our duty in every department more conscientiously than we have yet done. Now let us be quite clear that our duty towards the State is not only to be done in what is commonly understood as the political arena. Let us be * political ’in every sense of the term. I will give one rendering of this word (Library Dictionary), * Sagacious in contriving or planning ; dexterous in the use of means ; skilful in the choice of instruments ; provident, far seeing.* Now, women may be all this. In the home many have been tried and proved to be truly * political.’ Remember the home is the foundation of the State. To govern well in the State we should be a good ruler at home, and to rule well at home we must be acquainted with selfgovernment. lam persuaded my fellow-workers and sisters throughout New Zealand will be better fitted to help State Government as they practise home government and selfgovernment. The first is here last, but doubtless * the last shall be first.’ We women should feel a deep sense of responsibility at having ‘greatness thrust upon us.’ It should make us humble, not arrogant. It should fill us with awe to consider what we are undertaking to do, for if we are to be of any use it means doing. Let ns remember too, that we are workers with men, not against or without them. We should feel proud of this. Some would perhaps have preferred to remain sheltered at home instead of being called to carry arms and march to the front with men, but being called to this, let us not fail in the doing. Onr arm is not so strong, nor, let us hope, our voice so loud, but our heart may be great for all that. Let ns see to it that onr vote be an attestation recorded, not only officially, on the side of right and trnth. Those of my sisters who have no home to rule (in the commonly understood way as mothers of families) have at any rate the duties of daughters or sisters—family duties of some sort to perform, and here again I must lay great stress upon the trnth that the family underlies the state. The better the man or woman in his or her family relationships the better he or she will be in governing or helping to govern the State. But though we ‘ begin at home ’we mnst not now stop there. Those whose home and family duties permit must endeavour to understand thoroughly what they essay to do ; must be ‘ dexterous in the use of means, skilful in the choice of instruments.’ If not, we shall have strange discords. Here it seems almost impossible not to play upon words— ‘ instruments ’ chosen are so often but ‘ sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.’ We need instruments, not tools, to do the work of this colony of New Zealand, and may they work in harmony. In * reading up,’ as many will doubtless do, let us avoid merely skimming political writings. * Drink deep or taste not.’ Any food, physical or mental, must be thoroughly digested and assimilated to do us any good. If we have little time, on no account skim political articles and imagine we understand the matter they treat of. Often it would not require great depth to understand the articles themselves, but the matter treated of—there is the rub. Unless we can plunge in boldly and are strong swimmers let us skim these depths and most decidedly shun those frail crafts that would essay to carry us in safety over them. Women of intellect and wide education may grapple with these and cognate subjects, but certainly not the majority. Someone has said that the stomach rules the head, and another (Sancho Panza) even affirms that it has much to do in keeping the heart sound. An old fable we all remember would also seem to instruct in like manner. Well, let ns who are of lower intellect and inferior education take comfort. We too may perhaps help the * body politic’ by making (many of us are farmers’ wives or motheis) yet better bread and butter, if this be possible. Doubtless a sound mind should be expected of a sound body, and good wholesome food icell prepared and regularly offered has helped many a University student through heioie now. It may, at least, be said of us, * She bath done what she cou.d.’ A good man preacher and poet has sung in onr ears :— Be good . . . and let who will be clever. Do noble things. not dream them all day long. And so make life, death, and that vast forever One grand, sweet song.

Maldo.