ADDRESS BY BISHOP BENNETT

White Ribbon, Volume 40, Issue 467, 18 August 1934, Page 6

ADDRESS BY BISHOP BENNETT

“Cu-Workris with Jesus Christ." I am glad to Ik* with >i>u this afternoon and to express my sympathy with you and to encourage you in your work and the ideals for which v >u are striving. Jesus Christ is using the W.C.T.U. to cure the moral diseases of the world. You are working not only for the improvement of the individual, but for the nation; you are not building for to-day only, hut for the future. We do not realise how important each individual’s work is, each one’s talents differ, and every member of the W.C.T.U. has a contribution to make which is of value in the sight of God. It is important for you to carry out in your everyday life the ideals of your W.C.T.U. It is easy to lose sight of the goal, and easy to l*e distracted from the ideal. God’s leaven has been committed to you, and if you are faithful it will spread and leaven the whole. T would like to congratulate you on tackling the serious matter of picture films and posters. These days are days when vve all need to be on the watch. The days of depression are days when there is a more healthy spiritual nature evident in man. and when h? is more susceptible to the claims of God. In the story of the Prodigal we find when his days of depression came his inner conscience was more alert. Don’t let us miss our opportunities. Now is the time when we should be more wideawake than ever liefnre. We should use the times and see that term ranee matters are improved. Some of our young men and women are being lured away by drink. Our girls are drinking in the spirit of bravado and show off We with children are awfully nervous about them One does not know what is going to happen next. We must do what we can for our girls. We don’t want these depression days to pass away without doing something to inspire them with the danger of this drug alcohol. There is a symMd of unity in the W.C.T.U. which I long to see in ail our Churches without race, colour or creed unitv also in heart and soul. In the national flag, we have the emblem of St George. You know the story of St. George and the dragon The incident is related how the great monster became angry, and to appease him a daily sacrifice of a little child had to l>e made. The time cam** when the King's own daughter had to be sacrificed. Pt. George felt very upset over this, and armed, and killed the dragon, or “tutaeporoporo,” as our Maori people sav. and saved the life of the child This tutaeporoporo was killed for the sake of a gir). and I wonder what that girl thought of her saviour, of Sfi George? Time was when the drink dragon used to cat men mainly, hut now it is going for the girls. When in Auckland recentlv T was looking for accommodation, and T pushed open a door in an hotel, ail 1 found to my horror a room full of women

drinking. The drink tutaeporoporo waiting and waiting for the Inn sacrifice. The brewers can’t live w out the human sacrifice. A Maori fishing one da.v and pulled up a v special little fish, and because it i rare, he made a hole and filled it . l water and fed the fish, until one > it grew as big as a whale. The .V people would say this was a perfcA true story, hut it is one of our legeif In time the fish grew so big it ate I master, and later when his servant ft searching for him. he discovered | tutaeporoporo, and also discovered tl he had not only devoured his mas<* but whole canoes full of men, woui and children. At last some one cal who said he could kill the monster, i by strategy this was done. A big Ik was built, weapons were made, and ft tiring the Ih>\ with the weapons in I hand he commanded that he should thrown in the water. Immediately was swallowed by the huge n msti which presently became very ..ncoi fortable. liecause with the weapons tl man was sawing away at the intern organs of the tutaeporoporo, with tl result that he died. One man slew tli dreadful monster, but each of you mu go fortli and do all you possibly ci to save men, women and children lit! children from the tutaeporoporo. < forth, pot at the risk of your lives, ai not in your own strength, because h hind you stands One Who has call' you to extend His Kingdom. Go foil inspired to save this country from tt ravages of the terrible drink tutaepon porn.