PATRIOTISM

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2272, 5 October 1914, Page 7

PATRIOTISM

THE REAL AND THE UNREAL. Canon Garland, preaching at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral last night, spoke on the subject of "Patriotism." He said that the British people could thank God that amidst the fears of to-day and tlio faults of yesterday the spirit of patriotism had displayed itself in accordance with tho British traditions, and would enable them to overcome everything that was before them. He claimed that this spirit of patriotism was .the result of'the Biblo being imV pregnated in the lives of the Englishspeaking people. Erorn the days of Alfred, when the teaching of that truest of all patriots, Moses, was made part of the Constitution of England' until yesterday, when the civilian holding tho Holy Bible above his head swore to fight for King and country, the lessons of heroism and of duty taught by those sacred pages had bred itself into the.British fibre. Patriotism was not as the love of a child for a parent, but as a love of a parent for a child, the .readiness to work, the offer to surrender all for the child's welfare. The same spirit manifesting itself towarda tho country was called patriotism—a willingness to subordinate all personal interests for the good of the people or of the nation., He condemned that false patriotism which he' called "patriotism' of tho throat"—-patriots who would talk loudly but do nothing, wdio took the opportunity while "God Save the King" was being sung to find hat and cloak and clear out of an entertainment, who sought to take advantage of the present crisis for their own gain; or who allowed other people to give forrthem. These throat patriots were to be' found among those who used that much-abused word conscience as a plea for being excused from". military training, but unliko those 6incero people, tho Quakers, had failed to make themselves conspicuous for rendering other 6orvices to the Dominion in this hour of need. The truo patriotism stopped at no sacrifice, required. He quoted tho story of St. Alphage, Archbishop of Canterbury, who allowed himself to be killed by the : northern, pirates of Europe rather than be ransomed at tho expense of tho people. The preacher-concluded by referring to Earl Roberts as a living example of a true patriot, who, having his efforts to get England ready for just sucli,_a~ war as tho present, was checked by "miserable politicians;" who reminded him that he had a pension and 'that it was therefore unfitting for him to interfere, and were told in reply by 'Lord Roberts: "I was proud to earn my pension, in tho service of my country, and I shall be equally proud to lose it in the service of my lountry." Nothing more was heard from the politicians after that.