"CONSCRIPTION IS IN THE AIR"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2600, 23 October 1915, Page 10

"CONSCRIPTION IS IN THE AIR"

'A BISHOP'S APPEAL TO YOUNG MEN. Tho war was given a prominent place in the address of the Bishop of Nelson (t'lic Right Rev. William fj'adlier) at tho opening of the Synod of the Diocese of Nelson. Tho Bishop said: What a magnificent body of men has gono to the front, and what splendid men of character have already laid down their lives for the cause! Am I not right in saying that ill all these wars our first gifts wero tho bestr 1 Facing tho seriousness of the situation, wo recognise that tlio men who are leaving our shores are the cream of our manhood. Inspired by the highest motives of patriotism and duty they have taken their placo in the fighting line and have made a rocord whose praises will be sung for all time in British history. But why this lull in the enlistments? True, the best aro still volunteering, but are uur best limited in numbers? Some, no doubt, are holding back for family roasons and some for prudential reasons, but there are signs that somo are holding back for unsatisfactory reasons. _ AVe must not judge, and wo must with heart and soul deprecate the silly distribution of white feathers; but we must, for the sake of God and humanity, become workers in stirring up enthusiasm and in awakening a sense of honour and duty in the bosoms of our younger men. I r.m confident that out of the possible 250,000 men between the ages of 21 and 45 thero are' at least SO,OOO who would be prepared to tako to the field. One volunteer is better than 10 pressed men, and I urge upon our young men voluntarily to take up their burden and preserve our freedom. While we have it let tis take care of it.. The supreme question is, Is there sufficient moral force in this community to carry our share of this business through without an appeal to compulsion? Conscription is in the air. As lam an enthusiastic supportor of the system of compulsory military training, I hope the day is far distant when- conscription will be deemed necessary for any section of the' British race. I should deplore its introduction. }:et if this war cannot be won on the good old British lines of freedom, if the greatest captain of our time, Lord Kitchener, should say it is necessary, I should support it, but at the same time I should feel that it is due to the slacker, and that the nation lias again to suffer tho limitation of its liberties owing to tho transgressions of tho_ few. Every _ man who ought to enlist and is htflding hack is a positive factor in making conscription necessary. We need to bo up and doing; every member of this Synod should be ail enthusiastic recruiter. Let us cease talking great things and set about doing thorn. God knows how much discouragement we owe to ignorance. let us trust the leaders whom God lias vauchsafed us. Lot us not attach too much importance to local successes and apparent victories. Our minds are not in a fit state to appraise these at their proper value. True victory will come by continuance in well doing, wlion God seojj fit_ to grant it. And .let us avoid depression because of exaggerated local defeats. "Even if these were on a larger scale, and;there.we're real cause to deplore tliem, have wo not left to us somo •'of.that moral strength and dignity with which our forefathers bore, their reverses! ;