TO ENGLAND

Evening Star, Issue 19790, 14 February 1928, Page 8

TO ENGLAND

AH AMERICAN TRIBUTE A noble tribute paid by a “ IUO per cent American ” to Great Britain was contained in the address by Bishop Stires, of tbo Episcopal Diocese ol Long Island (U.S.A.), at the unveiling ol a war memorial in Bt. 11 homas s Church, Fifth avenue, New Fork, on Armistice Day. Bishop Stires served as a chaplain in France during the war. His classic utterance (says a Canadian report) may ho taken as representing the convictions _of all rightthinking Americans regarding the place of Britain and British ideals in the affairs of the world to-day.

Bishop Stircs said: “The people who read history with the larger understanding, who feel the presence ol God in every page, who behold Him working His purpose out, now helped by man and now hindered, those students know that the true peace of the world, the peace of obedience, depends more upon deep and abiding friendship between these two great peoples than upon any or all other considerations.

“ Our two forms of government were born of our character and not enforced by political mechanics. We have in common a fundamental temper in tho making and administration of law. Stronger than the tie of blood and the bond of common speech is our kinship of spirit. This is most clearly proven by our most serious conflict. For the Declaration of Independence is the child of Magna Cbarta ; and the lion’s whelp was true to the call of the blood in its veins. CHARACTER AND IDEALS.

“ It is unnecessary to recall, however briefly, to such a company as this the annals of England’s glory from Alfred’s day—and earlier—to our time. With all her faults and all her mistakes, she yet stands pre-eminent in character, ability, and strength; the greatest teacher of truth and justice and the most faithful examiner and guardian of the ideals she has taught. Civilisation may need for its larger beauty the contributions of many otner nations, but who could think that a civilisation worthy of the name could be possible without England? “Often in the same Family there are two lads totally different in temperament and in gifts. Each has strong qualities and some weaknesses, yet each is strong where the other is weak —and therefore they sometimes misunderstand each other. So it is with so two great peoples—each strong, but in'different fashion; each exhibiting characteristic weaknesses, but totally different in their nature. Yet. they are brothers complementary of each other, if not always complimentary to each other. And when united for" high, unselfish purposes they seem like the two hands of God for the moulding of a better world. ’ “OUR TRUE MOTHER.” “What shall wo say of those who would prevent this work, who would sow tho seeds of hatred and conflict between England ami America? Think you that the Christ of history has no clear call for us at this hour? He re-

minds us that though we are a nation of many peoples, yet our true mother is England. From her are the les-' sons, the examples, the spirit which made us great. Can you not hear Him bid these go band in hand for the comfort- and strength of the world? “ We sing the hymns England taught us, we pray the praters hallowed by her, we study the Bible she defended and gave to'the world, wc read with a brother’s pride tho record of her sons in the great struggle in which, at tho last hour, our sons fought and fell with hers —rushed on and won witli hers.’ Wc should-stand to-dav with one hand raised in loyalty to God and with the other we should clasp the hand of our English brothers, our fellowsoldiers in Christ. That is the best basis for peace and for a Christian civilisation.”