CITIZENSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 21751, 20 June 1934, Page 7

CITIZENSHIP

t DENMARK'S FINE EXAMPLE

REV. W. A. STEVELY ADDRESSES YOUNG FARMERS

I lie story of Denmark’s phenomenal ri- e from an inconspicuous and unprogressive country to its present position of culture and prosperity was the theme on which the Rev, W. Allen Stevely based his remarks on ‘ Citizenship,’ the title of an impressive address given by him this morning to the young farmers who are taking part in this week’s educational and cultural course in the city.

H has been said that the supreme need of the world is a better citizenship,” said Mr Stevely. “ Without doubt or cavil, the solution of most of our perplexing problems lies in an enlightened and more virile citizenship. Wo may define citizenship in terms of the life of a community; in a wider sense in relation to the State, and in its widest application in terms of the life of the world. No man lives to himself. The individual makes his contribution to the community, the State, and the world. Ft was a saying of John Wesley that he had the world as his parish. In a real sense is it true of the humblest person to-day that his welfare is bound up with that of the entire world. Apart from the fact that the air quivers with messages from the ends of the earth, it becomes increasingly apparent that citizenship is not a limited quantity, but something commensurate with the whole world. An ideal world is one containing ideal citizens. An ideal world should be the aim of all. To accomplish the ideal world each must seek to be an ideal citizen. The ideal citizen will bring the ideal spirit into every vocation and department of life. It is along that way that the world will realise its maximum efficiency and felicity. In view of the challenge of the present crisis, many are persuaded that the world’s gieafest need is a higher citizenship, and ihat we should make this our first "objective. DAIRYING DEVELOPMENT. “ A striking illustration of the transforming power of the higher citizenship is furnished by the phenomenal development recorded in the history of Denmark. A glance at the map of Europe confirms the intelligence that Denmark is a very small country. In point_ of fact, it is one-seventh as large as New Zealand, and has a population of over three millions. The soil is poor, and the climate bleak. Yet Denmark is one of the most prosperous nations in the world. 'The value of its annual exports of dairy produce to Great Britain is about forty millions. A recent visitor to Denmark has returned with the tidings that ‘its people have reached a standard of culture and of social life not surpassed in any other part of the world.’ It has approximately one hundred thousand fewer cows than New Zealand, but produces fifty thousand tons of butter more each year than our dominion. This means that every Danish cow provides 701 b of butter-fat per annum more thau her New Zealand competitor. What is the explanation of this difference? What is the secret of Denmark’s signal prosperity? “ It is a romance of higher citizenship. Sii Michael Sadler has sr a: ‘ Almost within the memory of men still living tho Danish farmer had an outlook and a habit of mind very different from that which characterises him to-day. In the early years of last century the Danish peasant was still unprogressive, sullen and suspicious, averse trom and incapable of associated enterprise.’ He was dull, without culture and technical skill, and was seldom able to rise above the level of a bare existence. Eighty per cent, .were illiterate. His condition' was like that of the peasants of the French and Russian revolutions.

Moreover, till 1860 the chief product of Danish .farmers was wheat—not butter. Denmark paid for imports by the export of wheat. ' This condition came to a conclusion with the emergence of new supplies of wheat from America, Australia, and the region around the Black Sea. Denmark then lapsed into acute economic and agricultural depression. Added to this distress was the loss four years later of the two most fertile provinces, Schlesurg and Holstein, to Prussia; with the result that Denmark had left only' the small peninsula of Jutland aud a group of islands. Much of this land consisted of barren heath, bog, and sand dunes. So it came to pass that ‘ the Danish Nation settled into a stagnant gloom, the people being indifferent to life and all effort physical, mental, and spiritual.’

ADVENT OF GRUNDTVIG. •' A great and notable thing happened. The people that walked in darkness saw a great light. In the midst of their night of poverty and despair arose the star of hope. There appeared a great prophet, Gdundtvig by name, poet, historian, teacher, who, for about the space of seventy years, laboured without, Bagging for the regeneration of his nation. How did he accomplish thisp This .great leader had as his watchword ■ What we have lost outwardly, we must gain inwardly.’ He proclaimed that Denmark should recover by a more intensive cultivation of the soil, and by greater moral and spiritual growth in the people themselves. ‘Let us‘begin/ he said, ‘by inspiring the individual, by making better men and women, mentally and spiritually.. Let us teach them to Jove their country, its history, its literature, its song, and to give to its service their loyal, united, and unselfish help.’ Gruiultvig believed with all his heart that the spiritual dominates the material. He wanted more ul the -spiritual, and he believed that a better material would be tin- result. “ Then he conceived the idea of the Danish People’s University, or ‘ The School of Life,’ as he termed it. Some of his disciples, gifted, with practical genius, carried their leader’s ideas to fruition. ‘ The first and -most important office of these schools/ said Grundtvig, “ must be to arouse desire for a truer and deeper understanding of life, a purer and more, vital personal expression in the service of a, hotter nation and a better humanity. That desire once aroused : and transmitted into energy will of itself drive the youth onward in a ’hungry and endless search tor such exact knowledge as lie might need for the carrying out of his life purpose.’ Ge recognised the necessity for _ an enlightened democracy, and realised that if popular government was to be a success citizens must be educated. ‘Learned folk,’ ho remarked, ‘obviously must bo few, but citizens—educated, enlightened, aud useful citizens—we must all be.’ INCREASED EDUCATION. “ As a result of Gruudtvig’s vision and service light aud hope came to an impoverished laud. A new life stirred in the nation of Denmark. It found expression in many directions. All over Denmark were established voluntary high schools, where young people of' the country spent one or more periods of study. At these schools practical and technical subjects are not taught, as we might expect, but history, music, physical culture, art, economies, and civics—subjects that develop the whole nature and give an interest in the things of the mind and spirit. “ In' consequence they became capable of doing better and more conscientious work in every sphere. The peasant farmers of Denmark were inspired to put more heart and soul into Lbeir daily work, which formerly they had regarded as drudgery. The young country people have learned that they can be noble-minded, even though their toil is very humble, They have learned

the dignity of every-day labour, and how to spiritualise the material and commonplace. . “ Further they have learned to appreciate arid trust one another, to work co-operatively, and in this way to develop the interests and resources of the country, and to produce goods of a higher quality. They have learned a fine team spirit; and the value of service before self. A NEW SPIRIT. “This little land has ■ demonstrated to the whole world that the soul of improvement is the improvement of the soul. They have proclaimed the value of the higher citizenship to all mankind. Their experiment has resulted in increased prosperity to an amazing degree. They, have emphasised- the moral order in the universe. They have shown that prosperity is spiritually, conditioned. They have sought a nobler citizenship, and have found other things have*been added. Grundtvig was not thinking of dairy produce at all when be initiated his great crusade for the quickening of the social conscience, and the spiritual awakening of his fellows. He was thinking of the soul, the mind and heart of his people, but the result- has been to usher in an era of phenomenal prosperity and opportunity to Denmark. His purpose was to give to each citizen a wider vision of life, and a sense of his relation to his fellows, and to inspire him to become an ambassador of these things to others. He would have his countrymen develop life to the fullest degree, and possess it more abundantly. In Denmark to-day there is a general recognition of the fact that the material welfare of society depends primarily upon the development of the mind and character of the individual citizen. Even the successful production .of bacon, butter, fruit, and eggs depends in the last analysis upon the spiritual quality of the producers, upon their in. dustry, intelligence, honesty, and ability to co-operate for efficiency. _ “ That is the vision Grundtvig had—a noble citizenship, a new spirit in the nation making all things neWj a quickening of the moral and spiritual life. A greater than Grundtvig said it was the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way. May-we all have this vision and be obedient thereto! ” At the termination of a brief discussion, in the course of which Air Stevely was asked a number of questions, Mr James Dodds (Warepa) moved a hearty, vote of thanks to the speaker. This was carried by acclamation.