“Religion Has Failed.”

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1922, Page 4

“Religion Has Failed.”

WILL OUR RACE REMAIN?

“EDUCATION OUR HOPE,” SAYS SIR ROBERT STOUT. A STRIKING SPEECH. WELLINGTON, May 1. A striking address was delivered by the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout on Saturday evening. The occasion was the annual dinner of the Victoria University College Graduates’ Association. Sir Robert Stnut was pro posing the toast of “Education in New Zealand and Victoria University College.” . He had, lie said, been interested in education’all bis life, and held some educational position- or other almost all his life. He began as a teacher at thirteen, and now they all knew his

position. ■ WHAT EDUCATION MEANSHe did not think that the people realised fully what education meant. vSome people • connected it only with school, college, or university, hut it laid a larger -comprehension, and it had to do with the whole life. It was obtained not only from educational institutions, lint from environment. Ibe best education of all would be what Robert Buchanan called “the clean city” free from slums and with beautiful surroundings and everything which went to form the true man or woman. Everything a nnm saw as lie passed down the street had its influence upon him and that was education. Wo should not merely have good tcacheis. Imt we should endeavour to better the surroundings of the people, and lilt them to a higher piano and to make their life a higher life. He had strong views upon this point. We most have high ideals in civic life; we must have our cities set in beautiful surroundiligs. “NO SIGN OF PEACE. The world was in such a state today that wo could not say "bat a day might bring lortli. Yet there was no si„n of peace, of co-operative action. o.° of charity. Where was it all to end ? The remedy, he said, was only in education. It was only here that there was any hope. Religion hid failed; it was admitted. We could not ,-e! v upon a government or a people. Vn'd to mend it all, wo must commence with the children in th l "' earliest years, teaching them that life was—what ? A struggle for the best and noblest —hut still a struggle. The future was the only test. Me must infuse this sense of co-operation in life, and train the best intellects to be the’ leaders. That was what the nation, what humanity needed, "Without this humanity had tailed. “WILL WE REMAIN’:-” After all. the world was not civilised. The number of uncivilised people far exceeded that of the others. Suppose we did not succeed, would our race remain? We were but small compared with the rest of the world. And how could we remain if we did not take every means in our power to ensure safety? “IMPROVE THE BREED,” It lias been said that we could improve the breed, ami be believed that we must do so.

In New Zealand we had great troubles— financially and uncertainty as to what was going to happen in Europe—which affected onr production. We must keep our standard of living high. And here was the part which the universities would play. “GRADUATES THE MISSIONAIM KS.” “\*cu graduates are the missionaries,” lie said. In a college in Samoa lie had seen a number of young men training to go to New Guinea as mi--sionaries, and they had great enthusiasm. They had slipwn themselves capable of great self-sacrifice and renunciation. The life in Samoa was an easv one, and they had no hei Stage of hard work l>L‘liiiul them as had we. What they could do we could do. The graduates must carry tlm turch of iparniug throughout New Zealand. As Benjamin Franklin said, there must be a Bible and a spade in every house and a good scholar in every district. Primary and secondary schools must teach more men should not have to wait until a secondary school for their classics and mathematics. In ScotInn cl some st;hi;l;trs rose before sunrise to pursue such studies. The school should be the centre of educational life wherever it was. Olio thing in which New Zealand had failed was that there was not sufficient high reading. SK EF- R EN U N CT AT lON.

In Scotland this was not so; students read , the latest and best of magazines and literature and discussed it. He would like to see each school such a centre and this would imply some so|frcqunciqtiou by the graduates. He reminded them of their college motto: “Wisdom is more than gold.” They must undertake this work of urging people to think. If people thought there would he a better understanding and no social troubles. They needed this leadership. Tile graduates must hand on this torch of wisdom and their training would not he in vain. A BEADING PART. If they could go forward so New Zealand should play a leading part in tlie history of humanity. victoria College had done good work and they must continue. Their motto should he ever in mind and they must be the missionaries. If they could help forward the race they would cast a glory on their college which would make it renowned. (Applause),