MESSAGE FROM BRITAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1927, Page 4

MESSAGE FROM BRITAIN

DR INGRAM’S ADDRESS. "TAKE OUR VIRTUES, BUT NOT OUR SINS.” CHRISTCHURCH, March 12. ] “Make the Gospel of Christ the ; foundation of your personal and na- : tional life. Take it into your soul, and you will he one of the greatest nations upon earth,” said the Bishop of London (Dr Ingram), in an address to five or six thousand people at the King Edward Barracks yesterday afternoon. “.My message to you from England is tliis: Adopt our virtues but not our sins. Britain is not down and out. She is more powerful than ever to-day, and I urge you to war against national selfishness, national softness, and national gambling. “We will never have peace on earth without the Gospel of Christ, and never industrial peace. The Gospel will do away with the war and suspicion between employer and employed. All our goodness and prosperity up till now have been due to the measure in which we have adopted the Gospel.” The huge crowd in the barracks rose to its feet and applauded and cheered the Bishop as, attired in a simple purple cassock, he made his way to the platform. He was accompanied by Bishop West-AVatson and the Mayor (the Rev .). K. Archer). As they were about to be seated a memlier of the crowd called for three cheers for Dr Ingram. Bishop West-Walson introduced Bishop I lignum, and the Mayor (the Rev J. K. Archer) welcomed him to Christchurch.

HEARTS TO AYEI.COMK THREE. “I thunk you for your splendid welcome.” said the Bishop. “1 am glad that T did not put off my trip. When 1 hoard that the Duke and Duchess of York would be here at the same time as I. I thought of withdrawing, believing that i would be in the way. However, your lioirts are large enough to hold me as well as the Dolce aval Duchess.

“I am speaking, I know, t.i people in all parts of New Zealand, lor this little machine'' (smilingly indicating the broadcasting apparatus) “is wellknown to me. This will mean more criticism, but of that one should not fie afraid. It reminds me of a meeting I addressed in the East End of London. I said l admitted having made some slight error 'and the advice came from one of the crowd : ‘Admit nothing’ ” THE TIES THAT BOUND.

Speaking of the ties binding Now Zealand to the Mother Country, the Bishop said the lie of blood was the most binding. Tbe speaker bad met many people who called themselves Krench-Canadians, but lie knew their Scotch accent too well. I here was the common tic of blood and the common glorious literature of Shakespeare, Browning. Bacon and others —literature second to none of any nation. Thirdly, continued the Bishop, there was tbe tie of a common flag. Any empty flag-waving was to be discountenanced. but not so the love of tbe flag. What did it stand for? There was the red for sacrifice, and bad not the young men of New Zealand sacrificed themselves alongside those ol Britain! The white was for a pure home life, which should he guarded. The speaker urged all not to let divorce become too common, for a nation stood or fell by the sacredness and stability ot its home life. “THE BACKBONE OF THE WORLD.” The blue of tho flag represented national honour and commercial integrity. Bv an Englishman's word being his bond. Britain bad extended her trade to all parts of the world. The Bank of England, the “Old Lady in Threadncedle Street.” was still the backbone of the world, and had been responsible, the speaker believed, lot the restoration of the JOB.OOO Greeks to their own country very recently. Even in China, n here the people “hated us, or said they did,” the Chinese were passing their own hanks and rusing to Hone Kong to deposit in tbe Bank of England. “Never degrade Britain,” urged the Bishop, “for she was never more stable than she is to-day. I have found this fact, appreciated by Americans, who, while they have not always loved, us, regard us with favour now. England had paid her debts to the nail, whether America should have asked lor it was another matter. At Geneva the dominant voices arc those of Ltml Cecil and Sir Austen Chamberlain. Don’t believe people who toll you that John Bull is being payed out.” IMMIGRATION POLICY . AY hen. speaking on national selfishness. the Bishop introduced New Zealand's immigration policy, lie stated that someone had told him that fho tin tacks of the situation was that New Zealanders had found a hit of Coil's Own Country and intended to keep it. Tf New Zealanders were content to have only a million people “in these lovely two islands,” they were nationally selfish. The English and New Zealand authorities would have to confer and see what could ho done. New Zealand had a little more than a million people. England forty-nine million and Jatvui fifty-seven. Australia had six million and they were like Hies crawling round an empty saucer. Tf Japan had been unfriendly in the Great AVar. Britain would have lost Australia. That continent should he peopled much more. Under the heading of national soltuess. the Bishop issued a warning against the drift to the towns for an rasv life ami for llie cinema. People should not iose the grit of the early pilgrims who came over the hills from Lyttelton. “I am not going to criticise your method of gambling here. I believe it is more decent than our winy with the hookies. (Laughter). \Yc have seen in the Old Country the terrible mischief of betting and gambling. I implore you to take our virtues and not our sins.”

Taking as his text the words of St. Paul, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” the Bishop said that one of the greatest of England’s financiers had told him. that commerce could not save the country. A new spirit of love and co-operation was needed. To this Gandhi had testified in India. Mohammedans in England were changing their tenets because of the degradation which their religion had brought on in Morocco. Neither Buddhism nor Theosophy could change the spirit of a nation. What was wanted was more of tile Gospel of Jesus Christ. There was prolonged applause as the Bishop resumed his seat. “Englfind has a race which does not know when it is beaten, and does not think it can be beaten,” said Dr WcstWatson. “When Dr Ingram was speaking of England, I wondered if he had read the hock published by liis own Dean.” Dr Ingram nodded assent.

The Bishop’s message was for churchmen of all denominations in this country, said Bishop West-Watson, prior to Dr Ingram pronouncing the Benediction.

The Woolston Band was in attendance. and played several items, besides acompanyiug the hymns.