PRINCE AND THE CHURCH

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1928, Page 4

PRINCE AND THE CHURCH

LINKS OF EMPIRF

LONDON, Dec. 24. A striking appeal for the Empire settler who has ‘‘the courage to go out into the baekblocks,” that his life therein may he “undismayed by the loneliness and the const tin it struggle with Nature,” was made by the Prince of AVales at a meeting held in the People's Palace, Mile End road. The gathering was organised by the 'Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts in support of the "World Call of the Church Assembly.

“The feature of this meeting," said the Prince, “which appeals particularly to myself, is that it is being held for the benefit of a section of our ov a countrymen and countrywomen mi which I take a very special in tores!.— - 1 mean those who live in the remoter pans of the BritisTi Etnp- e.

“Like the Bishop of London, I have travelled a great deal, and in ihe course of my journeys I have come into contact with many such. I have always made a point of seeing as many of them as possible for two reasons. One was for my own personal satisfaction, for it does one good to meet people of that type who have courage to go out into the ‘hackblocks’ and the prairies and make their lives there undismayed by the loneliness and the constant struggle with Nature.

‘‘Also I knew that the meeting would give them p!< a.'iire, because mv be-

ing there even for a short, time was a concrete reminder to them that we hero in the centre of things at. Home do not forget them.

“Obviously, they want as many links with Home as possible. Science with its continual development of means of transport and communication docs much for them on the material side. There must also lie links of mind and spirit. Among the latter there is none stronger than the Church, and flint is why we are met here to-dav.

“Jl is not a question of bringing religion into the home where no religion was before. It is to enable those who were brought up in the Church of their fathers and grandfathers—in fact, their national Church—to keep alive their connexion with it and .enable their children horn perhaps on the very fringe of civilisation to grow up in it as they did themselves. HEART OF THE HOMELAND.

“AVo must remember that for those who have come straight from Home the mere sight of a church in a new and strange land is a visible part of the old Homeland which has followed them. Every Londoner who was in France during the war will remember how pleasant it was in some dreadful net work of trenches suddenly to come on a junction marked ‘Piccadilly Circus’ or ‘Marble Arch.’ “One can imagine a settler seeing the familiar outlines of a (hurcli on nearing his journey’s end and saying to his wife. ‘Well, there’s a church. AVe’re not so far from Home after all.’ “Tile British Empire was built up by men who regarded their National Church as an intimate part ol their lives. Wherever they went they took that Church with them, and in the immense influence which the British Empire has had on the world the Church had nlayed a major part.” BISHOP OF LONDON.

The Bishop ol London said thal they had heard a speech from the I’riuce that night which would echo round the whole British Empire. It was accompanied hv the knowledge—if he might vent lire to say it in the presence ot his Roval Highness- that he billowed up his Church all over the world and attended its services.

Referring to the Prince’s travels in Canada, the Bishop said; “When ill Vancouver, the Prince, by his presence. helped greatly in the building of Vancouver Cathedral. I laid the inundation stone. . II we stand by that plucky little Vancouver Island, we shall have a line Cathedral to represent the Church of England." Referring to his travels last year, the Bishop, talking of Eh;lngliai. said:

“I would rather have sent every gun and every ship we have than that British women and children! should he at the mercy of a Chinese mob."