ANZAC PAY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1932, Page 4

ANZAC PAY

THE TOC H SERVICEHOPE FOR THE FUTURE. CHRISTCHURCH, April 2b. Emphasising the need tor the cultivation of tile spiritual feeling among men and claiming tiiafc ot lo would mean imo.ving the world .n a whirlwind of similar nature to t..e ~ieat >i .iv, Mr ju. J. Ricnurds, ■ headmaster of Christ’s; 'College, t.elive.ed a stunting adujoss at tue service m CatiificlnJ last night. i tie t atiu (lr:d was completely filled

and many weie nun bio to gain admittance owing to lack-of room for the service wJutii was held conjointly by Die Christchurch Returned Soldier’s Association and Too H. An im pnsjive ceremony included the lighting or the Toe li Lamp and tapers in rededication in the darkened Catherdral. It was a fact that God revealed himself through man to man, said Mr Richards in aliening his address. “The spirit of man was tho spirit of the Lord” was the text from Proverbs that he announced as tho basis of his address. God was revealed through the thoughts, words and actions of ordinary men and women. The truth of this statement was not sufficiently realised; There had been a yearning among men for an ideal state that many considered hild been lost, T!>e> correct conception was that which looked to the future for that state, bait how distant it could no be told. It was certain, however, that the time would come when the destiny of man on earth would be revealed. It was' not to be belived that any ideal state had existed in the past. In mnn’fii long struggle upwards, and as lessons were learned from the struggle, spiritual heights were attained where it way seen, that til© spirit of man was guided by God. The spirit of man i.si the cradle of the Lord. There was the. progress of modern times, and all it stood for, and yet there were those who longed for the primitive state. Surely such were merely yearning for the golden age which way supposed to have existed in the past. Man’s progress all down the centuries had been wonderful, and in the ,last century it had been astounding. Yet in all that material progress it was impossible to think ot the spirit of man except as guided t>y God. Immense as material progress had been there was not a corresponding progress in spiritual things. And by that, not only the relation of man wren God of the, unseen world was meant, but also the relation of man with man. There had to be self-sacrifice and service and knowledge and understanding of other people. The Great War was the, natural otlG come of the 40 years of world conditions by which it was immediately precoded. Those who made the sacrifices in it were not those who were responsible for it and the service was to re. member those sacrifices, and from that remembrance to gather strength and cultivate the spirit without which man would not be able to avoid such outbursts of suicidal mania

PRESENT DAY RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the men who died were over, but those of the people of to-day were real. Eyes should be turned to the, future. It was important that the fac-t be realised that every minute people were sowing the future. The scan ticca of the past could be remembered on Anzac Day when all could join in saying that it should not be allowed to happen again. Such a whirlwind as the Great Mar should not come again, but if people thought only m terms of men s brains then it could not he avoided. Progress* of material things was startling, but it would mean destruction if thought was not in terms of “Our Father.” It was the duty of each individual to do hjs or her utmost to use influence for goodwill towards fellow men. If individuals continued to consider that such individual effort was not worth while then it was inevitable, that the world would he swept into the vortex of another whirlwind which would be even more terrible than the Great M ar.