A STIRRING APPEAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1419, 3 July 1915, Page 4

A STIRRING APPEAL.

In a vigorous sermon preached at Melbourne recently, Archdeacon Hindley said : “Answer or perish. Under which flag ? The flag which bears the sign of the Southern Cross, or the German eagle ? Possession is at stake, National being—not merely well-being'—is in the balance. The weight of Australian manhood is wanted to turn the scale. Here is the alternative : National service or National extinction —which ? I do not forget those brave boys of ours at the front. Every Australian, every British heart beats with I ride or aches with pain, at the thought of them. But think of their number — 40,000 of them ; oue in every 120 of the population. Think of the. number of English soldiers—oue in 15 against one in 120. Young men of Australia, where are you hiding ? What are you doing ? Shouting yourselves hoarse at football matches, standing at street comets, laughing and joking —attending political meetings to secure higher wages —or playing poker in the back parlor ; and all this while your comrades are fighting that yon may not lose your liberty ? Is there no shame iu the laud ? Or is it possible that we are so sottish as not to realise that the enemy is battering at the gates ? We are playing while the enemy moves on to his objective. Don’t play—too long.”