THE CLERGY AND CONSCRIPTION.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 43, 5 January 1912, Page 17

THE CLERGY AND CONSCRIPTION.

Dear "WorliT," —U is getting about time for someone to filing; ink at some of those sn-ealU-d reformers, who try to poison the minds of tho rising generation, whos<» minds are in th<> embryonic stage of development. Tho Rev. liUxford, chaplain to the N.Z. Forces, adrossing a inoftinjj; of youiig men at Waii.mnnui. on tin 4 sul>j«:t of compulsory military tritiumy;, stated thsit it was a pcivcision of faot to coutond that osislinu le.m'.shition on tlto snlijoct was tracliinp; young mon to break the sixth coinWfHitlinoiit. The spirit of m.ur<W iiiolndpd hatred and nnfn.^ , , and tlior.>. wtfM a groat differeiico liftwwii killing a man in battle and killiny; iiini from motives of an we or greed. Wkat 1 weraW Kfce to vk tie rev.

gentlemnn is this: "V.'as Ihere any war yet fought that was nut caused by greed of one nation Ir.ving to exploit the other, and was rut hatred shown in the war in South Al'ric.i, and also in the war between Russia'and Japan: ,, ' If not, hatred does not exist; it is a word without a meaning. .Surely you do not term war which lias been wilfully brought on an accident to get over the difiiculty in trying to jug.;!.. , wiib sentences.

1 must quote some more of your jabber thai viii had v. iLh the lads. Yon concluded vmir seruiou with this :;<J-

vice: "Duii'i you rebel tlii.i compulsory .TJio is not to causj you i.o in w.ir I'or war's s,i!;o. It h.'is a bonoficiul dcsijf/i, tt m ti<"li■ 11<jc you to love you , country .and your Empire, romiiidiiiLi you that you belong to a nation that has done more for civilisation than any other modern people. It is the nation that has planted more colonies and rescued more slav-cs than any other in the world's history —a nation with a passion for liberty and a Renins for righteous government. You oujjlit to be proud of he-r history, etc." Now as thinking wagfi-slaves, it is up to Uβ for humanity 8 sake to object to see these ministers crawling down from their exalted pedestals to incite the young men to commii mind; , .' for the glory of any empire. If 11 , leaders of any particular sect preacli Christianity and their highest ethics arc carnage and plunder, the sooner the congregations ot those particular swts awaken to the fact and sling off the chains that bind them, the sooner the op])iessed. mass ot humanity shall be set fre<? from slavery. Whiel you arc minting about compulsory traininv ho re, are the lenders of your own se<! (if you have any) in Germany, l'Yaiw. America, Russia, Spain aiid all the other countries agitating for compulsory training: . If so, how are you going to' get universal peace? Preparing for war does not guarantee peace. You told the lads that thoy ought to be proud of England's history. Oh, God! Perhaps butcher Kitchener gave you her history. Well, that accounts for it.

When ouo individual incites another to commit murder, lie is his accomplice and should be treated as such. Wo have had this compulsory training forced on us against the people's wish. We are not free. We are slaves—slaves to the exploiting class, ye hypocrites! ■ Have you a passion for liberty when you are forcing this malicious Act r>i: iis? Remember your gospel—"Do unto others as you would bo done by.'' A. SIIERROCK. Puponga, December 18.