AN ACT THAT S NEVER PASSED.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 179, 2 June 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

AN ACT THAT S NEVER PASSED.

A (TSTOM THAT BATKS BACK TO IGQ3. There are many curious customs when the Knglish Parliament is opened at the In ginning of a new se-sion. Some of the-.' custom- are. of course, - cry well known, as, for c :an;plc. the canh of the cellars by the Yeomen o the Guard. This search was usually ju-i a mere ceremony, but since the war the cellars have been thoroughly or.r.min.-d in case of incendiary bombs,

Perhaps the most curious custom of all is the first reading of a bill immediately before the King's Speech is read. This Hill is always read for the first time and never for a second or third. The Bill is one "for the more effectual preventing clandestine outlaw?." As there are no such things at the present time, the bill i> r. erely one for form's sake. The reason it is read is to show that. the TTnusc of Commons still a?serts its right to meet ami debate without nnv lontrol or summons from iho King. The custom dates ba'k to at least 1003, when it was recoided that ''Tin l first day of sitting in every Parliament somo one Bill and no more recoiveth a first reading for forms sake.

the most impressive appearance—lmgo, heavy, colossal. One of her favourite words is "immense," which she repeats as a rule three times, becoming breathless and red with the final syllable at the iinai exclamation. She, too, is immense. But human and lovable. She wears her hair combed off her forehead and done up in a walnut on the top. HeV features arc small and jolly. She dresses like a Victorian Evangelical. And she looks as motherly a woman as ever dried the tears of a child or boiled the kettle for family tea. But when she is roused! ALREADY REGEXERATED.

"'What!'" exclaimed the Countess, going suddenly turkey-cock red, her eyes protruding, both her clenched fists shooting out and hammering at the air, ''What! Yon come to me, and you talk about a society for the spiritual regeneration of Russia! How dare you ?" (I really thought she would biack the gentlemen's eyes.) "I say, How dare you?—you sitting here in front of me. you whose proper place is—shall 1 tel you ? You ought to be on your knees ii the street, bowing yourself before ou glorious Russian soldiers; on you knees to them, begging their pardon . . . You speak to me of a societ for . . . Ban, do you not knot

>hat Russia IS regenerated? Her so!iiers have regenerated her. Let mo tell you something, i'ou cannot buy a Testament in all Russia. Not a singlo Testament. Not one. Why? They are at the front. The soldiers have bought them. Millions and millions of Testaments. At the front. Jn the trenches. The demand has been immense, immense, im—menso. I have sent all oyer the world to get more, to the Foreign Bible Society, everywhere. And all that I get arc taken by the soldiers —those soldiers who ar fighting for us, suffering for us, dying for us, those soldiers who are the nation, vho arc the Empire, who are Russia. . . ."

GOOD MEN WHO AKE NOT GOOD PRIESTS.

When these two gentlemen had gone the Countess cooled down, smiled very amiably, and turned her attention to her English visitors. 1 wanted, in particular, to know about the Greek Orthodox Church and its relation to philanthropy. "There is in Russia,''' she said, " immense philanthropic —immense -im—rnense. But the Chinch does nothing. The Church Jives at its altar. It doe:; not go into the homes of the people. All the philanthropic in Russia comes from the people. We are by our nature friendly and democratic. The strength of the Church in Russia i., the people. The priests are nothing. Theie are no good priests. They . . ." "Oh, come, come, Counless," said my companion. He is an enthusiast for the Greeek Church. "There are no good priests," she repeated, "not one." "But I have .-out pric-ts a* the front. . ." •••'You have met good men. but not good priests." "No; good priests, really good priests,'' he persisted. "I tell you there is no such thing. Among the priests there are good men ; excellent good, moral men; but not oneof them i« a good priest. The altar s everything. The people are nothing. They do not understand, tho-.e priests.. what it is to be tine (cither of the people. lam Orthodox. I have notbroken awav from the Church. But I know its 'faults. The Church does nothing—nothing—nothing at all. And the peonle are poor, they suffer terribly, they are treated unjustly, the children die ill thousands. T.ook at the lodging hou-es hero in Moscow. Tntil J took the matter up. . . But a change will come. After the war—well, you will see."

"I WILL (SO TO THE EMPEROR."

And then, turning to mc, she spoke

"You must remember," she said,

"that in Russia the Church is the people. The priests are nothing. They attend to their rites. They arc at the altar. But the Church of Russia is the Russian people, and the Russian people have God in their hearts. fliey lov.\ That is the strength o f the Russia 1 Church. The love of the Russian heart is immense, immense, jm—mense! An; now the whole Russian nation, wit'i this immense love in its heart, is setting itself to attend to the practical affairs of life. ]t is beginning, j :st beginning, to spiritualise secular things The priests <io nothing; but it is the Church which is moving. The great Church of Russia is moving. Philanthrophy is seen to be a part of religion Love; yes, yes! but work, that is also a great thing. And ko we work. Life will become better. We have torn German materialism out of our heart. We have saved the soul of Russia. And now that soul will advance. It will be stronger and greater and nobier. It will handle life fearlessly. And our civilisation, altering, improvuii, and purifying national life, cviil be :bc civilisation of Christ, for we have faith and we have love, and to us God is all in all."

It might seem that these are only words. But the countess, you must consider, is a famous worker. And she has made sacrifices. With all her menfolk at the front, she has moved from a palace to a Hat; and she is practising a most rigid economy in order to help with her purse as well as with her head and her hand the works of charity which have sprung into existence since the war.

No; she expresses a veritable spirit in Russia. And lier r.mgularly clear head and her wonderful maternal heart are making life definitely better for thousands of people. After the war. . Well, we shall see.