“SERVICE BEFORE SELF”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 77, 22 June 1927, Page 13

“SERVICE BEFORE SELF”

SALVATION OF CIVILISATION HON. GEORGE FOWLDS’ ADDRESS THE ideal of service clubs like A Rotary is to be the salvation of our civilisation, according to the Hon. George Fowlds, who gave an address at the luncheon of the Auckland Advertising Club yesterday. ?All sorts of clubs have been organist from time to time for the convenience and comfort of the members,” said the speaker, “but of recent years clubs have been started for the pur«Pose not only of improving the members but of cultivating the ideal of service to the community, the nation, and the world.” The original thought of the Advertising Club was the interest of those engaged in advertising, but now the idea of service to the community had come into being. The test of -any service club was. did it produce among its members the desire for service to the community? The removal of misunderstanding between nations was to come through the ideal which was gradually permeating the country—service to others. Fundamentally there was in every human nature ari essence of altruism, which could find satisfaction only in service to others. In social evolution >t was the nation, or people, which was service-giving rather than ser-vice-taking. which survived. The further development of this spirit was the only thing which would save civilisation. The chairman. Mr. C. E. Cl.'nkard. said that the club had for its object the betterment of the community. The forthcoming exhibition was to be an encouragement to people to enjoy the benefits and advantages of Auckland.