DOMINION DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 199, 27 September 1909, Page 3

DOMINION DAY.

CHURCH PARADE AT ST. MARY'S. Yesterday was tlie second anniversary of the constitution of Xcw Zealand as a dominion. The only local celebration was toe holding of a church parade of volunteers, veterans and cadets at St. Mary's. The morning was fine and the historic old church proved too small to comfoi oably accommodate the largo number o f people who attended. Over 70 Rifles (who were under Col. Okey) answered to the roll call, 20 v.-:-eraus (under Col. Ellis) and 100 cade-.?, representing the Central, West End and Fitzroy schools (under Major Sandford). Major Malone being in supreme charge of the force, which was headed to and - from the church by the Garrison Band, under Bandmaster C. H. Anderson, playing appropriate music. Chaplain-Major Evans, vicar, preached an appropriate, forceful sermon. He took lor his text St. Luke X., 28"And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou! And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all tiiv strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And He an Wf swered right: this do, and thou shait live."

The lawyer, said the preacher, was partly earnest and partly curious an} wanted to know about his future welfare. He was met on his own ground, fairly and squarely (as was the wont of Jesus in all his dealings with mcr'., the lawyer's reply being a magnificent synopsis of the whole divine law. And the answer was just as true to-day as in the Lord's eardbly life. Religion consisted of love to God and love to man. A religious man was simply one who loved God. No man could love God and hate or despise man. And man could not love without serving. A lot of nonsense was talked about going to church and the reasons for doing so—that it was "a good example," a "respectable thing to do"—but the tiue reason was because of love to the Almighty. God is love. How did tliey know? Because He came from Heaveu to say so and died to proclaim it. Meu •would not believe His word, and He had to die to prove it. True religion, therefore, was love to God, and love to those He loves, namely, mankind.

What had all this to do with Dominf ion Day and a church parade of vete erans, volunteers and cadets! He would prove that a volunteer was trying far more than he knew to show his love ior God. Because he was doing his share in the protection of those whom God loves—his fellow-men, the women and children. The whole aim and purpose of volunteering was to protect those who were unable to protect themselves. And could anything be iiw'f religious than that! There was, be felt sure, not a man in uniform in the church that day who would not williijrly risk his life for the protection ot those who could: not /protect themselves. They had done it before ami would do it again. He was thankful to see the veterans present and he hope. God would spare them for many years to come. These same veterans, when they did sentry-go aud marched up and down the country—facing the guns and tomahawks of the brave yet cruel natives—did it to protect the women anil children, "and," 6aid the rev. gentleman, "we cannot honor them t'jo highly." A lot of nonsense was talked nowadays about war and preparation for war. Some people said: "Everybody ought to live in peace. Then; ought W be no thought of war. That it is madness to spend such large sums in preparation for what may never come. That it is wicked to train our you:ij men and boys to think of fighting and to carry guns to destroy their fellowmen." But they were bound to act nu upon any sentimental ideas of a Utopian * state of society and life. They hai to recognise facts as they really were. Were nations all living in peace and happiness! Was there no fear of war! Of course there was. What, he asked, would happen to Australia and Xew Zealand were Britain to be defeated in a European war! In all probability, Japan would take possession. The timo had not arrived when nation would not , rise up against nation and when peopie would not learn the art of war any more. And a great truth was this: "The most powerful cause of war is unpreparedness for war." In Ms (view, tlier-' would have been no Crimean war ii the Czar had believed England was prepared to light; that there would have been no Maori war if the natives thought the settlers were prepared to resist them; and there would have been no Boer war if the Boer Government had anticipated any serious resistance from England. In nearly every war in which the Old Country had been engaged she had been caught napping. War had been forced upon her because She was unprepared. And the speaker lelt sure England had been to blame lor nearly all her modern wars by being unprepared. The volunteer was to be commended for two main reasons—(l) Because he was showing his love for God and man by being prepared to protect his fellow citizens; and (2) because he was assisting in the prevention of war by being prepared for war. The preacher wentonto refer to the individual who sneered and jeered at volunteering, characterising him as thoroughly selfish and callous. He was a man who wantfd but to save his own skin, without thought of the women and children, and was quite ready to shed every drop of his brother's blood in the defence of his country. It was 'because so many men had such little love for God or their homeland, that It was proposed to pass an Act providing ior the compulsory universal training of all toys and young men in the use of arms and the necessary drill. And he for one hoped roost earnestly that such an Act would be speedily passed. The Briti-Oi bad every reason to be proud of the volunteers. Some of the brightest ornaments the Church had ever known had been Christian soldiers. And he believed that till the great day of universal peac arrived, a large number of England's sons v.ould be ever ready to show their love for God and their fellow men hv being ready for the callshould It come—and protect and save their fellow men. At the conclusion of the service, the Rational Anthem was sung.

CELEBRATIONS ELSEWHERE. AUCKLAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The second anniversary of Dominion Day was celebrated here this morning fry a church parade, tinder Col. Wolfe, in which about 1200 troops took part. During the parade a number of medals w erc presented to officers and non-com-missioned officers for length of service. The Anglican troops marched to lit. Matthew's Church, where an impressive service was held, Bishop preaeiin<r. His Excellency the Governor (Lord Plunket) was present. After the service his Excellency Inspected the troops. The Roman Catholics marched to St. Patrick's Cathedral, where the Kev, Father Holbrook (preached, and ine veterans attended St. Paul's Church.

, . WELLINGTON. Wellington, Last Night. Dom-' '"n Day was celebrated to-day by oh' 'i parades on the Basin R°,«r- , \ in various cliurcnes, about u' u taking part.

CHRISTCHUIiCH. CUristchurch, Saturday Night. The third celebration of Dominion IDay so far as Chriatchurch is concerned wiH, it appears, be confined to a church parade of the troops of Christehurch garrison at the Cathedra] in the morning, and parades of Opawa and Sydenham (public school cadets. The Mayor (has not requested the citizens to observe a holiday on Monday, and so far as c-an be ascertained none of the schools will be closed to mark the anniversary. Chriatchurch, Last Night. | At the Dominion Day church parade, the troops of the Christehureh garrison, numbering WO rank and file, attended. Archdeacon Averill, Bishop-elect of Waiapu, preached, and in the course of his Hermon emphasised the necessity of the citizens of the young nation giving unselfish service to their country. Longeerviee medals were presented at the barracks. The school cadets al6o IftM church parades.