"THE NEW EVANGEL."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 93, 10 October 1911, Page 5

"THE NEW EVANGEL."

LAND REFORM THE FIRST STEP. SPEECH BY MR. FOWLIK By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington,, Last Nigiht. Speaking at the annual Henry George dinner to-night, Mr. G. Fowlds," cx-Mih-ister for Education, said: "1 understand that you expect me to say something (omght regarding my recent retirement from the Ministry, and also regarding the new evangel. The first thing I will say is that 1 appreciate very highly the many kind messages I have received front people of all kinds and from every part of New Zealand. Secondly, I want to express my thanks to all sections of (he press in this country for their apniecitttive references to the efficient and Miceeiisfu-1 manner in which I administered the various departments that have been entrusted to me during the time I Was a. Minister of the Crown. That expression of appreciation haft been practically unanimous. It is true that one or two partisan newspapers' have been particularly abusive, but considering the source from which it has come I have felt more honored by their abuse than 1 could have felt by their praise, but in spite of this almost universal expression of appreciation on the part of the press regarding my work, I have been both pained and surprised at the almost equally universal failure of the press tc rea'ise the possibility of any person taking the step I have' done solely for the purpose of forwarding his ideals for the betterment of human society, apart frem any question of personal advantage. It seems to have been altogether Leyond the range of their comprehension to conceive the possibility of any person doing as J have done from purely disinterested motives. Hence their speculations regarding the future have been somewhat grotesque and amusingly contradictory. Whatever happens to myself, I shall be satisfied if my action results in quickening the political pulse of the country and in giving an impetus' to the progressive forces of the Dominion. Already I believe this result has been attained. A cable message on September 20 reported that the'' Bishop of Oxford had declared that—- ' The industrial discontent is justified, and that Christians are not justified in toleratinig the conditions of life and labor under which the masses are living, and that they have no right to say that these conditions are irremediable.'

"How strangely alike in language and sentiments -to the words I used in the statement which I made in Parliament a few weeks ago when announcing my resignation!. Another cable which was received' on the same day stated that the Bishop of Carlisle had said—- ' There is no incorporate relation be» tweew Christianity and the world) to* day, that the result was a deadness. If not the approaching death of Christianity, that the empty churches were partly due to stereotyped' arichronistic theology audi idolatrous money worship, with a decreasing sense of tho dignity of labor, produc. ing industrial unrest and even despair amongst the lower classes.'

Such testimony as this from accredited overseers of the church, confined,' as it is by general experience, amounts to a frank admission that the full meaning of the old evangel which proclaimed 'Peace on earth, goodwill towards all men,' has not yet been realised, and that a new evangel is or rather, an evangel adapting to modern condi« tjons the essential principles of the old, indicating and emphasising the method by which they may be practically applied, but the new message will still be the old owe. TJie binders of heavy burdens will still be denounced. AH~vi'olence will still be condemned; selfishness of rich or poor will still be proclaimed; Godless brotherly love will stall be a part of the chief commandment! Perhaips the distinctive feature of the new message will be that it is addrcsled not so specially to the, poor, but rdbher to the rich, who shall have the) gospel preached unto them.' The influences at work to-day are separating hnmanity into two classes, the rich and the poor, and it is becoming increasingly \evident that the chief of these evil influences is land monopoly. The message of the new evangel must therefore, in the firsit place, be'addressed to those who hold the land. The first words of that message recentlyheard in the 'gilded chambers of the Lords at Westminster are echoing-round the world to-day, and the questions thus fairly raised can never again be silenced > until tho equal right of all to the use of the earth is firmly and for ever established. To free-the land, to remove it from the category of wealth, to make it clear that every landholder owes a duty to his fellow men equivalent & the value of the privilege he holds, that f land value is essentially the peoplevalue, that where there is no lartd vie- ,'■ tim there can be no laud value, arid that therefore land value can never justly be a private asset' but must always be a liability to the extent of its taxinVpowcri —this is and necessarily must >e the first lesson of the hew'evan'gel, for"oh this foundation alone can a new social system be based, a system which shall give a. new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. BeyW that point I do not propose to go to-night. At an early date I shall be addressing my constituents, when I shall deal in detail with the practical- step which' I 'think the people of this country should, take during the next three years towards the realisation of those sublime ideals of social justice which have been so beautifully and plainly portrayed in the, writings of our great leader,' Henry Georne."