NEW PLYMOUTH BROTHERHOOD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 269, 14 April 1914, Page 6

NEW PLYMOUTH BROTHERHOOD.

OI'KNINU SESSION. | ADDRESS BY THK IUiV. J. \Y. BUKTOX. There was ;i good attendance, which included a number of ladies, at the iirst meeting of the 11)14 session oi the. New Plymouth Brotherhood on Sunday. Air. K Uooknll presided, in the absence of His. Worship the Mayor 'who was indisposed). Tlie speaker for the day was the Rev. J. Vv'. Burton, president of the Brotherhood, who delivered a short address on the "Jietrospcct and Prospect*' of the Brotherhood. Tile movement bad', he remarked, been started as an experiment some two years ago. It had been the isubjcct of much comment, adverse and otherwise, hut ft had come through it, and he thought 110 man could say that it had not been successful, it had helped to broaden the minds, deepen the .sympathies and strengthen the faith of those with whom it had come into contact. There was, perhaps, nothing quite like the NewPlymouth Brotherhood in the world. There were plenty of other Brotherhoods, but tlie New Plymouth body stood apart because it demanded the profession of no special creed. The members were asked on!v to believe in the brotherhood of man,'and in -this he held that tlie movement was on the right track. ( Tt was perfectly unsec* tarian and its members met on level ground as members of tlie hum.m race, lhat they had been able to do this, and to trust each other as thev had done, was a great testimony to the inherent ?™°o of human nature, and he himself was a firm believer in this principle. The members of the Brotherhood had been able to prove that tlu-r were true . thou f? l, t for class distinction, recognising no social barriers. I here was ''"om in a tow, like New I lymoutli for a soeietv Kit,. this. The ciiurehes were doing good work, better woik than many imagined, hut there was room between tlie chwrel.e.s for a society for those who could subscribe to no particular creed, but recognised the principles of brotherhood. The Brotherhood was testing the power of idealism, which was not snfliciently appreciated fl-'a a factor in the lives of nations. Tlie more he thought about it, t»e more he was eonvincei. that the power that changed and swayed the world was the power of idealism, the influence of character and goodness. A nation must be idealistic before it eouhl advance, and he believed that the Brotherhood had done something to make thj\3 truth felt. The work of the Brotherhood 111 New Plymouth had, except for some practical assistance, sympathy, and advice, anion? members, been perhaps not very tangible, but it was just that intangible influence for good, which wan most dcsiraule. The spirit of brotherhood was the kernel which must be prized. The movement had not been , unproductive of good to individual' lives. He himself, though a Cnristian : minister in a Church in which he was < perfectly happy, said without hesita- i tion that some of the happiest moments ! of his public life had been spent in that hall, where he had not been forced to weigh each word, but was listened to in the broad and spacious spirit which the brotherhood fostered. He believed that it had instituted a better feeling between capital and labour. The comparative lack x)f bitterness in New Plymouth during the recent strike had evidenced this. He hoped this work - would continue. |

Touching on the prospects before tli : | novonicnt, Mr. iiurton said that at tl.c I end of last session there bad been a 1 certain spirit of slackness present, a general dulling of enthusiasm. This did nut alarm him, for it was merelv a cycle. He was convinced that tin* I Brotherhood hud a mission, and would fulfil it. Tlic reason for the slight falling off hart, he thought, been a tendency to leave too much to the leaders of the movement, a lack /if n sense of individual responsibility among members His last word to them would b." to realise their own responsibilities . to the movement. There ' w n re "dead beads'' in every body, but he believed that the Brotherhood's share was fewer than nio-t. ]f the movement was to succeed, tliey must consider a little more clofoly the matter of finance. The expen-cs were small, but they should not be left to the oflicer.-v to bear. Tn the past they had been too chary of u-iii!.' the collection plate, lip hoped, at the same time, tiiat membership would always he fiie. Two thing, he would say in conclusion "KEhP THE BR0T:I''1:H00D BROAD ANI) KEEP If DICK I'." The Brotherhood had never emphasized ordinary religion, hut it was a deeply religious body, bi • ause its religion was spontaneous. Thi-* was what he meant by depth. He concluded bv . thanking them all for t-lu-ir kindliness ami brotherly feeling towards him, which Had been even more to him. than the respect, paid to liini as their President.