The Daily News. MONDAY, MAY 17, 1915. THE CHURCHES AND RECRUITING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 290, 17 May 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, MAY 17, 1915. THE CHURCHES AND RECRUITING.

There may he some who consider thai the sphere of church work and pulo.t exhortation should be strictly eonlincl to peace, and that the horrors of war should find no place in the ethics of Christianity, but those who study his tory wili find that the Church has been more or less mixed up with war from the time of its foundation until the present day, and there is no doubt ':', will be so until wars cease and peace shall reign on earth. It is (he duty of the Church to associate itself with the troubles and anxieties of the people, and at a great national crisis like tint wherewith the Empire is now faced our spiritual leaders and advisers would he entirely out o ftoueh with their congregations did they not raise their voices to press home the great needs of the hour. In all the places of worship ; 1 Xew Plymouth yesterday there wore soul-stirring addresses on the duty of all classes and both sexes in connection with the war. How welcome and fitting were these exhortations was fully proved by the crowded throng at each church, and there is no question that the various preachers rose to the occasion nobly, stilling up the men and women to a right sense of their duty as citizens if the Empire and as true Christians. The three main points that were pressed lu.me were: (1) The imperative duty of all the eligible and fit manhood of the' country to join the ranks of our gallant men who are lighting not onlv tor (he safety of (he Empire, in (he abstract, but for Xew Zealand as well; (2) the duty of the women to not only spare their menfolk, but to hid them go forth J and uphold the cause of right and the protection of the weak; (.1) the duty of all others-men and women alik»--in caring for the wounded and destitute victims, and relieving as far as possible the- distress, while doing their best to carry ou the work of those who have gone forth to light at the call of the Empire. It was a theme that deserved the highest and ■noblest treatment, and it may be said in all truth that novr before has Xew Plymouth been so deeply roused as it was by yesterday's sermons. That they will hear good fruit cannot be doubted. The mere fact that the churches have taken up this vital matter so earnestly must of it self prove the seriousness of the crisis and the need for meeting it as only true Britisher-, can. To-night the wedge or patriotism should be driven home even more surely than yesterday. There is sure to be a crowded meeting at the Theatre Roval when probably many will be present who did not attend tiny of the churches yesterday. Xo matter what means are used, tile great point is to arouse the .people to a due sense of their responsibility in the greatest crisis that the world has ever had to face. The press, (he pulpit and the foremost men of the Empire are all doing their best ill this direction. If is for the people to act promptly and effectively.

TO ASSIST RECIUJITTXG. '! r.i-vi; is something radically wrong with Uie system in connection with tin: enrolment of recruits. Tin- other day :i New I'lymouth professional 1)1,111 volunteered for .service; he. passed the local doctor and was ordered to Tiviiihain, where he was medically examined, witli the result, that lie was rejected lie-

cause of the discovery of an insigmiirani, weakness in one of his linihs. This volunteer had meantiuie disposed of his interests and made all arrangements for leaving the Dominion with the forces. Surely this sort of thing can he avoided. Cannot the (lnvernnieiit appoint a medical ollicer whose rorlideate as to a recruit's illness could lie accepted as final? Recruits from the, country are also very heavily handicapped by having to <?<> to the main centre for medical examination. This could lie avoided by the appointment of an itinerant medical oflicer, cum recruiting agent, who could arrange to visit the different country centres on scheduled days. The patriotic committees of each town could materially facilitate recruiting by following the. example, of Christeliurch and Pelting up a recruiting office in a central 'position to assist young men to go to the front. There, is not the least sign of red tape on the C'hristehurch. premises; there is not what can be called an official, hut there is in attendance tactful gentlemen who smooth the way to Trentham. The office has been designed to abolish those many inconveniences that many intending recruits are put to in the cities. Often they are bustled from pillar to post, made to await the convenience of medical inspectors, and generally have to make their way through several lines of redtape entanglements. Every young man who calls at the citizens' recruiting office in Ohristchurch will be in the position of putting his hand to the plough, but there will be no turning hack through official discouragement. The office, in fact, will be an invaluable feeder to the Defence Department. It is far more accessible than the official bureau, as it serves half a dozen useful purposes. I|, may find employment for a. man until he has been -put on his Majesty's pay-sheet. It often happens that a man will come down from ihe country with barely enough to carry liim through the period of enlistment. The new office, will not he an employment bureau, neither will it he the means for pitchforking unfit men into the service, but it will endeavor to ■rrapple with some of the most abstruse problems that .confront many recruits in the cifies. Cannot our Taranaki committees do the same?