THE BROTHERHOOD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 290, 17 May 1915, Page 8

THE BROTHERHOOD.

N!:\V SKSSION OPENKJJ. ADMIKKS BY Jill. J. T. -M. HORNSBiT, M.P. There was a large attendance at the inaugural gathering of the session of the Brotherhood at the Good Templar Hall yesterday afternoon. The Rev. A. B. Chappcll presided. Mr. J. T. M. Ilornsby, M.P., was the speaker, and took for his subject "LiiVs Responsibilities and How we Deal with Them." He set out by remarking that life is pretty well what we make it for ourse.ves. If a man was content to fall into the ruck and remain thcr?, life held few things for him; if we merely grumbled and did nothing to make the world better we were but deterrents—not helpers. It was deplorable that so many men having opportunities either did not embrace them or threw them away. What was the use of improving a man's position in his work and wages if, on the other hand, lie deliberately made his improved conditions the cause of bis own stumbling? Mr. Hornsby then dealt with the conduct of men generally, and had some hard home truths for all sorts and conditions. He referred to the patriotic fund being raised in New Zealand, and pointedly dealt with some of those who have made an excuse of the war for self-aggrandisement. Life to these men was one long effort to get the better of their fellows, and the wor'd was not only not better, but very much the worse for these men hav-

ing lived. After glancing at the condition of tilings at Home us a result of the war, the speaker drew some lessons of life from the great crisis and dealt with the hopes which had already begun to spring from this cruel and abominable contest, lie referred in scathing terms to tin' continuous talk of those who prate of the brotherhood of man and then, not only go into the trenches for the purpose of killing their brother man, but who practice every Kind of devilry in the name of their nation. Men of every creed and race were beginning to realise that it was not getting away from Christianity but closer to it that meant presenting the best and highest opportunities to mankind, the seizing upon which would mean not only social and material benefit, but every other higher advantage which man claimed could benefit the individual' and the community.