Address by Sir Robert Stout.

At an Empire Dav service held in the Unitarian Free Church last night an address, entitled "A Vision of the Future," was delivered by Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice). Sir Robert said:—

"One of the oldest and most interesting of books of Hebrew literature is the book or the prophet Joel. He graphically details a great plague of locusts that afflicted his country, and he utilises it for the moral and religious instruction of his people. In stating what is to happen when the people direct their minds from their terrible trouble he says: I will follow Ewald's translation, 'Your old men will dream dreams, and your youths see visions." Is this to happen to us after our war troubles cease? It has been said without visions the people perish. On every occasion our old men should dream dreams and our youths see visions. What does the Phrase mean but keeping the ideal ever before us? Emerson says 'Hitch your wagon to a star.' Keep your ideals high. Let your outlook be vast and your views broad as the universe.

"We are surrounded by mysteries. Our lives are however, cast in pleasant places, wherever we dwell. We are [unclear: girt] round with the good, the beautiful and the true. What beautiful surroundings we have. The earth teems with beautiful obiects; there is ever the changing page 4 sea, the glorious sky with its orbs of light, the sun, the moon, the stars in all their loveliness. No one who has seen some star clusters through a telescope has ever seen anything more beautiful or glorious. To see Saturn hanging in its ring, what more beautiful? Then the trees, the flowers, the animals. All are, if we only have eyes to see, most beautiful Nevertheless all we can see on earth and sea and sky pale before the dreams and visions we may have. The poet sees often a light that never was seen on sea or land. And if we have the poet's imagination we may create a city ot beauty for exceeding the Golden City pictured in the book called the Revelation of St. John.