Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Personal Volume

Duties

Duties.

If this question is put to us: "What is Civilisation?" I think I may adopt as the short answer to it Matthew Arnold's definition, which I have already quoted, namely, "The humanisation of man in society." If we are agreed as to what civilisation means, let me follow an old Scotch custom that used to prevail amongst clergymen of Scotland in the olden days. When a sermon was given in Scotland, towards its end, there was always what was called "the Application." If we as a people realise what civilisation means, are we ready to apply its principles to our own life? Are we ready to fight for knowledge, to fight for truth, to fight for righteousness, to fight for justice, to fight for liberty, to fight for freedom, to struggle for the spread of Love and Botherhood, and to show by our lives that we are prepared for self-sacrifice?

May I appeal to the young amongst us? The Pioneers of New Zealand are passing away. This came home to me when I looked over the list of the Members of Parliament of 1875; that is only 43 years ago. There were then 44 members in the Legislative Council and 80 members in the House of Representatives—124 members in all. How many, think you, of that list of 124 are alive to-day? There are only Four. They are: The Hon. Captain Baillie, Mr. Donald Reid, Mr. Thomas Kelly and myself. Alas! the scythe of the ever-present conqueror has laid many low. It is you page 16 young people who have to stop forward, to maintain order, and promote Progress—to keep the banner of Loyalty, and Justice, ever flying over your community. The Pioneers have done much. I cannot go as far back as many, but I can speak from personal knowledge of 54 years of life in the Dominion. What an advance there has been! Our Government has been democratised, Education has been promoted, and the amenities of civilised life wonderfully increased. When I first remember New Zealand it had few and poor roads, hardly any bridges. There was not a single large bridge in New Zealand. It had no railways, no telegraphs, no gasworks, no trams, no electric lighting, little drainage, no city with waterworks or drainage systems, no public libraries, no museums, no university colleges, few newspapers, cultivation was meagre, cities were small and buildings poor. And now we have all the luxuries of life as if New Zealand were an old community. We have also tried to solve some social problems, and in our material prosperity we have exhibited kindliness and consideration. We are a generous people, and in the nation's work our Pioneers have shown a loyalty, a devotion and a courage that might inspire a thousand epics. Who can adequately appreciate the self-sacrifice and heroism of so many of New Zealand's brave daugnters and sons? Do we not feel our souls stirred within us when we think how cheerfully they have laid down their lives to preserve us and to save humanity from savagery? All honour to the brave who have died for us! And to those also who, loyal to the Empire, loyal to New Zealand, loyal to humanity, are still fighting for truth, for righteousness, for honour and for justice! Will their conduct not inspire us to step forward to help civilisation onward? Did I hear the question coming from our youths, "What can we do?" I speak first page 17 to the young men. I gave you what Edmund Burke said was the basis of civilisation—"the spirit of a gentleman, and the spirit of religion." Let us consider how these two phrases may be defined. A man may be a gentleman who is poor in worldly goods, who may have neither land nor money; he will, however, so act that his actions will ever be a rule to humanity. He will consider the feelings of others, he will be kindly, he will be honourable, he will fulfil his engagements, he will be honest, truthful and loyal. He will be prepared to sacrifice himself to help his country and to help humanity.