June, 191:. 



history of the Month. 



Ixxxi. 



Lii,'arettes in camp. The regulations apply to all 

 persons lialilc inider the Defence Act for training 

 in the citizen forces, from 18 to. 25 years of age, 

 who were i)orn subsequently to the vear 1893. 

 Tliose referring to liquor and cigarette smoking make 

 gtxjd reading for the jjeople who ha\e high itleals 

 of physical and moral goo<l for the nation's vouth. 

 The use of " Masphemous or obscene language," 

 of "indecent language or acts," or "immoral con- 

 versation " will be treated as offences. The Act 

 forbids the i)os.session or consumption of liquor 

 during training, and a breach of the regulations 

 will be regarded as a serious offence. Sites for 

 camps are not to be near places where intoxicating 

 liquors can be obtained. " The issue and consum])- 

 tion of liquor for medical purposes shall be carried 

 out in such a manner that no one who refuses the 

 issue shall be subject to ridicule, and no issue shall 

 lie made to persons under 21 vcars of age whose 

 parents have notified the commanding officer in 

 •nvriting that they so desire.'" It is prescribed that 

 in cases of se\ere weather or excessixe fatigue, an 

 extra i.ssue of coffee, tea, or cocoa, and sugar should 

 be ma<le to the troops rather than liquor. " Xo 

 cigarettes, nor material for making them, shall be 

 sold in any camps, and no members of the citizen 

 forces shall have such articles in his possession at 

 any time when on duty, or during any ca/np." 

 This ought to go a long way towards discrediting 

 all the things mentioned, and will und<iul)tedlv go 

 a long way tow.irds putting moral fibre into some 

 of the moral degenerates who will be included in 

 the ranks. Moreover, it will make easier the 

 minds of a lot of anxious parents who dread the 

 influence of the camps, and the indiscriminate rnix- 

 ing that must fake place. The present system 

 of compulsory training ought not to be, but it is 

 satisfactory to know that it is being hedged about 

 with moral ^if'guards. 



Rellginus 

 Revlvnis. 



Australia thro 



Hy the in\itaii()n of the Evan- 

 gelical Churches of .Australasia, 

 Dr. rha|)man. the .American Pres- 

 l)>ferian evangelist, who visited 

 vears ago, and conducted mot-tingsof 

 interest unf)arallcled iiere in religious circles, has 

 returned. .Assisted as before by Mr. C M. .Alex- 

 ander, who takis charge of the singing, the meet- 

 ings have surp.is.sed even those of the former occa- 

 sion. In Dun>din, N.Z., nothing like the meetings 

 gathered there have lx*en known, and the .same can 

 lie said assuredly of those in Melbourne. Every 

 noon in the King's Theatre, right in the heart of 

 the city, the building was crowded, mostly with 

 men. At night-, in the Exhibition Rnilding, crowds 

 estimated up In 17,000 gathered, while the results 

 in persons .seiklng change of heart and life was 

 truly wonderful One of the most striking aspects 

 of the mission i> the ab.sence of '.sensationalism. Dr. 

 riiapman's api)cals are quiet earnestness. His own 



[John.'toni\ 0'.S7Mj7j«rt.-\«(/, and Co. 

 MR. W. A. W'ATT. 

 Violoria's new Premier. 



thorough belief in his message is contagious, and 

 it thrilled the community to read of hundreds of 

 men, manv of them well known business men, mak- 

 ing the most con\incing and difficult demonstrations 

 to prove the genuineness of their desire for a 

 changed life. It is a fine proof of the power of 

 (]<>(] to help and to heal. Mo.st of the newspapers 

 dealt with the mission in a reverent stvle, but one 

 Melbourne newspaper, judging by the reports it 

 gave, .selected a reporter utterly void of respect 

 towards .God and without regard for truth, to do its 

 work. Sneering, cynical and untruthful, it is a 

 long time since journalism was so disgraced. A 

 cau.se that could gather together crowds night after 

 night, ii thec.iu.seof gcod, as nothin'.; else could do, 

 was h>mp<x>ned and held up to ridicule. But it was 

 a tribute to the |K)wer of t'he mission that the attitude 

 of the pa[)er referred to had to change its tone, and 

 later it dealt respectfully and more reverently with 

 it. Dr. Chapman will spend twelve months in .Aus- 

 tralasia 



A result such as that achieved 

 ought to have a profound influ- 

 ence oTi our social and civic life. 

 The inspiring of thousands of men 

 and women with noble ideals and with changed 

 princi|)l('s should change the aspeil of the C(,mmunity 

 towards siK-ial evils. One looks to the religious 

 section of the communilv (religious is not u.sed in 

 any narrow .sense, but is intended to include every 

 one whose life is 'held li.ick to good things), to 

 purify [lolitics, and make national life sweet, 

 .And sUch an accession to ihe religious life of the 



How the Nation 

 Should Itenefit 



