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NOTES AND NEWS,
An Irrepairable Loss. IN the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, India has lost one her greatest, I bravest and truest sons. From the days of his youth Lalaji
dedicated his life to the service of his country and countrymen. He was perhaps the first to come to the front to fight for the freedom of his country when it was considered seditious even to talk anything about the Government or even to say "Vande Mataram." His life was one of untold sufferings and sacrifices for the sake of his country. We may say that he began his life of service for the country with a suffering and ended it with one at the hands of the Government. Truly did the. Panjabees call him “The Lion of the Punjab," for he was ever undaunted inspite of the many threats and hardships from the Government. He was a friend of the poor and the depressed people and he devoted much of his time for social reform. However much he may differ in his political views from the other leaders, he was always ready and willing to co-operate with them in their fight for the country's freedom. To his very end Lalaji stood by his words. He inspired others with something of his own courage, of his own straight-forwardness, and of his hatred of all hypocrisy. In the words of Dr. Besant “ The one lesson to be learnt from Lalaji is that action is always stronger than words and that words without action are meaningless." We offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved family and pray that his spirit may create many more Lalajis amidst us.
Sir J. C. Bose's Birthday Message. On the occasion of his seventieth birthday, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose has issued the following message to his cou trymen and to the people of the West through the Associated P: 58 :
"If one reads the history of whis country aright, he will alise that India has great assimilative power by which many race and peoples come to regard this country as their home and in the service of which they gain their highest reward. It is not he lure of the East that calls them, but loyalty to the country of their adoption. There is an Unseen Power which presides over the nation's destiny and guides the onward march of the children of this great land, inspiring them with burning faith in the renewal of India's ancient greatness. It was action and not weak passivity that was glorified in the heroic India of the past.
I would therefore urge the doctrine of strength and undying · hope."
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
