IS THE WAR A PUNISHMENT FOR SINS?

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2703, 24 February 1916, Page 6

IS THE WAR A PUNISHMENT FOR SINS?

Sir,—A. ]etter signed "Eustica" has appeared in yotir lesuo of to-day 'in answer to one of mine. I have read it with interest, but I am, afraid I am still in ignorance on the points mentioned in my last. Briefly, it is tins: Our good Bishop, and certain other gentlemen, have been telling us that the present dreadful war is a, punishment for our sins. They have not told us how they know, but let that pass. Having, for my part-, access only to Bueh sources of information as are to everyone elso, I ask. supposing this present war is a punisument of our sins, what about the last time we were engaged in a. long-continued dreadful war, that of one hundred years ago? "liustica" is good enough to tell us about the wickedness of the French people at tho time. Does that mean that wo Britishers were punished on account of the wickedness of otlier people? If so, then perhaps this dreadful war is our punishment, for the wickedness of the Chinese, or the people of Central''Africa. . "liustica," however, goes oil further to say there was wickedness also in England, "perhaps more particularly in tho reign of Georgo IV." That monarch began to reign in 1820, tivo years after ihe close of the great wars. If those dreadful wars, in which our country lost so many men, and whicli so piled up our national debt, were not so much a punishment for French wickedness, were they a punishment for the sins- our , people, were, going to Commit years afterwards?

But enough! Will our friends mailt' tain tliat tlio present war, being a punisliniect for our sins, is a matter of fact, or is it just theological pretty, talk ?—1 am, ctc., lIUSTICUS.