UNDAY'S THANKSGIVING SERVICE AT TOWN HALL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 244, 9 July 1919, Page 8

UNDAY'S THANKSGIVING SERVICE AT TOWN HALL

. Sir,—ln your issue of Monday, July 7, appears a report of the proceedings ot lust Sunday's thanksgiving service at tho Town Hall.

I am sure everyone appreciated the service and the opportunity afforded, thorn of collectively returning thanks for the inestimable boon of peace after four years of one of the most terrible' wars ever known. / ■

The Eev. Canon Taylor's address, too, wns no inconsiderable leatnrc of the seivice, and must have gone home to many a sorrowing heart. .. Even though there is so much good in that gentleman's address, may 1 be permitted to yoiut out what, lo me and to others too I think, appears a blot in.it. It is. where he infers, though he does not directly say to, that on three occasions, viz., at lions, Ypres, and on the road to Paris, there was a direct intervention of Providence in our favour, plainly to be realised by' all. The Eev. Mr. Taylor, it seeks tome, lias not cleared the way by showing that these said providential happenings were not due to military, economic, or other reasons. Indeed, 1 doubt if^he or anyone else outside the General' Stall' would be able to authoritatively express nn opinion on the subject. Before we claim miraculous intervention on the said occasions we must be clear on this point. Again, in the matter of miracles, there is no such thing as a great miracle or a lesser one; any miracle, however apparently trifling, is just as wonderful as tl«i most awe-inspiring one, and is just the same to an Almighty God. to Whom all things are possible and to AVhom■ nothing is great of small. My contention is that to call in and assume miraculous intervention is a mistake. How are we to judge of our Maker's intentions, and with our puny reasoning faculties try to iniputt. what'happen? tc-junu us to certain motives r-i the Almighty, of which we cannot uossibly know anything? In conchis'on, assuming that we have the right to inquire into and interpret God's act?, which I question, would Ili< gracious mercy not have appeared much more manifest to us if Ho had intervened earlier to save Belgium from the nameless. ho-vcM to which she wi'.s subjected, or to save tho unhappy women and infonts who ivero murdered in the Lu.sitania. or even to prevent altogether the war that lire bereaved and brought misery to so many? I trust the Uev. Canon T/vylor vr':\\ pardon my criticism of his otherwise interesting address, but I am afraid ive are all 100 often prone to drag in Providence when as a matter of fact He is loo.far above us and beyond our comprehension to allow uij oven to guc><s at Ins motives and the reason of his inscrutable acts.—l am', etc., KENT.