Divine Guidance

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 84, 3 January 1935, Page 9

Divine Guidance

Sir. —There have been many letters in your paper complaining of the anomalous -position of our country—poverty and want in a land of plenty—and also on Saturday, December 29, you published an admirable article mentioning the unique position of the British Empire. Alost of the people attack some one other than themselves; they blame the banks, or the Government, or the financial system or fiscal policy on the Alother Country, or meat trusts or London dairy interests, anything or any one but themselves or ourselves. I shall now risk abuse by saying that as a nation we are getting what we deserve. Is it not just possible that we purselves have contributed to our position? I want to make it plain or to draw a distinction between the individual and . the country as a whole —I know many individuals are suffering through no fault of their own, unmerited hardships—but from the fault of the nation—AVhat do we do but grumble, appoint boards and commissions, inquiries and committees, all entailing much hard work and trouble to do what? to get the better of our competitors, to enrich ourselves by taking trade from others. AVe say, "England impose a quota upon our dairy produce or meat! How dreadful!” little thinking that we ourselves imposed a quota or restriction upon English immigration, denied our country to them from pure selfishness. Again we say: "England threatening to put a small tariff or duty upon our New Zealand produce! How awful!” forgetting that for years we have taxed her manufactures. AVe are greedy for praise from visitors. AVe brag of our climate, our scenery, our harbours, and are impatient of outside criticism, little thinking that God and not we ourselves made these. We hold sclf-glon-fication carnivals. Analysed, what were the Alelbourne celebrations but self-glori-fication? AVhat wonders we have pcrtoimed, what a great city is Melbourne and so on. Now. think of it. Celebrations for three weeks of self-glorification and indulgence and pleasure, and one hour o£ thanksgiving to God —and even this in many eases not sincere. The foregoing remarks would be pointless if there were no way out of our national difficulties, a way that New Zealand has not tried. How could it be expected she would when it is not shown bv our seats of learning or churches in any organised way? The way is plain anil easy, the churches arc for the most part helpless or useless, for they treat chiefly of the salvation of the individual, and that is not the point in question; we are at present concerned with the material well-being of our country as a whole, and neither St. Peter nor. St. Paul treated of this. AVhy not inquire into the meaning, which was addressed to a people, a nation, and not the individual, of the following message: AAhen thou art in tribulation and want and all these things come upon you even in the latter days (which are the present ones) if thou wilt turn to the Lord your God He will not forsake you”? But we don’t do it, AVe don’t even ask for guidance as a nation. Your correspondent. "H.P.,” in Saturday’s paper in an admirable article mentions our Empire s unique position, and the fact that it has not fallen like other great empires of the past, as historians and others declared it would. The explanation is plain: it is because the Almighty has sworn it should not. In no other way can the wonder be explained. To deny this shows ignorance of the greatest book in the world. The same book explains the greatness of our King, and. the general loyalty shown him b,v all his dominions. He never forgets .God —we should follow his example.—l ahi. etc., FRANK AVHITE.