THE SWORD EXCALIBUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 992, 7 June 1930, Page 8

THE SWORD EXCALIBUR

THE QUIET CORNER.

(Written lor THE SUN by the Rev. Charles Chandler.) - . . take Excalibur, And fling him far into the middle mere: W atch what thou seest, and lightly bring me word. Morte D’Arthur. of infinite charm have been woven around the life of King Arthur and his knights , but none so beautiful as that which has been woven around his death. The short hilted sword, or Excalibur which, in a miraculous way, had been presented to King Arthur by a hand which arose out of the middle of a lake , Arthur* (when at the point of death) ordered to be thrown away. Sir Bedivere, the knight entrusted with the task, was loath to lose that Ecalibur , studded as it was with precious jewels, and so twice practised a mild deception upon King Arthur, but the noble king saw through his deception. Then with failing breath and eyes growing dim he pleaded the third time for faithfulness in Bedivere. The deed teas done. King Arthur died. . . . You doubtless know the rest. We all have our Excaliburs —things that we are loath to lose and yet feel called upon to cast away. Objects that have proved their usefulness , and which should be dropped as easily as a rose will drop its faded petals to the ground. The test of Abraham's greatness teas his willingness to make a sacrifice of his son Isaac, and though this incident is not quite analagous to that of King Arthur and Excalibur. it does show the same willingness to abandon that which we cherish the most. This story is retold in the lives of many men who have a faith which, like Excalibur. is studded with the jewels of hope. Then , suddenly, a new revelation is vouchsafed. This calls for a restatement of beliefs, and yet they hug the old. fearing to lose what now has served its purpose, and should be flung away. So, too. there are those who cling to the past, and count its faded pleasures as a miser counts Jiis gold , forgetting that “the best is yet to be." and that the tender leaf and quickened life of spring can only follow winter's biting frosts. NEXT WEEK: WANTED! A PROPHET.