STACKING THE CARDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1040, 2 August 1930, Page 8

STACKING THE CARDS

THE QUIET CORKER

(Written for THE SUN by the Rev. Charles Chandler.) “T KNOW not what the future hath of marvel or surprise,” runs a line from Whittier, and a common thought which many ultra-orthodox people tag on to this quotation is: “Oh iveil —icliatever is to come along, help us, O Lord, to bear it with fortitude.” All their sorrows, burdens, trials, and tribulations are credited to God’s account. According to their idea of things, He seems to take a paternal delight in thrashing His children with adversity. There are others tvho, lacking any sort of a faith whatever, just believe in fate —a kind of “If-you’re-going-to-be-drowned-you-won’t-be-hanged” philosophy. These people blame bad luck for all their reverses of health or fortune, and if there are too many reverses, they begin to xconder whether the cards have been stacked, or whether the dice has been loaded. They usually end up by declaring that the game isn't fair. The truth of the whole matter surely is that, to some extent, our ancestors have stacked tlie cards, or loaded the dice against us. We have by virtue of our birth and training, a pre-disposition to this, and a disinclination for that, and yet, the strongest and bravest people in all ages, of whatever birth or constitution, would have surely said: “ ’Tis not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are thus or thus.” All gur thoughts, ambitions, and desires revolve around the pivot of our self-determination, and however strong may be the currents that flow into our lives, from hidden sources, we go serenely on, like fishes swimming up stream. NEXT WEEK: “ET TU BRUTE!”