LIVED BEFORE HIS TIME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1940, Page 6

LIVED BEFORE HIS TIME

SCHEMES OF JOHN BELLERS. John Bellers was his name., and ho was a friend of all good men and true. Born in 1654. he was a member of the Society of Friends. Lord of the manor of Coin St. Andrews in Gloucestershire, he spent his summers in the country and his winters in London; and all his days he seems to have been greatly interested in good works. But he lived before his time. He was in advance of his age, for some of the notions he had are not yet understood. Perhaps the most remarkable idea in his wise head was one he set before Parliament —and was laughed at for his pains. It was neither more nor less than a carefully worked out international scheme for a confederation of European countries to prevent war. To hear of it now that we know something of the League of Nations is interesting’, surely, for it shows that over 200 years ago one Englishman at least realised the folly and waste of warfare. He elaborated a scheme for the education of poor children long before Compulsory Education came in. He drew out a plan for the establishment of hospitals for the sick in London, and for providing advice in medical matters in every parish in the kingdom. Before Howard investigated prisons, old John Bellers was visiting prisoners; and there is something very quaint and beautifully practical about his suggestion that once a week prisoners should be feasted on good meat before having the Gospel preached to them.

Friend of William Penn and Sir Hans' Sloane, this good man was always giving money to people who needed it, always outlining schemes to improve society, always making good suggestions which nobody acted upon, always writing books and pamphlets which the world was too busy to notice. His “Epitome of the World,” was an economic innovation which caused a stir, a sort of fanfare for the coming of Socialism, but the times were not ripe for it.