FORWARD! WITH A LOOK BEHIND

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 3, 1 April 1946, Page 1

FORWARD! WITH A LOOK BEHIND

With the memory of Convention still fresh and the inspiration of the splendidly constructive and practically helpful work done still illuminating etir minds, it is yet worth while to cast a backward glance, and to discover Wherein we have failed in the past. Some of the suggestions for the future, most excellent as they are, are not really new. Yet, they came with all the glamour of freshness around them. How is this? Why should it he so? W ell, the aw wer is fairly obvious. If the suggestions made in days quite long ago had been actually put into practice they would not have needed to he made at this late date. The moral is plain. Suggestions, plans, rulings, resolutions, fine though they may he, are worthless until they arc are made use of. Unless every union sees to it that the possibilities opened to our view are fully explored and all available energy is directed towards carrying them out, they will pass into the limbo of the “might-have-beens.”

Is it a hard doctrine for the small unions? Perhaps it is, hut the marvel of our work is that when intense effort is put forth, there is always a response. Enthusiasm begets enthusiasm. If we are so keenly alive to our present opportunities and our present dangers as to be able to communicate the sense

of urgency to those around us, we artdoing a great thing. How often the note of belief in the power of (»od, our Father, was struck in those days at Christchurch, and how w r e were urged to “he strong and of a good courage.” As we go to our meetings this month, let us carry the note of hopefulness and belief in our ultimate triumph over the hosts of evil with us, and see to it that some definite steps are taken towards bringing our own Convention plans into the field of practical endeavour.