DIVINE HELP

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1940, Page 13

DIVINE HELP

IN TIMES OF STRESS

EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY

"History tells us that we will win this war," declared Mr. R. H. Nimmo when addressing the guests at a reception given by the Wellington Travel Club to her Excellency Lady Galway , and committee members of her Patriotic Guild, and he added that the reason why we would ultimately be victorious was because it was a war of totalitarianism versus democracy.

"Totalitarian cults are all based on paganism," said Mr. Nimmo, "and no matter how terrible they may be in their.military efficiency, no matter how greatly they may . outnumber us, no matter how efficiently mechanised they are, they will never prevail against democratic forces whose civilisation is based upon Christianity. Our faith in God, as individuals and as an Empire, will carry us through to victory, because it gives us the will to win— which now calls for greater personal sacrifice of our lives, of our substance, and the pleasures we have enjoyed so long."

Though the term coincidence might be applied by some people to the many instances of unexpected intervention by natural forces that had occurred during the British Empire's existence, Mr. Nimmo said, he preferred to call it Divine intervention. Some might call the storm that dispersed the Spanish Armada an accident, but he preferred to regard it as an answer to prayer.

If ever there was abundant evidence that Providence was guiding the destiny of Britain, it was revealed at Dunkirk, soon after the nation had been called to prayer. With no proper facilities for the embarkation of troops, on a beach that made a dangerous task doubly difficult, threefourths of the B.E.F. were saved, together with thousands •of French soldiers. The English Channel was known to be turbulent nine times out of ten, yet during the evacuation the waters were calm enough to enable canoes fitted with outboard motors to cross the Channel with their cargo of troops. In the height of the crisis a fog descended, mercifully protecting the men in the evacuation. That overwhelming evidence of Divine intervention should cause all to pause and think.

HOIST WITH THEIR OWN PETARD.

When gas was 'first used by the German forces in the war of 1914-18, it was launched only when Dr. Schumas, German meteorologist, advised the authorities that he could guarantee that the wind would blow steadily -in a westerly direction for 24 hours. The Canadian forces were j unprepared for gas attacks, and received the onslaught with full force. Their bodies were piled up like corded firewood, till a strange thing happened. Soon after the attack was launched, the wind changed in the gassed vicinity and blew in the opposite direction, and took the gas back over the German lines. The German casualties from their own gas were far greater than those in the Canadian forces. Dr. Schumas, in his official report, stated that he could only describe such a happening as a phenomenon, and never before had such a strange wind change taken place.

Another instance quoted by Mr. Nimmo was when the Italians, then our Allies, were routed and driven helter-skelter before the German forces over the Piave River. This great river usually slept its way to the Mediterranean Sea, but on this occasion a storm came up suddenly from a clear sky, and in a matter of hours the Piave River was a raging torrent which swept bridges and pontoons aside and swept many of the Germans out to sea. With the German communications cut, the British and French forces rallied the Italians, and what appeared to be certain victory for the Germans was turned to utter defeat.

"Can we find more striking examples of the hand of God on our side?" asked Mr. Nimmo. "That is the reason why, in these dark days, we should be calmly confident and inspired by the justification of our cause. In the light of this evidence there is no room for the defeatist or • the pessimist. Though the British Isles are threatened with ruthless invasion, the Empire can and will face up to tremendous challenge fearlessly and with absolute confidence."