WORLD CONFUSION

Evening Star, Issue 22805, 13 November 1937, Page 28

WORLD CONFUSION

END Of AN AGE REACHED BISHOP'S KEEN ANALYSIS It seems that the great characteristic of the world to-day is confusion,” said the Bishop of Bendigo (Dr Baker) in a recent address. It seemed that this confusion was ■ incidental to what no doubt was the end of an age, he said. One age came to an end with the fall of Rome, then the world ended that period known as “ the dark ages.” With the fall of Constantinople a great deni of the culture of that-age had been lost. Then came the Renaissance, followed hv the Reformation. “We are the children of the Renaissance and the Reformation,” he said. Dr Baker said not only historians took this point of view. It was acknowledged by most people who watched contenipornry history that to-day the world was approaching the end of an age. For about 400 years the world had been living in a period distinguished by a great growth of knowledge,_ particularly in science, and by a growing perplexity in life. Modern methods of communication had brought the world so close together that many problems were faced by the nations at the one time. It had been truly said the world had become a neighbourhood. The real task was to make it a brotherhood. Dr Baker declared That there was great confusion in ethical things: a great divorce between private morality and public morality. Men who were above reproach in private life, truthful and honest, had an entirely different attitude when they entered the arena of public affairs. .If a nation wanted to grab some territory from its neighbour these men used the phrase ‘‘rectification of boundaries.” A high-sounding phrase, which meant stealing what belonged to another nation. They would engage in all kinds of intrigue “ for the purpose of the State.” That phrase, like many others, seemed to cover up all kinds of public dishonesty. What moulded the world? There was no one standard by which the moulding force could be tested. A few generations ago people believed that God _ ruled the world. That belief bred pioneers. It bred strong men and women. A generation ago_ people believed in linking progress with scientific thought and humanism. Tennyson said: ‘‘l doubt not through the ages one increasing purpose runs.” Bishop Baker said he liked the idea of one increasing purpose. The world was not in the grip of blind force. There was a great plan for the progress of mankind for the welfare of the world.