POWER OF KINDLY HEARTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23127, 27 August 1938, Page 1 (Supplement)

POWER OF KINDLY HEARTS

Solvent of All Quarrels

By MATANGA

THIS quarrelsome old world is not really so bad-tempered, after all. Somewhere, tucked aff ay under its scowls and challenges and manifestoes, its unions that exist to divide and its millions of military uniforms, is a heart of kindness. It needs only a touch of another's misfortune or calamity to bring it out. Then cold reserve of manner is swiftly burst, hates melt aW ay and active sympathy rushes forth seeking ways of doing good. Ono touch of human-nature can suddenly make the whole world kin. Look quietly back over the week that j 3 at its end. Oh yes, there has been enough anger in it to make anybody wonder whether lifo is ever to find any sort of heaven. Nations fight on, parties strive, politicians snarl, neignbours are openly thankful for fences, folk in the same house are rudely inconsiderate. Even churches have continued to magnify differences of faith and practice —and people proudly of no church have done things as mean as the rest. It is all very unlovely and unpromising; but, mark you, it is not all.. That underside of kindliness has been peeping out, with more or les? eagerness to go on errands of goodwill, every day.

Japan, they say, is beginning to cultivate an attitude of friendship to foreign Powers. This seems too good to be rru«i, nnd there certainly are reasons for hollering so marked a reversal to bo prompted by expediency. Yet thero vou are; a policy less vicious is afoot-, and perhaps Tokio may yet hoar enlightened Japanese state:m«im p'cad logicallv, "Let's be done with tins cruel, foolish business, call off the war, and make amends to China a'so." Come nearer home, and on to firm mound. Mr. Savage has been ill, tired out with the cares of office and the hurly-burly in the House and out of it. At "one?, 'obeving an impulse deeper than politics, ~he has been assured of the sympathy of all parties. It seemed that everybody was saying, "Well, lies the Primo Minister, isn't he?" The self-same newspaper press about which he has been betrayed by his nerves into wild speech has voiced a chorus of concern. Splendid! Surely, surely, after such a spring-cleaning of the political atmosphere, there need be no "dirty* election, however strenuous it must be.

Conciliation Again, one of his Ministers, Mr. Webb, has been among the Westfield strikers and spoken words of peace and soberness,, commending proper process as a means of settlement in more than name. That sort of approach is felt by every true man to be the only way to " build a world safe for friendship—and therefore safe for industry and commerce. dependent utterly upon co-oper-ation between employing and employed. Another thing. When the week was roung we had a reminder that this Empire of ours, to which the word "Commonwealth'■ is being applied in . token of the truth that in its free unity is the only hone for its good and the good of the world, rests at bottom •upon.mutual aid The word matters far ftss than the spirit. Of supreme necessity is the sense of comradeship—the rest will follow —and that this can be cherished ?nd triumphant. < above local patriotism and class politics, is blessedly possible.. They came, these delegations from Canada and Eire,'as well as the United Kingdom, on their way to confer with Other delegations in Sydney, every man and woman enthused with the ideal of partnership; from Canada, note, where the ideal is not universally taken for granted, and from Eire, by older name the Irish Free State, not 1 lately led to esteem British ties. It was good to see come "smiling through" to everybody else the warm heart of Mr. O'Sullivan. "The name Eire," said he, "leaves me cold, but Ireland —ah, another thing-!" There a wider love spoke, and in its accent nnd tone was a pledge of feltowship wider still. Quarrels cannot live where frontiers are thus pushed out.

Invincibility The week was not to pass without further proofs -of the survival and invincibility of the kindly heart. They are always to be found for the seeking. One, of great interest to the writer of this column, may pardonably he introduced here because of its undoubted interest for' many • others. On June 18, writing of tributes to the value of the Bible, he referred to those clearly paid, with emphasis upon the mastery of English possessed by King. James' translating scholars, by Mr. Robert Blatchford. Many prize, above all the tea in China, his "My Favourite Books," signally_ enthusiastic about Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" also. This appraising essay should be read again with soulful delight as the 250 th anniversary of Bunyan's death is - being now recalled: "it is the old good fight of faith; it is tho perennial, untiring, evergreen story of a human soul's temptation, suffering, and endeavour." To get back to himself from Mr. Blatchford's words: in that June article it was stated that "he eventually crossed over to a definitely Christian veneration and faith." This statewent, rightly understood to mean that his attitude to Christian Theism had changed after he wrote_ '/God and My Neighbour," aroused criticism by militant Rationalists, one of whom only one, be it said in justice to others sent, over a pseudonym, an arrogant private letter meant to insult and wound. He was rather easily identifiable, but was left severely .alone. It was due, however, to all believing that the statement had been made in good faith, if not on sufficient ground, that any doubt should be cleared up by getting Mr." Blatchford himself to deal with it. " In All Friendship " He has dono so, in a courteous reply dated the 18th of July. Without qualification of any kind, he has written, in a hand betokening excellent vitality in spite of his advanced age, "I havo not changed my attitude toward religion since I wrotoJGod and My Neighbour, and in the light of recent scientific development 1 cannot understand how any thinking person can accept any regions faith ancient or modern." That decisive, and is given publicity equal with tho mistaken statement.

There is temptingly opened a gatea .V to discussion of "recent _ scientific development" and its attitude to fundamentals of religion, but that ca_n oest be entered with him. Many will recall Turner's answer to a lady's complaint that she could not see in_ nature iru things ho painted in his pictures: Madam, do you not wish that .vou could?" But it is the close of Air. "tatchford's brief letter that is now Particularly noteworthy as an example '° US all. "This in all friendship" is the salutation before his signature. Heart -poke to heart from both sides of the Correspondence. Two questions cover Everything meant by that —".Why »ot?" and "Why?"