COSY CORNER CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 3201, 21 July 1915, Page 69

COSY CORNER CLUB.

There came in too late for last week's meeting a letter from Faith, who sees in the present war a chastening for national carelessness, and an opportunity to draw nearer to God, for it is, alas! only too true that He is more often remembered in trouble than in prosperity. I give her letter here, as well as an interesting one from Alpha touching on some of r the points raised in the different papers. Does not war tend to the best development of a nation, for is it not in time of trouble that the soul grows? In times of peace are we not apt to take our ease and to say to our sols, ‘‘Eat, drink, and be merry,” and to take a good time, and in doing so we are prone to neglect the highest good, so that we have little time for the growth of the soul. We forget that the soul is like the body, and needs regular nourishment: if we starve or underfeed our bodies, then we cannot thrive. So many people must have five or six meals a day for their bodily requirements, but how many of us give our souls three meals a- day, and how much more important they are than our bodies, which in a little while will perish. “Whom the Lord loveth He chastens,” so when trouble comes, he it anxiety or sickness, then we have time, then we cry unto the Lord in our trouble, and He delivers us out of our distresses. And is it not so with a nation in times of prosperity? Do we not see people breaking the Sabbath and neglecting God, and allowing their children to make God’s holy day into a holiday? Is it any wonder then that we are afflicted, and the war was allowed to come? Oh, let us then seek His face more earnestly, let us cry unto Him for He is a God who delights both to hear and to answer prayer; but we have to learn our lesson, and when it is learnt, then we shall have peace. Let us all give what we can to help those who have lost their all. Give not grudgingly, for the Lord loveth the cheerful giver. Let us think that we are giving it to Him. When we die we can take nothing away with us; let us ponder on what St. Paul says, “But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ.” Is it not strange that the more money some have in the bank the more they like to keep it there, whilst others like to dress so well that they really never have anything that they can give away. Let them take heed to their ways and give accordingly as God has prospered them. Let them do with less new clothes and give the price to help the sufferers. For, as Mrs Lee Cowie 'says, “I would not offer unto God that which cost me nothing.” “We lose what on ourselves we spend, We have as treasure without end Whatever God to Thee we lend, Who givest all. Whatever, Lord, we lend to Thee Repaid a thousandfold will be; Most gladly will we give to Thee, Who givest all.” How hard it is for those with their loved ones at'the front. What-comfort they can get from the 91st Psalm; “Thou shalt not" be afraid of the terror by night, “Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; “For the pestilence that walketh in darkness. “Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. “A thousand shall fall at thy side, “And ten thousand at thj r right hand; “But it shall not come nigh thee.” And why? Because you have set your love upon God; therefore He will deliver you. It is sweet to think that no harm can come to our loved ones unless He allows it, and as long as they belong to Him why should we mourn if He calls them to be with Him? It is only a short separation, and it is “One link the less to earth, One link the more to heaven.” How can one die better than fighting for truth and righteousness, striving against oppression and tyranny ? So let us leave them in His hands, knowing that He knows best. Let us give them to Him freely, to do just as He likes with—either to take them home to be forever with Himself, or to return them here, and let us have “Peace, perfect, peace, With loved ones far away, In Jesu’s keeping we are safe, And they ” FAITH. Dear Elizabeth—lt is gratifying to see so many papers sent in on the war topic. 1 o>r ? fi+n„. -surprised »+• the strong trend of opinion to the view that war is beneficial. I think on the whole, there has been insunioient attention paid to the moral evils attendant and fostered by war. I barely alluded to them myself; partly because I expected there would be a general sense of them. Like Elsie, I think this will by no means b© the last great war, and I agree that sn-eat moral and social improvement, such as may bring about universal peace, must bo the product of gradual, steady progress, rather than of violent changes. But I take

exception to her judgment, “As long a-s you find two schoolboys employing their fists in self-defence, so long wLI tho peoples war with each other.” Granted, the ultimate cause* of war is the combative instinct that prompts the schoolboys to fisticuffs.' But childhood is a- stage of imperfect moral development, and must remain so, however the human race evolves. The human race may yet be in its ethical and social childhood—most crtainly it is a long way off full maturity; but will it not mature? Even long before the race attains its full moral stature it may devise some means of dispensing with war. Civilised men, though still selfish and pugnacious, do not settle their dfferences by their fists, but either compromise, or, in the lost resort, go to law. At this stag© of human evolution ws should be able to.attain the benefits of war without war itself; at least we should be aiming at. doing so. There is enough in tho world to fight with and to conquer without our rending each other. In arguing that-benefits have resulted from war, I did not mean for a moment to accept the idea that we must regard it as a necessary accompaniment of human life. I look on it rather as on crime and disease; things which vve must reckon with, but which we are striving to diminish. So I am not at one with Merix in holding that the good derivable from war is purchased too dearly; and that wo should be able to find enough to nourish idealism in peaceful conditions. ALPHA.

NEWS OF SCARLET.PI MPEPNEE. . Dear Elizabeth, —I have been waiting for some definite, news of Scarlet Pimpernel that. I could pas? on to you, and it has just lately come in a letter written from Cairo, after he was wounded. He was shot in the left arm, and the arm was broken. When he wrote he said it was progressing well, and he would soon be all right again. However, he is among the .Willochra’s returning* wounded, so the progress cannot be very satisfactory. I think he had about a week’s fighting, and when he was hit there was the muoh-to-he-desired trusty -chum snigh him. In the meantime we must just possess our souls in patience and hope he is not very badly hurt. Thank you very much, dear Elizabeth, for tho kindly interest you have taken in him —you and other members of tho Cosy Corner. I hope to put in a belated appearance at the club soon. 1 have enjoyed the meetings very much. —TAFFY. Fourth meeting, August 18. Papers to be in by August 7. TRAVEL MEETING: OUR OWN COUNTRY. So many trips abroad that had been planned and looked forward to Jong ago will not materialise this year that many people will perhaps learn more of this country

instead than they would otherwise have done. Members are therefore invited to make New Zealand batter known to New Zealanders by describing any beauty spot or any place worth visiting that they know of. Fifth meeting, September 15. Papers to be in by September 4. HEROES AND HEROISM. To avoid a clumsy title I have used “Heroes” as a common noun; and it is not to be Considered as applying to the sterner sex alone. Members may write of any deed of heroism that they know and have read of, or they may send a quotation or two on the virtu© of courage. Sixth meeting, October 13. Papers to be in by October 2. A FORECAST—FIFTY YEARS HENCE. When the present turmoil is over there will come a time of reconstruction, and one finds oneself often speculating as to what the future may hold for the world. Members are invited to say whither their speculations load them, and what they think men and women will be doing on this old earth in IS 65.