BLACK DEPRESSION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16448, 31 May 1919, Page 4

BLACK DEPRESSION.

“DEVIL’S LAST TEMPTATION.” SOME THOUGHTS FOE THE TIMES A novelist has recalled a mediaeval legend of an angel being sent to Satan with the message that God meant to take from the devil all the temptations with which Ee had seduced mankind. To this Satan resigned himself, because ha was compelled to. But ho begged of tho angel that he should be loft with just one—and that the least important. “Which?” asked the angel. “Depression,” said Satan. Tho angel considered tho request, lound that depression cut but slight figure as a sin, and went back to heaven leaving it behind him. “Good!” laughed Satan, as the celestial vision faded out. “In this one gift I’ve secured all.” . . . Wo may hope for our great, brave. wonderful nation when we think of the false prophets in old times, remarks the British Weekly. It has been said that in England every generation has believed i'.sclf on the edge of an abyss of destruction. Every changes in the Government has overshadowed ruin to one section of the community. IN PAST DAYS. We. borrow a few opinions as to the future, collected by an essayist from rho biographies of famous politicians; In 4749 Bolingbroke could see “scarcely anything around him but ruin and despair.” So also the elder Pitt and Walpole! Early in tho nineIctnlli century Wilberforcc declared that he dared not marry, tho future was so dark and misctled. In 1818 Lord Grey believed that everything was tending to a convulsion. The Duke of Wellington, on the eve of his death, thanked God that he would bo spared from seeing “the consummation of ruin that is gathering about us.” In 1849 Disraeli announced; “In the golden saloon, in the busy mart of industry, iu the port, on the exchange, by the loom, by the plough, every man suffers, and says, ‘1 see no hope.’” Queen Adelaide said she had only ono desire—to play tho part of Marie Antoinette with bravery in tho revolution that Was . coming upon England. Tho Reform Acts of 1832 and 1867 wore to he tho beginning of anarchy and civil war, and were to reduce England to a second-rate Rower. In 1868 Lord Shaftesbury wrote to Lord Granville that only God at tho helm could save the British Empire from utter shipwreck. Twenty years later that cheerful soul, Mr. W. H. Smith, could find no hope for England. We need' not say that in all ages tho same prognostications - have been uttered of the Christian Church. Yet the nation lives and the Church lives, and they live in a reasoned faith and hope, fronting the storms as they rise and setting their hope in God. CAPITAL AND LABOUR. There are thoso who are very gloomy about the new order. They see Great Britain perishing through a desperate fighting between Capital and Labour which will in the end ruin both parties. That it is possible for the demands of the Labourists to be excessive is true, but it is at least equally true that it is possible for tho Capitalists to make excessive demands on Labour and on tho nation. Wo believe that tho time is coming when tho rich must be poorer and tho poor - richer. But that tho people of this country are Bolshevists we steadfastly refuse to believe. We hold that they are essentially reasonable and patriotic. Those who wero nearest to the Great War were, we believe, impressed by many things, hut chiefly by the magnificent ■behaviour of tho nation, so often and long disappointed, and yet so steadfast ail 1 through. We are not afraid of the men who fought for us. Wo take pleasure in believing what Ralph Connor has said about them. Asked what was the greatest revelation that the war had given him, tHo wellknown novelist, who had done much with tho Canadian troops, replied: ‘The tremendous revelation of Hie war has been the majesty of the plain, common man, his nobility, his splendour in all that becomes men. He was overwhelmed with danger, often with foulness of surroundings, sometimes with stupidity. But down in his spiritual depths rested a groat flaming soul, ami it carried him through to victory.” Robert Bums was the champion of tjie common man, and this war las gloriously justified his faith. Men are indeed tho most wonderful creation of God, and they should bo treated with fair play; nay, as ono treats God, with reverence.