In these wonderful days when events follow one another with such astounding rapidity, it is well for us, in our daily thanksgiving to Him Who has done such great things for us, to bear in mind what might have been.
A paragraph appearing in an evening paper a few days ago deserves the widest possible publicity, and may well provide food for thought: ―
“One of my correspondents has unearthed from a French publication—the Bulletin of the Society of Comparative Legislation—the following extract from a letter addressed by the Kaiser to the late Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria at the beginning of the War. To the best of my recollection, it has not been published in this country before, but in any case it should not be lost sight of today: ―
“ ‘It rends my soul, but all must be put to fire and sword: men and women, children and the aged must be slaughtered, neither a tree nor a house left standing. By these methods of terrorism, the only ones capable of making any impression on a people so degenerate as the French, the War will be ended in less than two months, whereas if I pay regard to humanitarian considerations it may drag on for years. Therefore, despite all my repugnance, I have had to choose the first course, which will spare much blood, although appearances may suggest the contrary.’”
If France was to be treated in this way—what might England have expected?
Arthur Mercer
Wimbledon.
Why do I bring these terrible things before you? I do it to show what man will do to his fellow-man. I do it to make you flee from the wrath to come, because if you get forever into the hands of Satan, your afflictions and sufferings will be a thousandfold worse than those inflicted by the Germans. Oh! flee from the wrath to come.