i8o Spiritual Evolution of Society 



men and point the way to peace and joy. All who can 

 lay aside political prejudice will agree that in the 

 person of the Chief Minister of the Crown we have such 

 a man, and will join in this tribute in his honour, and in 

 gratitude for his help in the amelioration of society, 

 and aid in securing the opportunity of a higher spiritual 

 evolution, not only for the toilers of the land but for 

 the nation as a whole. 



As a nation we ought never to forget our great men. 

 One of the greatest books ever written, we firmly believe, 

 was " Heroes and Hero- Worship," and we have often 

 thought if it were read in schools it would do more to 

 influence the young mind for good, to help it to learn 

 the real lesson of history, and give it a true love of 

 the best literature, and set it on the high road to a 

 wider culture than most of the so : called " knowledge." 

 And Thomas Carlyle was one of the greatest and 

 best who have been sent into this world to raise 

 the soul of man. Would that he were more studied 

 and revered — the enemy of all hypocrisy and cant, 

 and a true disciple of the Eternal, like one of the 

 prophets of old, warning men of the Nemesis of sin 

 and pointing the only way of rest for their souls. 

 " We all love great men," he says, " love, venerate, 

 and bow down before great men. Nay ! Can we 

 honestly bow down to anything else ? And to me it is 

 very cheering to consider that no general insincerity, 

 triviality, and aridity of any time and its influences 

 can destroy this noble inborn loyalty and worship that 

 is in man. . . . One comfort is that great men, taken 

 up in any way, are profitable company. We cannot 

 look, however imperfectly, upon a great man without 

 gaining something by him. He is the living light 

 fountain which it is good and pleasant to be near — the 

 light which enlightens, which has enlightened the dark- 

 ness of the world ; and this, not as a kindled lamp only, 



