23 2 The Ideal State 



ism of the world seizing the minds of men and leading 

 them to destruction as it did the ancient civilisa- 

 tions. Let the enemies of social change rejoice as long 

 as their opponents refuse to recognise the law of the 

 Eternal, and self-sacrifice as taught by Jesus, because 

 history tells us that only under the influence of such 

 beliefs can man hope to progress individually and 

 socially. Mr. Hyndman and Mr. Blatchf ord will ere long 

 be recognised to be a danger to their party, notwith- 

 standing any ability they may possess. Why do not 

 the members of the Labour party in the House of 

 Commons proclaim there and everywhere their belief 

 in the influence and power of our religion, and chiefly 

 ■ — the altruism of Christian ethics ? It would be a good 

 thing if this were more generally understood. As a 

 matter of fact, it is this spirit of altruism which gives 

 this party the great power and influence it possesses 

 in moulding legislation at the present time. 



Of all men of modern times who have penetrated 

 far into the mystery of the Unseen and the Eternal, 

 W. T. Stead stands pre-eminent. He never hesitated to 

 sacrifice himself for the salvation of society, and great 

 is the regret with which we part with his serene brave 

 soul. We are glad to know that he died as he lived, 

 like a hero, and passed to the Eternal with the same 

 confidence that he faced the world of his own day. 

 And why ? Because Love and self-sacrifice imbued 

 all his actions and thoughts as proceeding from the 

 Eternal, from whom alone they came. It may not be 

 inappropriate at this stage to consider his message 

 " to all English-speaking folk," written over twenty 

 years ago, when he issued the first number of the 

 " Review of Reviews." His desire, as he said, was to 

 " mirror the best thought of our time, done distinctly 

 as a religious principle. The revelation of the Divine 

 Will did not cease when St. John wrote the last page of 



