SOME REFLECTIONS ON HOW EMPIRE CAME TO US. 



37 



Spain somewhere on the hills which surround this beautiful 

 town. But so it happened as, in the history of the Anglo-Saxon 

 race, has so often happened, is happening to-day, and will 

 continue to do so — that instead of the standard of another 

 power, the Union Jack was planted and still proudly floats 

 over these enchanted islands. 



" It was in 1609 (just two years before the Hampton Court 

 Conference had completed its work) that Sir George Somers was 

 wrecked here, and that era of progress began for which we thank 

 God to-day." 



Here follow a few reminders (from the preacher) of the spirit 

 that animated these brave pioneers. 



Here, for example, is a collect then in use on arrival at a port 

 among infidels : " Watch Thou over us, 0 Lord, and give us 

 grace so to watch over ourselves that we may not anyways so 

 misbehave ourselves that the Gospel which we profess may by 

 our means be evil spoken of by them. Let us strive by all 

 means to draw these heathen to faith in Thy Name." 



Here is a prayer then in use in Virginia : " 0 Lord of mercies, 

 look upon the Gentiles which know Thee not. Be merciful to 

 us ; and not to us alone, but let Thy way be known upon Earth, 

 Thy saving health among all nations." 



Again, may the heathen never say to us : " Where is now 

 thy God ? " May they rather say : " Blessed be the King and 

 Prince of England, and blessed be the English Nation, and 

 blessed be the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and 

 earth, that sent them among us ! " 



You will find in all the Charters under which our earliest 

 colonies were estabUshed, a uniform acknowledgment of God, 

 and the responsibility of His people to deal, on these high and 

 noble lines, with England's Colonies and those who, in them, 

 knew not God. 



Let us next look out backward and forward from the year 

 1807. 



William Wilberforce was writing up his diary on March 25th, in 

 that year, and he says this : " The King has given his assent 

 this day to the Abolition of the Slave Trade. God will now bless 

 this country. The first authentic news of the defeat of the 

 French has come to-day." 



It had taken Wilberforce and his friends twenty long years 

 to right thus a terrible wrong, and purge English merchandise 



