Page:The Psychology of Jingoism.djvu/69
Mr. Kruger and his burghers, who, we assure the Almighty, do not mean the pious words they say, and whose inconsistent and unholy conduct we invite Him to reprobate. The complete self-confidence implied in these imputations, our free, careless handling of this explosive and recoiling charge, have in them a depth of sardonic humour which will give his finest material to the historian of the Imperial episode.
This claim to a monopoly, by right, of the Divine favour is reasserted in all our public acts of worship. We do not appeal to the Almighty to determine the justice of our cause as a judge, rather we instruct Him as a counsel, begging Him to accept an assurance of the justice of our cause from us, who know the facts. The gross impudence of this official posture is swallowed up by its humour, which reaches perhaps its zenith in the prayer recommended by the Archbishops before the General Election, which endorsed the policy of Mr. Chamberlain in South Africa, with its pious request that 'all things may be so ordered and settled that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety may be established among us for all generations.'
The effect of these high pronouncements of