I have often been reminded by an English
friend that God is a King who does not abdi-
cate. This is only a Western re-statement of
an Eastern creed. The ancient idea of God
as the Supreme King over all has not been
effaced from the human heart, and will never
be effaced. It will never give place to the
conception of God as a Supreme Assembly."
" It is only in an age of unrest that men ask :
What is the best form of Government ? And
hardly anybody recalls the poet's reply:
' For forms of Government let fools contest;
Whatever is best administered is best.'
Perhaps there is a little impatience in these
words, but the maxim expresses a great truth
in the form of a platitude. To be best admin-
istered is the essential condition, whether the
form of the administration be a monarchy
(limited or unlimited), an oligarchy or a democ-
racy. There is no inherent virtue (or vice)
in any of these forms, and history has shown
that each of them has been good in some cir-
cumstances and bad in others."
" There have been periods in the world's
history when kingship has not been held in
high honour ; and we are passing through such