Dagrenning - 01.06.1948, Blaðsíða 6

through tliis great World War, Iceland has never heen so well off in lier
history. If any Icelander does not feel full af gratitude to God for such amazing
care in such a perilous world, he is doing his country a positive injury, for if
there be many such, God in His love would doubtless find it necessary to with-
draw from Iceland some of her present material blessings in order that the
spiritual values be more highly appreciated.“ Herein lies the real and basic
cause of the economic crisis which struck Iceland zuith such suddenness last
year. Herein too is revealed the solution of your present national calamity and
the certain way whereby you can recover.
Now, my dear lcelandic friends, you all know how much I love the Icelandic
nation, and I want to make it very clear that luhat I have just stated is not
said in any spirit of cnticism or of finding fault. On the contrary, I have said
what I have because of my deep concern for your highest welfare as a nation.
I come to your country as a friendly Scotsman who is willing to be of any
help to you that is within my power. I do not come reprcsenting any one
political party but I come as a friend of all Icelandic people irrespective of
what political party you belong to. I shall feel greatly honored and esteem
it a great privilege, if by God’s help I could be a blessing to all the lcelandic
people.
In what way can I help you best? Well, in view of the present unsatis-
factory condition of your dear country, what is it that is fundamentally wrong
that needs putting right and hoxu can I help you? As long as six years ago I
gave the warning, which was circulated throughout the country, that unless
the Icelandic nation as a whole expressed an appropriate degree of gratitude
to God for their prosperity and happiness at a time that all other nations
were in agony, the Almighty would undoubtedly withdraw some of the material
blessings you were then enjoying, in order to draw to your attention that He
xuas not satisfied with the degree of gratitude manifested, so that He might
give you the opportunity of the valuable spiritual experience of repentance,
luhereby your spiritual condition would be enriched, and then your material
blessings would be restored to you in accordance with the Divine promise
stated in II Chronicles vii, 14:— „If my people, which are called by my name,
shall hutnble themselves, and pray, and seelt my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; tlien will I hear from heaven and luill forgiye their sin and
w i 11 h e a l t h e i r l a n d”.
You see, God is giving you certain national experiences with a view to
training you for a high spiritual destiny if you will only yicld to His all-wise
moulding. The proper course for the Icelandic nation at the present moment
is clear and plain, namely, Thanksgiving and Spiritual lievival. I repeat the
words of the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt which I already quoted
4 DAGRENNING