It will grow barren unless we who now live are ready to continue the sacrifice. No good comes into the world but after struggle and pain. No new life comes but through death, no common weal is gained without giving and serving. Our common life must have a foundation of human hearts, ready to give, ready to live, for England and for us all.
It hath been said: "He liveth best who is always ready to die."
It can be put in a new way: "He liveth best who is always ready to put all upon the Altar."
Humanity is well served when nations are ready to sacrifice themselves for her good.
She is worst served by the nations who still preserve the tribal instinct to fight and destroy their neighbours.
She is worst served by the nations who are enslaving other nations.
And that nation is most alive which has most people ready to sacrifice themselves and their estate.
That nation liveth worst which contains the most selfish.
Of Christ it was written: He saved others; Himself he could not save. But the selfish man saves himself first and then thinks of others.
The selfish man is quarrelsome and runs easily to law; he exacts guarantees; he counts his costs; he heavily insures; he holds what he does not want and is afraid of another getting it.