Perusal of a slim pamphlet entitled What I Believe, the text of a short wartime broadcast delivered by Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie, reminds one of certain similarities between the creed of a monarch’s representative 70 years ago and that of a presidential representative in our time.

Governor Dobbie claimed in his broadcast to the nation: “It is necessary not only to enunciate the beliefs one holds on the things that cut deepest but it is also very desirable to consider the reasons for the beliefs and to be clear about the foundation on which they rest.”

Some think that Governor Dobbie’s religious views were proving too embarrassing for his superiors back home and so he was recalled after just two years’ service.

Here again we can observe a parallel in duration of service.

Turning to Governor Dobbie once more for direction: “I find also that God requires that man’s relationship with man should be put upon a proper basis, and that man should love his neighbour as himself, and that the dealings between man and man should be based on love, unselfishness, kindness and the like.” He might have had the likes of the inspector general of the State Department in mind. So, governor and ambassador, Onward, Christian Soldiers!

“Long as earth endureth, men the faith will hold,

“Kingdoms, nations, empires, in destruction rolled.”