Jump to content

Page:Dr Stiggins, His Views and Principles.pdf/94

From Wikisource
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

His Views and Principles

we are sincere, "what's the matter with Kentucky" (or Battersea!); we shall all demand our chewing-gum and our Britishers to whip. For otherwise, do we not confess that we are ashamed of our daily occupations, of our daily interests in life; do we not, in fact, plead guilty to leading lives that are essentially wrong and distorted? Unless we are ready to join the Eastern fakir and the Western monk in their miserable blasphemy, we are far from pleading guilty to any such accusation. On the contrary, we say boldly that we are placed in this world to use it, to get on in it, to better its condition by healthy political activities, to make money in it by the judicious exercise of the faculties that have been given us. The world has always worshipped success, and the world has been right; and I have no doubt that these goodly activities in which we have joined together below will be prolonged eternally in heaven. We cannot say how it can be so, but we know that it will be so, and in perfect measure. There will be no violent break, no sudden

89