THE INDUSTRIAL TYPE OF SOCIETY. 23 



are not likely to be the equals of the uncultured but peaceful peoples 

 above described. All we may anticipate is an approach to these moral 

 characteristics appropriate to a state undisturbed by international hos- 

 tilities ; and this we find. 



In the first place, with progress of the regime of contract has come 

 growth of independence. Daily exchange of services under agreement, 

 involving at once the maintenance of personal claims and respect for 

 the claims of others, has fostered a normal self-assertion and consequent 

 resistance to unauthorized power. The facts that the word " inde- 

 pendence " in its modern sense was not in use among us before the 

 middle of the last century, and that on the Continent independence is 

 less markedly displayed, suggest the connection between this trait and 

 a developing industrialism. The trait is shown in the multitudinous- 

 ness of religious sects, in the divisions of political parties, and in minor 



not slaughtered them for successfully resisting our trespasses ; when we see that the 

 " sacred duty of blood-revenge," which the cannibal savage insists upon, is insisted upon 

 by those to whom the Christian religion was daily taught throughout their education ; 

 and when, from contemplating this fact, we pass to the fact that the unreligious Lepchas 

 " are singularly forgiving of injuries " the assumed relation between humanity and theism 

 appears anything but congruous with the evidence. If with the ambitions of our church- 

 going citizens, who (not always in very honorable ways) strive to get fortunes that they 

 may make great displays, and gratify themselves by thinking that at death they will " cut 

 up well," we compare the ambitions of the Arafuras, among whom wealth is desired that 

 its possessor may pay the debts of poorer men and settle differences, we are obliged to 

 reject the assumption that " brotherly love " can exist only as a consequence of divine in- 

 junctions, with promised rewards and threatened punishments ; for of these Arafuras we 

 read that, " of the immortality of the soul they have not the least conception. To all my 

 inquiries on this subject they answered, ' No Arafura has ever returned to us after death, 

 therefore we know nothing of a future state, and this is the first time we have heard of 

 it.' Their idea was, when you are dead there is an end of you. Neither have they any 

 notion of the creation of the world. They only answered, 'None of us were aware of 

 this, we have never heard anything about it, and therefore do not know who has done it 

 all.' " Once more, when, after- indicating the Ainos' fear of ghosts and some allied su- 

 perstitions, but saying that " it is nonsense to write of the religious ideas of a people who 

 have none," Miss Bird tells us of these " kind and delightful savages " that for some- 

 thing she wished to buy they would accept only half what she offered ; when by contrast 

 we are reminded of Jews who, after three thousand years of monotheism, lend money at 

 enormous rates of interest and ruin their clients by merciless enforcement of their claims 

 we are shown that the goodness which may exist without theistic belief is as remarkable 

 as the badness which may exist along with it. That which the facts show us is that, so 

 far as men's moral states are concerned, theory is almost nothing and practice is almost 

 everything. No matter how high their nominal creed, nations given to political burglaries, 

 to get " scientific frontiers " and the like, will have among their members many who " an- 

 nex " others' goods for their own convenience ; and with the organized crime of aggres- 

 sive war will go criminality in the behavior of one citizen to another. Conversely, as 

 these uncultivated tribes prove, no matter how devoid they are of religious beliefs, those 

 who, generation after generation remaining unmolested, inflict no injuries upon others, 

 have their altruistic sentiments fostered by the sympathetic intercourse of a peaceful 

 daily life, and display the resulting virtues. We need teaching that it is impossible to 

 join injustice and brutality abroad with justice and humanity at home. What a pity these 

 heathens can not be induced to send missionaries among the Christians ! 



