426 GOVERNMENT, LAWS, [PART II, 



instance, to be a great liar, as great a liar, if 

 possible, as STEWART of the COURIER, who 

 has said that 1 have been " fined 700 dollars 

 " for writing against the American government," 

 though I never was prosecuted in America in 

 all my life. Suppose me to be as great a liar 

 as STEWART, and I were to be told by a parson, 

 whom 1 knew to be as great a liar as myself, 

 that I should certainly go to hell if I did not 

 leave off lying. Would his words have any 

 effect upon me ? No : because I should con 

 clude, that if he thought what he said, he would 

 not be such a liar himself. I should rely upon 

 the parson generally, or J should not. If I did, 

 1 should think myself safe until I out-lied him ; 

 and, if I did not rely on him generally, of what 

 use would he be to me? 



440. Thus, then, if men be sincere about re 

 ligion ; if it be not all a mere matter of form, it 

 must always be of the greatest consequence, 

 that the example of the teacher correspond with 

 his teaching. And the most likely way to in 

 sure this, is to manage things so that he may in 

 the first place, be selected by the people, and, 

 in the second place, have no rewards in view 

 other than those which are to be given in con 

 sequence of his perseverance in a line of good 

 conduct. 



441. And thus it is with the clergy in Ame* 



