284 ADMINISTRATIVE NIHILISM VT 



may not do something towards that end indirectly. 

 For example, I can conceive the existence of ;m 

 Fst,n.b1 i sh ed Church which should be a blessing 

 to the community./ A Church in which, week by 

 week, services should be devoted, not to the itera- 

 tion of abstract propositions in theology, but to 

 the setting before men's minds of an ideal of true, 

 just, and pure living ; a place in which those who 

 are weary of the burden of daily cares, should find 

 a moment's rest in the contemplation of the higher 

 life which is possible for all, though attained by so 

 few ; a place in which the man of strife and of 

 business should have time to think how small, 

 after all, are the rewards he covets compared with 

 peace and charity. Depend upon it, if such a 

 Church existed, no one would seek to dis- 

 establish it. 



Whatever the State may not do, however, it is 

 universally_agrefiol that it may take cliar-v f the 

 maintenance of internal and extern 

 the sti*ongest advocate of administrative nihilism 

 admits that Government may prevent aggression 

 of one man on another. But this implies the" 

 maintenance of an army and navy, as much as of a 

 body of police; it implies a diplomatic as well as 

 a detective force ; and it implies, further, that tin- 

 State, as a corporate whole, shall have distinct 

 and definite views as to its wants, powers, and 

 obligations. 



For independent States stand in the same 



