VIRTUE AND CRIME 163 



a venial sin compared with temper or hate, as these officials 

 would be in a social position where an outburst of temper 

 could unjustly condemn others to death. God will not punish 

 in accordance with social, state, or religious laws, but in ac- 

 cordance with the manner in which our acts fulfil our destinies, 

 and the duties of our state of life. Hence we must decide for 

 ourselves what is right or wrong if we wish to save our chil- 

 dren being punished for our faults. We may evade the laws 

 of the state by escaping detection; we can run the risk of 

 social punishment if we do not conform to the laws of society 

 as required by the portion of society and of the community 

 in which we live, but if we violate the laws of God, and do not 

 make it our bounden duty to make all our acts subservient to 

 the duties of our particular state of life, we may rest assured 

 that nought can save us from punishment in this life and also 

 punishment in the lives of our children. This is a common 

 cause of poverty. Now, the one thing that can alone make 

 or decide the superiority of one religion over another is, and 

 can only be, its power to assist the government of the country 

 to rule without having to inflict imprisonment or capital pun- 

 ishment, and the inducement it sets forth as an ideal of perfec- 

 tion to its adherents to make it sufficiently attractive to deter 

 them from crime. And I know of no greater inducement to 

 lead a good life than to keep the remembrance of the fact that 

 every act of our lives will be rewarded in our own lifetime and 

 that of our children if we are virtuous, and vice-versa, if we 

 lead bad lives will perpetuate this reward or punishment. 



Those who will make it the creed of their lives to try 

 and use each and every hour of their existence to the best 

 advantage and in the best possible manner, and who will con- 

 sider the good of others before their own, make excuses for 

 forgiving the sins of others, because they hope God may 

 reward them. And we may then rest assured that if we 

 really try to perform our duty to the best of our ability and 

 act up to such a belief God will give to us and our children 

 enough to suffice them for their daily bread and will make both 

 ours and their lives happy in the class of society most suited 

 to our happiness and utility, and keep us and them from harm. 

 And so far as concerns the rewards or punishments of others, 

 that is the concern of the state, not of our individual lives, 

 unless we are in duty bound to make or enforce the laws. And 



