Moral Motive i93 



visible to our eyes that more and more in this direction is 

 possible, and is daily done. Comfort and health are being 

 awarded to greater numbers by it; and life itself, the life of 

 the individual, is being extended in years as it is being in- 

 creased in happiness. Now it is appreciably possible that at 

 some future time, instead of a favored few, all or nearly 

 all, should reach this prosperity. Thousands now, of 

 ordinary people, enjoy that degree of physical well being, 

 and moral wisdom and liberty and opportunity, which a 

 little while ago came only to a few who were great. So it 

 is to be seen that this is a still living progress. Then again 

 the sacrifices made by those who bear the brunt of injustice 

 become, in civilized progress, continually less. It is begin- 

 ning to be understood that useless sacrifice is not a benefit, 

 but is an error which nature never demands, and that the 

 selfishness which demands sacrifice, or strength which com- 

 pels it, must give place to a regard for the weak, for whom 

 sacrifice is necessary. 



So the wisdom which detected the value in sacrifice will 

 apply that value for its fullest effects, and will suppress 

 waste of it as earnestly as it would oppose neglect of it. 

 And the end of this purpose will be to make a minimum of 

 sacrifice sufficient for the maximum of benefit. In other 

 words the purpose is not only to achieve the greatest bene- 

 fit, but to do it with the least possible inefficiency of effort, 



and to apply it with the broadest equity. 

 13 



