134 The Lesson of History 



until that of all men shall be elevated to a higher plane ; 

 but it must be insisted on once again that the human 

 intellect per se can never evolve to greater heights than 

 it has done in the past history of humanity. We have 

 only to consider how far behind we are even now to the 

 great Greek period and the Elizabethan Age. The 

 great point is that the average culture is improving and 

 is having its effect in stimulating, in a manner hitherto 

 unknown, mechanical invention and discovery, and it 

 becomes evident more and more as we study scientifi- 

 cally the trend of human affairs that this is the direct 

 result of the social amelioration which exists to-day, 

 and has its origin in the altruism of Christian ethics, 

 inculcating as they do the suppression of the purely 

 selfish element in human nature and the idealisation 

 of the duty of love towards all men, regardless of rank 

 or wealth or power. 



As the workers are in the majority in all great 

 societies or states, it follows now that it has been 

 recognised that every normal, every sane man has an 

 equal right with every other in the election of the 

 rulers, and, in framing the laws, that they as a class are 

 the dominant factor in the state. The most recent 

 catch-word of politics — that " Labour is realising its 

 power " — shows the trend of things. Many hear thiswith 

 alarm and fear, and no doubt it does mean eventually 

 a more even distribution of wealth and better con- 

 ditions generally, but it is a grievous mistake to suppose 

 that " labour " means to bring pain or misery to any 

 other class. From what we know of the leaders of 

 the Labour party we are entitled to believe that their 

 demands will be in accordance with the Will of the 

 Eternal, " who maketh for righteousness," and especi- 

 ally as shown forth in the teachings of Jesus, who pro- 

 claimed the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood 

 of man — the gospel of sweet reasonableness. 



