The Ideal State 303 



are brought into contact, not only in our own interest 

 and theirs, but with the aim of helping the still higher 

 evolution of the State in the interests of the genera- 

 tions who are to come after us. Everything depends 

 on the spiritual evolution of man, and the certainty of 

 this as the plan of the Eternal, and we believe this to be 

 the only conclusion possible from the study of observed 

 phenomena in the past history of mankind. 



Even at the present day we have many conditions 

 existing which were declared utter impossibilities. For 

 instance : in the profession of medicine, any member 

 who conceals a remedy or a means of benefiting mankind 

 for his own private gain is looked upon as an outcast, 

 and is treated as such. He is at once ejected from his 

 college or university. Everyone imbued with the true 

 spirit of his profession derives more than sufficient 

 compensation from the fact that he has been able to 

 reduce the sum of human misery, and that the work he 

 has done has met with the approbation of his brethren. 

 Indeed, the members of the profession who make the 

 great discoveries which benefit humanity are not those 

 who become wealthy ; the most scientific members of 

 the faculty give away willingly the fruits of their dis- 

 coveries without any reward of a monetary nature. 

 At present, moreover, they are the only profession who 

 give their time and skill in our hospitals, dispensaries, 

 and even privately, without reward in many instances. 

 It is true that this work may lead to profit, owing to the 

 distinction which appointment to a hospital confers ; 

 on the other hand this does not necessarily follow, and 

 the fact remains that no other profession works as they 

 do for humanity without return. It may be well to 

 take this opportunity of pointing out that the provoca- 

 tion to revolt against the clauses of the Insurance Bill 

 compelling work for fees which were insufficient must 

 have been considerable. No doubt the poorest mem- 



