304 The Ideal State 



bers of the profession would have benefited, but the 

 vast majority would have suffered from a marked 

 reduction of income — a most unjust procedure towards 

 the only men in the State who for long years have given 

 a large proportion of their services without reward and 

 with the sole aim of easing the pain and lifting the 

 burden of sorrow from the back of poor suffering men 

 and women. So that even at the present day we find, 

 in one profession at any rate, the effects of the teach- 

 ings of the altruism of Christianity and a system at work 

 which does not depend upon gold, and where the gospel 

 of self-sacrifice is actually at work moulding the actions 

 and lives of men. We have here a demonstration of 

 such a system as has been forecast at work, and there- 

 fore we are encouraged to go forward without fear to 

 the final accomplishment and universal application of 

 this principle of life and conduct to all men within the 

 State. 



All the powers of wealth and property are, as a 

 matter of course, opposed to such an evolution. The 

 amassing of wealth, the power which it confers, the 

 privileges it secures, and the luxuries always within 

 call, are potent influences which will not yield to any- 

 thing but overwhelming odds. It is of no avail to 

 demonstrate to the rich man the risks to which he is 

 exposed in the way of temptation to excess, and conse- 

 quent degeneracy and the shortening of his days. It 

 is of no avail to repeat the warning of Scripture : " It 

 is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle 

 than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." 

 It is of no avail to point out the dangers of an environ- 

 ment of luxury in the case of his sons, and the possi- 

 bility of headlong destruction in their youthful prime. 

 He is quite uninfluenced by the argument that the 

 amassing of riches is a soul-destroying process and 

 takes all the real charm out of life, robbing it in most 



