140 The Lesson of History 



find themselves endowed with great possessions, are to 

 receive monetary benefits from the state, such as are 

 required as necessities of ordinary existence by the 

 poor, is to show a total incapacity for comprehending 

 the present-day condition of affairs, or the bearing of 

 true religion upon the social amelioration of the people. 

 Lord Hugh Cecil will do well to look into this matter 

 from the historical standpoint, and throw off the mantle 

 of the old Conservatism, which, after all, is concerned 

 only in the maintenance of present-day conditions. 

 No party can hope to endure which does not mould 

 its policy on the altruism of Christian ethics. Its main 

 thought must always be the betterment of the general 

 body of the people and of the future of the race ; 

 otherwise it is sure to be left out of account, stranded 

 on the bank and shoal of time. 



It has been argued that there are countries in Europe, 

 in which the Christian religion has been established for 

 centuries, which, like the ancient civilisations, have risen 

 to greatness, and just as surely, as did Rome, having 

 reached the zenith, sunk again into eclipse. Portugal 

 and Spain are both striking examples. What is the 

 explanation ? It is simply that the Church in these 

 countries chose to keep the people in ignorance, and, 

 dominating the state for its own advantage, prevented 

 that social amelioration of the masses which is a neces- 

 sity of all progress in art and science, and of that 

 prosperity upon which all advancing civilisation must 

 be founded. The Church maintained the personal view 

 of religion, dominating the individual, who was made 

 to find his present-day material interests by the ob- 

 servance of its rites and sacraments : it prevented 

 anything like the enlightenment of the masses, and 

 succeeded by these means in maintaining its ascendancy 

 in the state. Instead of helping the people to lighten 

 their burdens and attain by degrees to a life of comfort 



