ork, don't
you?'

'Yes.'

'And you know that those who work have to eat the very worst food, and
wear the very worst clothes, and live in the very worst homes.'

'Yes,' said Frankie.

'And sometimes they have nothing to eat at all, and no clothes to wear
except rags, and even no homes to live in.'

'Yes,' repeated the child.

'Well, the vicar goes about telling the Idlers that it's quite right
for them to do nothing, and that God meant them to have nearly
everything that is made by those who work. In fact, he tells them that
God made the poor for the use of the rich. Then he goes to the workers
and tells them that God meant them to work very hard and to give all
the good things they make to those who do nothing, and that they should
be very thankful to God and to the idlers for being allowed to have
even the very worst food to eat and the rags, and broken boots to wear.
He also tells them that they mustn't grumble, or be discontented
because they're poor in this world, but that they must wait till
they're dead, and then God will reward them by letting them go to a
place called Heaven.'

Frankie laughed.

'And what about the Idlers?' he asked.

'The vicar says that if they believe everything he tells them and give
him some of the money they make out of the workers, then God will let
them into heaven also.'

'Well, that's not fair doos, is it, Mum?' said Frankie with some
indignation.

'It wouldn't be if it were true, but then you see it's not true, it
can't be true.'

'Why can't it, Mum?'

'Oh, for many reasons: to begin with, the vicar doesn't believe it
himself: he only pretends to. For instance, he pretends to believe the
Bible, but if we read the Bible we find that Jesus said that God is our
father and that all the people in the world are His children, all
brothers and sisters. But the vicar says that although Jesus said
"brothers and sisters" He really ought to have said "masters and
servants". Again, Jesus said that His disciples should not think of
tomorrow, or save up a lot of money for themselves, but they should be
unselfish and help those who are in need. Jesus said that His
disciples must not think about their own future needs at all, because
God will provide for them if they only do as He commands. But the
vicar says that is all nonsense.

'Jesus also said that if anyone tried to do His disciples harm, they
must never resist, but forgive those who injured them and pray God to
for