s neighbor as himself, why how far his self-love
is educated to find its satisfaction in nobler ends, by so much his
charity is better than the other's.

There is hope for the future in the consideration, that self-interest,
the first, as well as love of approbation, the second, of the great
powers which move the world, indeed all the indifferent motives, are
getting still more into coincidence of action with justice and
benevolence.

When Jesus enforced a duty by the consideration, "Then shalt thou have
worship [respect, approval,] in the presence of them that sit at meat
with thee," he implied two things; first, that regard to the world's
respectful esteem is not a censurable motive; and, secondly, that the
same operates to good, rather than to evil. So it must have been even
in that corrupt generation, so disposed to call evil good and good
evil. It must be much more so now, when public sentiment has so much
improved. Notwithstanding the danger of loving the praise of man more
than the praise of God, and the mischiefs resulting from such
preference, we should lose, on the whole, by eradicating the love of
human praise. Witness the accounts of the atrocious outbreaks of
depravity at the gold diggings, while society was yet unformed.
Witness, wherever cease the common restraints of civilization.

Thus agents--so often the authors of discord and confusion, so often
the fire-brands to set the world in fumes--philanthropy is more and
more firing as her sure allies.

"Even so, the torch of hellish flames
Becomes a leading light to heaven:
And so corruption's self becomes
To bread of life the living leaven."

All analogies point to a still increasing vigor in the growth of the
kingdom of heaven. If the mustard tree is never seen growing, but only
to have grown; yet the greater the tree, the greater its power of daily
making large growth, without its growing being perceived.

All considerations indicate the power of each to do something to
forward the consummation. No member of society is so insignificant,
that his spiritual life does not affect the health of the whole. The
obscurest, who cherishes a preference of ideal wealth over material
riches and sensual delights, does something towards forming a sane
public sentiment, just as surely as the tenant of the humblest city
dwelling, who keeps clean his own premises, does something towards
promoting the general health.

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