t people like
to control the conduct of others. They love to write rules, and
pass laws for the benefit of their neighbors, and the neighbors
are pretty busy at the same business. People, as a rule, think
that they know the business of other people better than they do
their own. A man watching others play checkers or chess always
thinks he sees better moves than the players make. When all people
attend to their own business they will know that a part of their
own business is to increase the happiness of others.

_Question_. What is causing the development of this country?

_Answer_. Education, the free exchange of ideas, inventions by
which the forces of nature become our servants, intellectual
hospitality, a willingness to hear the other side, the richness of
our soil, the extent of our territory, the diversity of climate
and production, our system of government, the free discussion of
political questions, our social freedom, and above all, the fact
that labor is honorable.

_Question_. What is your opinion of the religious tendency of the
people of this country?

_Answer_. Using the word religion in its highest and best sense,
the people are becoming more religious. We are far more religious
--using the word in its best sense--than when we believed in human
slavery, but we are not as orthodox as we were then. We have more
principle and less piety. We care more for the right and less for
the creed. The old orthodox dogmas are mouldy. You will find moss
on their backs. They are only brought out when a new candidate
for the ministry is to be examined. Only a little while ago in
New York a candidate for the Presbyterian pulpit was examined and
the following is a part of the examination:

_Question_. "Do you believe in eternal punishment, as set forth
in the confession of faith?"

_Answer_. (With some hesitation) "Yes, I do."

_Question_. "Have you preached on that subject lately?"

_Answer_. "No. I prepared a sermon on hell, in which I took the
ground that the punishment of the wicked will be endless, and have
it with me."

_Question_. "Did you deliver it?"

_Answer_. "No. I thought that my congregation would not care to
hear it. The doctrine is rather unpopular where I have been
preaching, and I was afraid I might do harm, so I have not delivered
it yet."

_Question_. "But you believe in eternal damnation, do you not?"

_Answer_. "O yes, with all my heart."

He was admitted, a