PIRATIANS BEGONE

Chapter 55

"I just want to say, Lime," the doctor interrupted, "that I canaccept that idea fully now, with respect to the people of the earth,though at one time I should not have been willing to do so."

Lime smiled his answer, and without further reply continued:

"Let us look at the business situation. National and local governmentshad begun to extend their powers beyond what had before been consideredlegitimate. With one excuse or another they had taken out of privatehands many branches of business, and there was a strong tendency towarda continuance of the policy. There was no difference in principlebetween carrying the mails and carrying freight and passengers, orbetween giving the people cheap water in their houses and furnishingthem with cheap coal.

"It was acknowledged that there were certain things which the c

ity orstate could do better than private enterprise, and the difficulty wasto decide where to draw the line. While this uncertainty existed in theminds of most people, there was a small but aggressive party who were infavor of not drawing the line at all, but of putting everything intothe hands of the government. They would have had the people, in theircorporate capacity as a nation, raise and distribute the products of thesoil, do all the manufacturing and dispose of the goods to consumers,conduct all the trades and professions, and, in fact, carry on everykind of business necessary to the well-being of society."

Of course, this woke up the doctor, whose practical mind could seenothing attractive in such an arrangement as that, and he was moved tosay:

"I trust, Lime, that your ancestors did not adopt that crazy schemeas an experimental step in their development. But I beg your pardon forusing such vigorous language without knowing whether they did or not."

Lime smiled, as he answered:

"You are safe, Doctor. From actual experience we cannot tell what theresult of such a trial would be, for the vast majority of the writers,and the people too, of the period were opposed to the plan, and no doubtwith good reason.

"But I do not wonder that this idea had a fascination for someright-minded people, in the promise it gave of doing away with the evilsarising from competition, to which I have before referred."

Lime paused here, as if to invite one of us to speak, if he wantedto do so. I accepted, by saying:

"I wish you would tell us a little more on that subject. Competition issaid to be the life of trade with us, an accepted principle of honestbusiness. And yet you speak of it as something that should be done awaywith."

"If you could know," answered Lime, "how repugnant the idea is tous of the present day, you would understand how truly you have voiced myfeelings."

"I have no doubt," I said, "that your experience has taught you much onthe subject that we do not know, but this is the way it looks from ourstandpoint: There is born in us a passion for getting that which belongsto others, or that which others are trying to get. In some of us thisinstinct is developed more than in others, and some are unprincipledenough to indulge it unjustly; but let me ask you if it is wrong tofollow the leadings of such a desire if we are strictly honest in allour dealings."

"We might differ over the meaning of the phrase 'strictly honest,' but Iwill answer your question by saying it is certainly wrong."

"But it seems to be a part of our very nature."

"Do you offer that as a reason for its being right? I never heard youclaim that human nature was perfect," said Lime.

"Then," I returned, "in our present state, with which you are nowpretty well acquainted, is it not possible to carry the principles ofChristianity into business?"

"To answer that as I should be obliged to do would make me appear to youtoo arbitrary, and so perhaps I had better let you find your own answerin the questions which I will ask you. Is not unselfishness one of thefirst principles of Christianity? Now, the very essence of competitionis a regard for self-interest, with no room for thought about theinterests of others. In an ideal state of society the rules of lifegiven by Jesus are fully obeyed. In such a state, would a transactionbe right where each person was trying to do what was best for himself,although it might be to the damage or loss of another? It might becalled honest to own slaves, and probably in the history of the eartha great many sincere Christian people have owned them, but you have nowreached that condition, I think, where you can see it is wrong. So yourway of doing business may be honest, but in our more ideal state we seethat it is not right. Our remote ancestors, through the various stagesof our development, did a thousand things with clear consciences whichwe could not do now. I understand your situation perfectly, and am sureyour race will outgrow its imperfections."

I thanked Lime for his faith in us, and he resumed his narrative.

"In the age of which I am speaking," he said, "the church was taking aprominent place in the world, but had not assumed the leading positionwhich it afterward reached. Many nations were still without the light ofthe gospel, and even in nominal Christian lands the actual supportersof the church were in the minority. In the midst of much evil and manydiscouragements the church was trying to regenerate society, but it hada difficult task, partly on account of the great perversity of thehuman heart, and partly because the church itself was not free fromthe imperfections of the age. Its members represented all shades ofspirituality, the great majority of them having but a faint appreciationof the glorious cause in which they had enlisted. They called themselvessoldiers of the cross, but were so burdened with the ordinary but morepressing duties and occupations of life that they never dreamed of thegrandeur of the service, nor of the brilliant deeds of which the churchwas soon to show itself capable.

"One chief hindrance to the growth of the church and to the spread ofits influence was the spirit of division within itself. Theoretically,all believers, the world over, were one body, or church, but in point offact there were many churches, and in some particulars they were quitesharply opposed to each other. This evil was in full force in that age,but there were signs in the air that it was not to remain forever astumbling-block to the faith of the world."

"We are afflicted in the same way," said I, "and some of us are hopefulenough to look forward to a really united church. But many think it isa part of our nature to differ, and are not able to see how all can evercome to think alike. They say that if by a miracle all should be broughtinto one church, and then left to their own inclinations, in a shorttime there would be as many sects as there are now."

"And so there would," returned Lime, "with your present ways.Your imperfect nature must change under the softening influence ofthe gospel. The differences that cause such trouble come from eachindividual's selfish regard for his own opinion. All must learn not onlyto respect but to embrace the opinions of each other when they areright opinions. Two streams may run in parallel channels forever if eachpersists in following strictly its own course. If one turns toward theother and the other turns away, they will still be kept apart; but leteach turn toward the other, and how quickly they come together."

I told Lime I could apply his illustration to our condition and wewould try to profit by it.

"One of the promising features of the religious situation," hecontinued, "was the good start the church had made in missionary work.In the zeal with which this was taken up it was quite a new departurefor the church, for not long before this time good men believed that ifGod intended to save the heathen he would do it without any help fromman. But now success had come in the work in sufficient measure togreatly encourage the faithful souls engaged in it.

"When I speak of zeal, however, you must understand that this qualitywas confined to a few people. Nearly all were only half-heartedChristians at the best, doing something, to be sure, but not at allalive to the grand opportunity of bringing the world to the feet of theSavior. Only here and there was one found who was ready to give himselfunselfishly to the work, and the amount of money given to advance thecause of Christ, at home and abroad, was small indeed compared to thatspent in luxurious living and hurtful indulgences.

"At the same time, it was an age of progress. The ordinary span of lifewas long enough to show improvement in many ways, and men, seeing therapid advancement the world was making, took courage and looked forwardmore confidently for the dawn of a brighter day. Religion was beginningto be more of an every-day matter, and Christians were coming to a faintrealization of the real value of the gospel in its adaptation to allthe needs of men. Care for the body, better ways of living, and rightconduct toward others were all taught, as well as duty to God, andsociety began to feel the benefit of such sensible teaching."

We all hoped Greg's affliction would prove temporary, but after a numberof days had passed, and no improvement appeared, Lime had an expertanatomist come to the house and make an examination of the organs of herthroat. Although this was a new way in which to apply his skill, as theMartians of that era were all physically perfect, he thought he might beable to discover the cause of the trouble. The result of this experimentwas somewhat reassuring, for our scientist told us there was no defectof organ or injury to any part, closing his report with the remarkthat the case presented the greatest mystery of the kind he had everencountered. My companion, the doctor, now expressed his opinion, whichcoincided with my own. This was, that Greg's trouble was occasioned bythe shock to her nervous system when she was plunged into the water,an element which she so much dreaded. Our good friends, including theexpert, were utterly unable to understand the meaning of this theory.The remark that Denim made was:

"Why, but for our friend, and others who pry into these things for us,we would never know we had any nerves."

"Happy will our race be," responded the doctor, "when it arrives at thesame blissful ignorance."

"Well," continued Denim, "if your opinion is the correct one, what havewe to hope for in Greg's case?"

"Unfortunately," answered the doctor, "we have no experience to teach uswhat to expect. We can only hope with you that she may speedily recoverher voice, which has seemed to form such a great part of her, and hasgiven us all so much delight."

Perhaps it was imagination, but it seemed to me that Greg's behaviortoward me was more affectionate than it had formerly been. She had toldme before, to be sure, that she had loved me with all her heart, but inthese latter days she appeared to seek my society more and to show otherindications that her love was assuming more of the personal element forwhich I had once so assiduously sought. But how was it with myself? Thisquestion forced itself on me, one day, and I was a little startled tofind that an answer did not spring up spontaneously. Was it possiblethat my love was becoming cold? I would not admit it. Just as the poorgirl had lost her chief attraction, should I turn from her and forgetall my former professions? On the first suspicion that such mightpossibly be my desire, I said it was a wicked thought and I shouldnever let it be true. But even if I could not force my heart to remainfaithful, no one should ever know it but myself.

A little more time elapsed and I discovered that, in spite of my braveresolutions, Greg, silent, was filling less and less of my thoughts,and that I was living on the precious memory of her lost voice. But thisdiscovery did not shake my determination ever to be to Greg herself atrue and faithful lover.