ust.
Incendiary is a mild epithet. I never read the sermons you refer to;
I dare say they're crude, but they're probably attempts to release
an explosive which would blow your comfortable social system and its
authority into atoms."

Hodder, who had listened in amazement, glanced at the banker. He had
never before heard him opposed, or seen him really angry.

"I've heard that doctrine," cried Mr. Parr. "Those who are dissatisfied
with things as they are because they have been too stupid or too weak
or self-indulgent to rise, find it easy to twist the principles of
Christianity into revolutionary propaganda. It's a case of the devil
quoting Scripture. The brotherhood of man! There has never been an age
when philanthropy and organized charity were on such a scale as to-day."

A certain gallant, indomitable ring crept into Alison's voice; she did
not seem in the least dismayed or overborne.

"But isn't that just where most so-called Christians make their
mistake?" she asked. "Philanthropy and organized charity, as they exist
to-day, have very little to do with the brotherhood of man. Mightn't it
be you who are fooling yourselves instead of the incendiaries fooling
themselves So long as you can make yourselves believe that this kind of
charity is a logical carrying out of the Christian principles, so long
are your consciences satisfied with the social system which your class,
very naturally, finds so comfortable and edifying. The weak and idiotic
ought to be absurdly grateful for what is flung to them, and heaven
is gained in the throwing. In this way the rich inevitably become the
elect, both here and hereafter, and the needle's eye is widened into a
gap."

There was on Mr. Parr's lips a smile not wholly pleasant to see. Indeed,
in the last few minutes there had been revealed to Hodder a side of
the banker's character which had escaped him in the two years of their
acquaintance.

"I suppose," said Mr. Parr, slowly, drumming on the table, "you would
say that of the new settlement house of St. John's, whereby we hope to
raise a whole neighbourhood."

"Yes, I should," replied Alison, with spirit. "The social system by
which you thrive, and which politically and financially you strive to
maintain, is diametrically opposed to your creed, which is supposed to
be the brotherhood of man. But if that were really your creed, you would
work for it politically and financially. You would see that your Church
is trying to do in