mn
thoughts, and we look in vain for a correction of the evils under
which the world groans, unless the minds of men can be disentangled
from worldly pursuits, and can be impressed with their responsibility
to the Author of their existence, and the obligation to each other.
Here all our hopes must center, and to this end must all our efforts
tend, if our object is the regeneration of the human race. Men must
understand their true interests, their relations and obligations to
each other, and their accountability to God, before they will "cease
to do evil and learn to do well." If either the writer or the reader,
expects to do anything in behalf of suffering humanity, he must never
lose sight of the corruption of our natures, and the great fountain of
error and misconception, self-love, as the source of all that mars the
peace and happiness of the human family. And what is of paramount
importance, we must bear in mind, that without Divine aid, we write in
vain, we read in vain, that God alone can accomplish the great work,
and that we are but instruments in his hands. We must then, with
unwearied patience and diligence, do our duty, and leave the event to
him who has all power in heaven and earth.

CHAPTER XIII.

The memorable words of our Saviour, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and
thy neighbor as thyself," comprise the whole duty of man. God requires
nothing more of any man. He that loves God will yield a ready and
cheerful obedience to all his commands; and he that loves his
neighbor, cannot, under any circumstances, or in any condition of
life, do his neighbor injustice or wrong. I have shown in the
preceding Chapter, that all oppression, all injustice, that all the
evils and calamities which befal the human family, originate in, or
are perpetuated by our self-love. Selfishness, self-interest, or
otherwise self-aggrandizement, is the mainspring of all our actions if
we are devoid of love to God and man. This innate principle of our
hearts, the love of money, the love of ease, wealth, power and fame,
must be overcome before we can love God and our neighbor; or otherwise
discharge those duties incumbent on us as Christians, good citizens,
and philanthropists. While self-love or selfishness is the dominant
principle in our hearts, we can be neither humane, just, nor generous
in our intercourse with our fellow creatures. It is impossible. Unde