ments, which he desires, and may
secure by effort and industry. So, in a community where all are alike as
to property, there would be no chance to gain that noblest of all
attainments, a habit of self-denying benevolence, which toils for the
good of others, and takes from one's own store, to increase the
enjoyments of another.

Instead, then, of the stagnation, both of industry and of benevolence,
which would follow the universal and equable distribution of property,
one class of men, by superior advantages of birth, or intellect, or
patronage, come into possession of a great amount of capital. With these
means, they are enabled, by study, reading, and travel, to secure
expansion of mind, and just views of the relative advantages of moral,
intellectual, and physical enjoyments. At the same time, Christianity
imposes obligations, corresponding with the increase of advantages and
means. The rich are not at liberty to spend their treasures for
themselves, alone. Their wealth is given, by God, to be employed for the
best good of mankind; and their intellectual advantages are designed,
primarily, to enable them to judge correctly, in employing their means
most wisely for the general good.

Now, suppose a man of wealth inherits ten thousand acres of real estate:
it is not his duty to divide it among his poor neighbors and tenants. If
he took this course, it is probable, that most of them would spend all
in thriftless waste and indolence, or in mere physical enjoyments.
Instead, then, of thus putting his capital out of his hands, he is bound
to retain, and so to employ, it, as to raise his neighbors and tenants
to such a state of virtue and intelligence, that they can secure far
more, by their own efforts and industry, than he, by dividing his
capital, could bestow upon them.

In this view of the subject, it is manifest, that the unequal
distribution of property is no evil. The great difficulty is, that so
large a portion of those who hold much capital, instead of using their
various advantages for the greatest good of those around them, employ
the chief of them for mere selfish indulgences; thus inflicting as much
mischief on themselves, as results to others from their culpable
neglect. A great portion of the rich seem to be acting on the principle,
that the more God bestows on them, the less are they under obligation to
practise any self-denial, in fulfilling his benevolent plan of raising
our race to intelligence and hol