t by the destroying of intelligence,
nor by denying the first principles of civil liberty, nor by crushing
the aspirations for freedom, but by producing conditions that make the
application of these principles and the exercise of freedom
impossible. Though the race may increase in intelligence and
theoretically have correct views of personal freedom and civil
liberty, yet the conditions produced necessarily by usury utterly
prevent their realization. The intelligence and aspirations of the
race never were higher than at present, their subjection and
subordination to material wealth was never more complete.

The scepter wherein lies Mammon's power to sway the nations is usury.
When bonds bear no increase his sovereignty is gone. All motive to
involve the nation in debt at once disappears, and the power to
control is lost. Moses' law was divinely wise that forbade interest,
that his people could not be enslaved and might remain a free people
forever.

CHAPTER XXXI.

EFFECT ON CHARACTER.

The greatest factor in life in all ages is not material wealth, nor
social position, nor genius, nor education, but character. Since man
is above things, the highest purpose is not the gathering of that
beneath him, but the developing of the best and noblest that is in
him.

The highest possible purpose and work is the developing of virtuous
manhood.

This was the thought of our fathers when they came to these shores and
built their homes and established the free institutions which we now
enjoy. They sacrificed material advantages that they might be free men
and secure for themselves and for their children the opportunity to
reach in faith and practice the ideal manhood.

No material advantage can be regarded with favor that is detrimental
to the characters of men. Position, wealth, education, are worse than
worthless when associated with a corrupted manhood.

"Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates, and men decay."

The test of truth is its developing of the virtues and graces.
Falsehood is detected by its quickening the vices that degrade and
destroy. "By their fruits shall ye know them."

Virtues are linked together so that the promoting of one gives
strength to the others. All vices are also so linked that the
stimulating of one quickens other vices.

Virtues and vices are opposite, so that the encouraging of a vice or
fault discourages the opposing virtue. When you disco