THE KING’S BUSINESS
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telephones and telegraphs, railroads and steamships. And after this the human being asked that his pleas ures be made more comfortable, and thereupon the Spirit gave him fire proof theatres and comic operas, mo tor cars and yachts. Then, again, the Spirit asked, ‘Do you still desire more ?’ And the human being replied, ‘Yes, make my religion more comfort able.’ ‘That is simplicity itself,’ ans-_ wered the Spirit; and thereupon he' gave the human being magnificent churches, good preachers, and twenty minute sermons. ‘And now,’ asked the Spirit, ‘are you satisfied at last? Or is there something yet lacking to your happiness?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the human being; fmy conscience troubles me. Make that comfortable.’ ‘That is the easiest thing of all,’ said the Spirit; and thereupon he did away with the personal devil and gave the human being an easy-going summer and a hell that made a comfortable winter resort. At that the human be ing fell back in his easy chair and re marked, ‘Really, my dear Spirit, you have made religion so comfortable that I shall hardly need think of it,’ and he buried himself in the Sunday paper. As for the Spirit, he began to float out of the window. ‘Where are you going?’ asked the human be ing. ‘To see my father,’ said the Spirit. ‘He is dying.’ And who is your father?’ ‘The Spirit of Nobil ity !’ replied the Spirit of Modern Progress; ‘He is on his last legs.’ ” The great peril of Modern Education' is the growing strength of the passion for pleasure and the evident passing of the spirit of nobility. Among the opponents of education The Desire of Profit Is a Strong Second. The “self-lovers” mentioned by Paul in his epistle to Timothy are immediately followed by a second de-
seek the sweets of the flowers, ought not to forget that the living example is more potent with observing chil dren than any boasted record of deeds done in other days. And those fath ers, whose very virility and education have created for them a place in spe cially favored circles, made them the subjects of almost universal atten tion, and rendered possible a life, if not of ease, at least of luxury border ing on lust, should not forget that their sons do not see in their sires the abstemious example, the painful practice of the economy, and the weary, exhausted fathers, whose very suffering-state was the inspiration to study a generation ago. R. F Horton, the Old-World preacher and author, gives to us an allegory up-to-date. It runs after this manner; The Spirit of Modern Progress one day called up a human being, and said to him, ‘I perceive that you are discontented with your life. You long for things beyond your power. Tell me, now, what it is that will make you happy, and I will give it to you.” “If you have such wonderful power at your command, then make my life more comfortable, for I am weary of it.” . ■ , . . . “ ‘You ask what is easy, replied the Spirit, and therefore he gave the human being beautiful cities, with streets that were sometimes clean, and police departments that were oc casionally efficient. He gave him hand some houses with modern plumbing, and electric lights, and a thousand oth er things that make life comfortable. “ ‘Now,’ said the Spirit, ‘do you. wish for anything more? For you have but to ask and I will give it to you ’ ‘I should wish,’ replied the human being, ‘that my business life were more comfortable.’ ‘That, too, is easy,’ answered the Spirit; and thereupon he gave the human being
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