But is it really to be so? Are we
to thrive only by thinking of ourselves? Something in our hearts
tells us, No. Something in our hearts tells us that this would be a
very miserable world if every man shifted for himself; and that even
if we got this world's good things by selfishness, they would not be
worth having after all, if we had no one but ourselves to enjoy them
with. What is that? St. John answers--That in you which is born of
God. It will enable you to overcome the world's deceits, and to see
that selfishness is _not_ the way to prosper.
4. Once, again; in the world how much seems to go by mere custom
and fashion. Because one person does a thing right or wrong,
everybody round fancies himself bound to do likewise. Because one
man thinks a thing, hundreds and thousands begin to think the same
from mere hearsay, without examining and judging for themselves.
There is no silliness, no cruelty, no crime into which people have
not fallen, and may still fall, for mere fashion's sake, from
blindly following the example of those round him. 'Everybody does
so; and I must. Why should I be singular?' Or, 'Everybody does so;
what harm can there be in my doing so?'
But there is something in each of us which tells us that that is not
right; that each man should act according to his own conscience, and
not blindly follow his neighbour, not knowing whither, like sheep
over a hedge; that a man is directly responsible at first for his
own conduct to God, and that 'my neighbours did so' will be no
excuse in God's sight.
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