the reckless avenger does not at all strike at the root of the evil,—he merely lops off a twig at the top of the tree, which will instantly grow up again.[1] The root of a nation's bondage (it is to be remembered), lies in the heart, in the diseased state, of the nation itself: the tyrannical government is but an ugly biossom from that poisoned stem. Dig up the diseased root, and the whole tree of oppression, branch and blossom, would at once fall. Let a nation but become prepared for freedom, and freedom will follow, as certainly as the roll of the thunder follows the lightning's flash,—as surely as effect follows cause.
But now we come to the final question,—how is a people to become prepared for freedom? What constitutes such preparation? That has, in a manner, been already answered—namely, fitness to govern themselves. But what constitutes fitness for self-government? That is, indeed, the essential question. And we shall answer it in the words of the Divine Saviour Himself, who knew all men and all things: "If ye continue in my Word," He said, "ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."[2] This, now, is a profound political, as well as moral, lesson. Nothing but a knowledge and practice of truth—Divine and spiritual truth—can possibly fit men for self-government; and
- ↑ "History," says Roscoe, "proves, that from the assassination of Cæsar, followed by the line of despotic Cæsars—to that of Marat by Charlotte Corday, followed by the Reign of Terror,—such crimes have never produced the effects aimed at, but rather riveted the system, which, supposed to be bound up in the life of an individual, men weakly fancied would have died with him. Providence has manifestly cursed such means for effecting political regeneration."—Life of Lorenzo de Medici.
- ↑ John. viii. 31, 32.
