"Perhaps so," replied Paulus. "We are not perfect, even here. While we
are in mortality, we have weaknesses to contend with; but you must
remember that we look on every man as a brother and a friend, and as I
have stated, we have the spirit of the Master to help us. When this help
proves insufficient by reason of our own failure to do the right, and in
our weakness we are unjust or overbearing, or oppressive, then there is
the Lord Himself whose throne is with us. He balances again the scales
of justice, and metes out to every man his just deserts."
Paulus arose, and the others followed him reverently out into the
park-like space surrounding the factory. They walked slowly along the
paths as they talked.
"The argument usually urged against all orders of equality," remarked
Remand, "is that it takes away man's incentive to work."
"Have you seen any idle men in or about Zion?" asked the guide.
They acknowledged that they had not.
"The new order has not taken away incentives to work; it has simply
changed the incentive from a low order to a higher. We can not afford to
work for money as an end. Wealth, with us, is simply a means to an end,
and that is the bringing to pass of saving righteousness to the race,
individually and collectively. Wealth is not created to be used for
personal aggrandizement; and, in fact, its power to work mischief is
taken away when all men have what they need of it. The attainment of
worldly wealth was at one time the standard of success. It was, indeed,
a low standard."
"What is your standard?" asked the king.
"Among us the greatest of all is the servant of all. He who does his
best along the line of his work, and contributes the results of his
efforts to the general good, is successful. Quantity is not always the
test, for the gardener who supplies us with the choicest vegetables is
counted just as successful as he who digs from the mountain his
thousands in gold.... Who, in your country, is counted the greatest
success in history?"
Neither Remand nor the King replied to this query.
"I will not confuse you by urging a reply," said Paulus. "You, of
course, understand our view of that matter. He who did the greatest good
to the greatest number made the greatest success. That was the Lord and
Master. 'If I be lifted up, I shall draw all men to me,' he said; and
that is being fulfilled. In like manner the greatest among us is he who
serves us best."
They seated themselves on a bench and watched the workers flock from
the workshop homeward to their mid-day meal. It was an interesting sight
to the two visitors. The people appeared so happy and contented that the
king noticed it and commented on it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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