There are two other profound ethical facts which help to explain how
men are bound to regard their own happiness, although right is not
grounded in it. One is, that every man sustains relations to the
welfare of his fellow-men, being a unit in the solidarity of social
humanity, making it impossible to separate his own happiness from
the well-being and rights of others. The other is that he sustains
also relations to an intended possible personal destiny. In the first
of these he is bound in duty to his fellow-men. In the second he is
obligated in duty to God. In the former case, he cannot wantonly trifle
with his own interests without wrong and injury to those to whom he is
bound in the relationships of life. In this way a moral wrong comes
in. In the latter case, as God has rights in His plan for each man's
worthy and happy destiny, it is a sin against Him when men make their
own welfare inferior by failure to observe the moral principle which
conditions true happiness in righteousness. Sacrifice of happiness
by such disregard of moral principle is not to be confounded with
sacrifice of it through loyalty to right and holy self-denial in doing
good.
It thus, however, becomes evident, even in this discussion and
exhibition of the truth which utilitarianism has in its favor, that the
theory fails to present the real ground of right. For in its primary
and fundamental form, viewing conduct as right because promotive of
our personal interests and happiness, it plainly resolves morality
into mere calculation of selfishness. It presents supreme egoism. And
in its altruistic form it either maintains its selfish character, by
explaining that only by the rule of "the greatest good to the greatest
number" can the common interest, and consequently each man's share be
fully secured, implying that he is to contribute to the common welfare
for the sake of his own larger portion; or by subordinating the idea
of "utility" to that of "good-will" actively seeking the interests of
others, it practically confesses that it must seek some other ground
than mere utility or the consequences of conduct, in which to find
the principle of right. And this good-will, benevolence or love, thus
added, also fails. For since good-will is a virtue, it cannot be
placed as the ground of virtue, both in itself and in all virtues. The
moral law is by no means exhausted in benevolence; it must include
also justice, purity, veracity and many other duties. A benevolence
that would be unaccompanied by condemnation of the evil-doer and his
wrongs, might quickly go astray. It has often been pointed out that
good-will itself throws no light as to the right methods of realizing
even itself. Itself needs a guide as to how it may proceed--the very
principle of right after whose basis we are inquiring. Love, unless
united with reprobation of evil-doing, is as likely to act immorally as
morally. Benevolent endeavor, however excellent in itself, must subject
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