“Well, in the first place, because she didn’t consider the amount large enough; but principally because we offered it as a gratuity. She would have no gifts. We must acknowledge an obligation, and make our payment on that account, or she would have nothing to do with us. That’s the trouble with many of these people; they are too independent. They have no sense of proportion. They don’t appreciate their true relation to society. They quarrel with their bread and butter when it comes to them as a benevolence, and they refuse charity on the ground that they should receive help as a matter of right and not as a matter of grace.”
“I am not sure but that they are right, Westgate. A man is a man regardless of the accident of birth or wealth; and society owes to him something besides and better than charity. There is a feeling among the laboring classes that they are not getting their fair share of the wealth which they help to produce; and that, if they did get it, charity, as it is now known, would become obsolete. There would be no occasion for its exercise. I believe that they are more than half justified in that feeling. I can’t blame them for refusing to accept as a gift that which they should have as a right. I am becoming convinced that if the Kingdom of Christ is ever to come on this earth it will only be when social and economic equality obtains among all men.”
“Oh, that’s socialism, Mr. Farrar. That’s socialism pure and simple. I haven’t time to discuss that subject with you this morning. You see we’re here at my office building already. But come up to dinner some evening. Bring Mrs. Farrar with you. Mother is especially fond of Mrs. Farrar—and we’ll thresh the thing out. I’m prepared to demolish the doctrines of every socialist from Karl Marx to John Spargo.”
“Good! I’ll come. I’ll bring Mrs. Farrar. I anticipate an evening of real enjoyment.”
The two men shook hands and separated. But before the rector had gone two steps he turned and called to Westgate.
“I don’t want you to misunderstand me,” he said, when they again met, “not even temporarily. While there are many things in the socialist propaganda that appeal to me strongly, I do not swallow it in toto. I do not go much farther than the acceptance of the theory of social and economic equality of which I spoke. And there are some doctrines advocated by socialist leaders and writers with which I am entirely at variance.”
“How about the theory that the marriage tie should be freely dissolved at the will of the parties?” asked Westgate.
“That theory is abhorrent to me,” replied the minister. “I stand squarely with my Church on all matters relating to marriage; as I do on all other matters concerning which the Church has made any pronouncement.”
“That’s comforting, at least,” replied Westgate, smiling. “I suppose, however, that you accept the Marxian theory of surplus values?”