208 ESSAYS AND LETTERS
seems very weak, and yet I am convinced that it is this method, and this method alone, that has moved humanity since the race began. Only because there were straight men — truthful and courageous, who made no concessions that infringed their dignity as men — have all those beneficent revolutions been accomplished of which mankind now has the advantage — from the abolition of torture and slavery up to liberty of speech and of conscience. Nor can this be otherwise, for what is demanded by conscience (the highest fore- feeling man possesses of the truth to which he can attain) is always and in all respects the thing most fruitful and most necessary for humanity at the given time. Only a man who lives according to his con- science can exert influence on people, and only activity that accords with one's conscience can be useful.
But I must make my meaning quite plain. To say that the most efl"ectual means of achieving the ends towards which Revolutionists and Liberals are striving is by activity in accord with their consciences, does not mean that people can begin to live conscientiously in order to achieve those ends. To begin to live conscientiously on purpose to achieve external ends is impossible.
To live according to one's conscience is possible only as a result of firm and clear religious convictions ; the beneficent result of these on our external life will inevitably follow. Therefore the gist of what I wished to say to you is this : That it is unprofitable for good, sincere people to spend their powers of mind and soul on gaining small practical ends — for instance, in the various struggles of nationalities, or parties, or in Liberal wire-pulling — while they have not reached a clear and firm religious perception, that is, a conscious- ness of the meaning and purpose of life. I think that all the powers of soul and mind of good men, who wish to be of service to humanity, should be directed to that end. When that is accomplished all else will also be accomplished.
Forgive me for sending you so long a letter, which
