I suppose, as this seems to be
strange talk to you, that you cannot realize what it is to belong to a
society where everyone considers the interests of his neighbor as much as
his own. You will find when you reach that point that most of your
troubles will be gone, as ours are."
"Our troubles!" said the doctor. "Many of our troubles, to be sure, arise
from our passions and appetites--in other words, from our selfishness--and
these will no doubt disappear when we reach that blessed state of which
you have spoken, a condition prayed for and dimly expected by many of our
race. But other troubles of ours come from sickness and severe toil, from
accidents, famines, and the convulsions of nature. How, for example, can
you have escaped the latter, unless, indeed, God has helped those who have
so wisely helped themselves?"
"Your last thought is right," answered our friend. "Nature has certainly
assisted us. While the crust of the planet was thin we know the central
fires heaved and shook the ground and burst forth from the mountains,
causing great destruction and keeping the world in fear.
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