Once rightly trained, they act as
they should, irrespectively of all motive, of fear, or of reward.
It is the blackest sign of putrescence in a national religion,
when men speak as if it were the only safeguard of conduct; and
assume that, but for the fear of being burned, or for the hope of
being rewarded, everybody would pass their lives in lying,
stealing, and murdering. I think quite one of the notablest
historical events of this century (perhaps the very notablest),
was that council of clergymen, horror-struck at the idea of any
diminution in our dread of hell, at which the last of English
clergymen whom one would have expected to see in such a function,
rose as the devil's advocate; to tell us how impossible it was we
could get on without him.
VIOLET (after a pause). But, surely, if people weren't afraid--
(hesitates again).
L. They should be afraid of doing wrong, and of that only, my
dear. Otherwise, if they only don't do wrong for fear of being
punished, they HAVE done wrong in their hearts already.
VIOLET. Well, but surely, at least one ought to be afraid of
displeasing God; and one's desire to please Him should be one's
first motive?
L. He never would be pleased with us, if it were, my dear. When a
father sends his son out into the world--suppose as an apprentice
--fancy the boy's coming home at night, and saying, "Father, I
could have robbed the till to-day; but I didn't, because I thought
you wouldn't like it.
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