It is the will of God that all men should be happy. He has given the means of happiness equally to each of His creatures. The most

important of these means are, the right to his own person; to his property; to his character; and to his reputation. He has given to each a desire to use these means of happiness in such a way as he chooses; and a right, so far as man is concerned, to gratify this desire in any way which will not interfere with the happiness of others.

ness.

The condition of men in the world is very different. One is rich, and another is poor. One has health, and another suffers from sickSome also possess a much higher degree of intellect than others. But, in one respect, there is perfect equality among men. Each one is created with the same right to use whatever means of happiness the Creator has put in his power. He is indeed accountable to God for the manner in which he uses His good gifts, but not to man. And no man has any right to molest another in the use of the means of happiness which God has given him, neither is there any need that he should do so. lawful desires of all may be gratified in such a way as not to interfere with the rights of others. One may gratify his desire for money,

The

The will of God in regard to all men? What evidence that He designed all to be equally happy? Most important of these means? What desire has He given to each? What right? What is said of the condition of men? In what respect is there perfect equality? What is the only limitation to this right? What is said of gratifying the lawful desires of all? How illustrated?

by industry and economy, without stealing from others. It is not necessary to injure another's reputation, in order to make ourselves appear to good advantage. Neither is it necessary to make a slave of a fellow-man, in order to have our work well done at the cheapest rate.

Third. We have the express teachings of the Scriptures in regard to our duties to others. God's command is: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." By "neighbor," we are to understand, not our relations and town's people merely, but every human being that we have, or can have, anything to do with.

Loving our neighbor as ourselves, means that we should have the same desire that he should enjoy his own rights and be happy, as we have to enjoy our own rights and to be happy. And if a brother of the human family, be he where he may upon the earth, is deprived of the rights with which God created him, is oppressed and unhappy, we ought to feel the injury done him, just as much as though it was done to us.

Jesus Christ says: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them." So, in order to know how we should conduct towards another in any circumstances, we have only to ask ourselves, how

Third ground of our duties to others? What is the command? What are we to understand by neighbor? What meant by loving our neighbor as ourselves? What if any one of the human family is deprived of his rights? What is the command of Christ? How, then, may we find how we should treat another?

we would wish to be treated in the same case. The manner in which another treats us makes no difference as to the way in which we should act towards him. If he injure us in any way, our duty remains the same, to treat him still as we would wish him to treat us. If this admirable precept were observed, all violence and wrong would cease, and the harmony and happiness of heaven would prevail among men.

These rules of duty apply with the same force to communities and nations, as to the individuals who compose them. If it be wrong for one man to injure another man, it must be equally wrong for two men to injure two other men, or for ten thousand, or any number of men, to injure any other number, either greater or less than their own.

"Whenever societies of men treat with each other, whether powerful with weak, or polite with rude, civilized with savage, or intelligent with ignorant; whether friends with friends, or enemies with enemies, - all are bound to love each other as themselves, and to do unto others, in all things, whatsoever they would desire others to do unto them."

And every nation is bound to have the same regard for the preservation of the rights of another nation as for that of its own; and to

What is said about the way in which another treats us? What would be the result of observing this precept? What is said of these rules in relation to communities and nations? How illustrated? When societies treat with each other, to what are they bound? To what is every nation bound?

exercise the same justice towards other nations that it demands for itself. If its own rights have been violated, it should be the more careful to set an example of perfect rectitude towards the nation which has done the wrong. If this were done, wars and fightings would be no more, and universal peace and good-will would prevail among all the nations of the earth.

The summary, then, of our duties to each other is, that we love our neighbor as ourselves; that we do to others as we would wish them to do to us; and that we do not gratify our own desires in a way that will interfere with the happiness of others. These rules are all embraced in the term Reciprocity.

The duties of reciprocity will be divided into two classes. First, duties to men as men.. Second, relative duties.

CLASS FIRST.

DUTIES TO MEN AS MEN.

CHAPTER 1.

PERSONAL LIBERTY.

By personal liberty is meant the right of using one's own powers of body or mind in

What if its own rights have been violated? What if this were done? What the summary of our duties to each other? What term embraces these rules? Into what two classes are the duties of reciprocity divided? What is the first class of reciprocal duties? Subject of Chapter I.? What is meant by personal liberty?

any way that does not interfere with the rights of others. This right is given to each individual by God, and to all men equally.

If we use the powers which our common Parent has given us in such a way as not to interfere with the use of the same powers which He has given to others, we are guiltless, so far as men are concerned; though still responsible to God, if we have not used them according to His will.

We have a right, if we do not interfere with others, to go where we choose, and stay where we please; to work, or to be idle; to pursue one occupation, or another. Every one has a right to be paid for his labor, and to acquire property; a right to be respected according to his true worth; and a right to enjoy the happiness which arises from the relations of husband and wife, parent and child, brother and sister.

These rights are said to be inalienable; that is, they cannot be taken from us by others, neither can we ourselves give them away. They are all bestowed by God, and each man is accountable for himself for the use he makes of them, and another cannot answer for him; each one, therefore, must be free to act for himself.

The only exception to this rule is during the

How should we use the powers that God has given us so as to remain guiltless? What have we a right to do, if we do not interfere with the rights of others? What term applied to these rights? What meant by it? For what is each man accountable? What necessity results from this?