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THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
dom, and knows no hypocrisy; and it is true love that is required to turn the reign of powder and shot, the rule of dread, into the kingdom of God. So long as this principle is not kept in view and made the goal of all human politics, no kingdom of man, however well-backed by artillery and military skill, can be permanent, for the great Master declared :
" Therefore say I unto you, that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
In this one sentence was summed up the whole philosophy of political science two thousand years ago. Its meaning is that political greatness depends and follows the morality of the heart, and soon begins to vanish with the departure of the spirit of goodwill. So far as its application is concerned, we find actual instances in history illustrating its fundamental truth. The case of the Jews is strongly in point. Somehow the Hebrew nation had imbibed the idea of being the chosen people, and desired to remain so exclusively. Pride soon brought about their fall. The Indians, too, adopted a policy of reserve and indifference in respect of truth, and did little or nothing to practise or preach it to the world. The result was that they became divided amongst themselves and lost their independence. Their first conquerors, the Mahomedans, also failed to avail themselves of the true teaching of religion, and, for that reason, were vanquished by the English, in their turn.
In discussing the principle of political freedom, it is to be observed that national independence does not
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