“May I ask you a plain question, Mr. Muddler?”

“Oh yes, certainly! as many as you please.”

“Can that calling be an honest and honourable one which takes sustenance from the community, and gives back nothing in return?”

“I do not know that I understand the nature of your question, Mr. Mildman.”

“Consider then society as a man in a larger form, as it really is.  In this great body, as in the lesser body of man, there are various functions of use and a reciprocity between the whole.  Each function receives a portion of life from the others, and gives back its own proper share for the good of the whole.  The hand does not act for itself alone—­receiving strength and selfishly appropriating it without returning its quota of good to the general system.  And so of the heart, and lungs, and every other organ in the whole body.  Reverse the order—­and how soon is the entire system diseased!  Now, does that member of the great body of the people act honestly and honourably, who regularly receives his portion of good from the general social system, and gives nothing back in return?”

To this the landlord made no reply, and Mr. Mildman continued—­

“But there is still a stronger view to be taken.  Suppose a member of the human body is diseased—­a limb, for instance, in a partial state of mortification.  Here there is a reception of life from the whole system into that limb, and a constant giving back of disease that gradually pervades the entire body; and, unless that body possesses extraordinary vital energy, in the end destroys it.  In like manner, if in the larger body there be one member who takes his share of life from the whole, and gives back nothing but a poisonous principle, whose effect is disease and death, surely he cannot be called a good member—­nor honest, nor honourable.”

“And pray, Mr. Mildman,” asked the tavern-keeper, with warmth, “where will you find, in society, such an individual as you describe?”

The minister paused at this question, and looked his companion steadily in the face.  Then raising his long, thin finger to give force to his remark, he said with deep emphasis—­

"Thou art the man!"

“Me, Mr. Mildman! me!” exclaimed the tavern-keeper, in surprise and displeasure.  “You surely cannot be in earnest.”

“I utter but a solemn truth, Mr. Muddler:  such is your position in society!  You receive food, and clothing, and comforts and luxuries of various kinds for yourself and family from the social body, and what do you give back for all these?  A poison to steal away the health and happiness of that social body.  You are far worse than a perfectly dead member—­you exist upon the great body as a moral gangrene.  Reflect calmly upon this subject.  Go home, and in the silence of your own chamber, enter into unimpassioned and solemn communion with your heart.  Be honest with yourself.  Exclude the bias of selfish feelings and selfish interests, and honestly define to yourself your true position.’