I should have liked to have
persuaded half-a-dozen of them to come over to England and go upon the
stage, for they had most of them a keen sense of humour and a taste for
acting: they would be of great use to us. The example of a real
gentleman is, if I may say so without profanity, the best of all gospels;
such a man upon the stage becomes a potent humanising influence, an Ideal
which all may look upon for a shilling.
I always liked and admired these men, and although I could not help
deeply regretting their certain ultimate perdition (for they had no sense
of a hereafter, and their only religion was that of self-respect and
consideration for other people), I never dared to take so great a liberty
with them as to attempt to put them in possession of my own religious
convictions, in spite of my knowing that they were the only ones which
could make them really good and happy, either here or hereafter. I did
try sometimes, being impelled to do so by a strong sense of duty, and by
my deep regret that so much that was admirable should be doomed to ages
if not eternity of torture; but the words stuck in my throat as soon as I
began.
Whether a professional missionary might have a better chance I know not;
such persons must doubtless know more about the science of conversion:
for myself, I could only be thankful that I was in the right path, and
was obliged to let others take their chance as yet.
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