And lastly, if all these
things were true, why not say so and adopt them? They were outside and
free from modern society. They had one of their own. They were happy in
it. They had adopted truth as their guide--truth as they saw it, and
whenever and wherever they saw it.
Thus closed the first chapter in the history of this little society.
They had gathered together without any idea of scientific organization,
but from profound convictions of the present wrong relations of the
human brotherhood, from religious convictions of duty, and in the
belief that they would increase in love to one another, and draw to
themselves by their example the good and wise; believing also that if
they planted the seeds of truth and unity they would be watered with
deeds of faith, and by degrees overtop and destroy the evil undergrowth
that abounded in the so-called civilization all around them.
Now came to the leaders a new revelation! It was of science applied to
society. Mr. Ripley had great faith in scientific agriculture. Was
there to be science applied to society? Was it true that the actual
laws applicable to social life had been discovered? Were they immutable
as the laws of earthly bodies--of the sun, the stars and the universe?
And did they actually agree with the laws of music, color and
mathematics? It seemed so.
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