aggressive than it has ever been since.

Shakespeare speaks of the uses of adversity; but the uses of
prosperity are even greater. The proverb says that "adversity tries a
man." While there is considerable truth in this, the fact is that
prosperity is a much surer criterion of character. It is impossible to
tell, for instance, what a man will do who has neither the power nor
the opportunity to do anything. "Opportunity," says a French writer,
"is the cleverest devil." Both our good and bad qualities wait upon
opportunity to show themselves. It is quite easy to be virtuous when
the opportunity to do evil is lacking. Behind the prison bars, every
criminal is a penitent, but the credit belongs to the iron bars and
not to the criminal. To be good when one cannot be bad, is an
indifferent virtue.

It is with institutions and religions as with individuals--they should
be judged not by what they pretend in their weakness, but by what they
do when they are strong. Christianity, Mohammedanism and Judaism, the
three kindred religions--we call them kindred because they are related
in blood and are the offspring of the same soil and climate--these
three kindred religions must be interpreted not by what they profess
today, but by what they did when they had both the power and the
opportunity to do as they wished.

When Christianity, or Mohammedanism, was professed only by a small
handful of men--twelve fishermen, or a dozen camel-drivers of the
desert--neither party advocated persecution. The worst punishment
which either religion held out was a distant and a future punishment;
but as soon as Christianity converted an Emperor, or Mohammed became
the victorious warrior,--that is to say, as soon as, springing forth,