第25章

Here，then，is a firm foundation on which to erect vital religion，pure and undefiled，and the only one which，without any counteracting evil，can give peace and happiness to man.

It is to bring into practical operation，in forming the character of men，these most important of all truths，that the religious part of the Institution at New Lanark will be chiefly directed，and such are the fundamental principles upon which the Instructor will proceed.They are thus publicly avowed before all men，that they may undergo discussion and the most severe scrutiny and investigation.

Let those，therefore，who are esteemed the most learned and wise，throughout the various states and empires in the world，examine them to their foundation，compare them with every fact which exists，and if the shadow of inconsistency and falsehood be discovered，let it be publicly exposed，that error may not more abound.

But should they withstand this extended ordeal，and prove themselves uniformly consistent with every known fact，and therefore true，then let it be declared，that man may be permitted by man to become rational，and that the misery of the world may be speedily removed.

Having alluded to the chief uses of the playground and exercise rooms，with the School，Lecture Room，and Church，it remains，to complete the account of the New Institution，that the object of the drill exercises mentioned when stating the purposes of the playground，should be explained；and to this we now proceed.

Were all men trained to be rational，the art of war would be rendered useless.While，however，any part of mankind shall be taught that they form their own characters，and shall continue to be trained from infancy to think and act irrationally that is，to acquire feelings of enmity，and to deem it a duty to engage in war against those who have been instructed to differ from them in sentiments and habits -even the most rational must，for their personal security，learn the means of defence；and every community of such characters，while surrounded by men who have been thus improperly taught，should acquire a knowledge of this destructive art，that they may be enabled to overrule the actions of irrational beings，and maintain peace.

To accomplish these objects to the utmost practical limit，and with the least inconvenience，every male should be instructed how best to defend，when attacked，the community to which he belongs.And these advantages are，only to be obtained by providing proper means for the instruction of all boys in the use of arms and the arts of war.

As an example how easily and effectually this might be accomplished over the British Isles，it is intended that the boys trained and educated at the Institution at New Lanark shall be thus instructed；that the person appointed to attend the children in the playground shall be qualified to drill and teach the boys the manual exercise，and that he shall be frequently so employed；

that afterwards，firearms，of proportionate weight and size to the age and strength of the boys，shall be provided for them，when also they might be taught to practise and understand the more complicated military movements.

This exercise，properly administered，will greatly contribute to the health and spirits of the boys，give them an erect and proper form，and habits of attention，celerity，and order.They will，however，be taught to consider this exercise，an art，rendered absolutely necessary by the partial insanity of some of their fellow creatures who by the errors of their predecessors，transmitted through preceding generations，have been taught to acquire feelings of enmity，increasing to madness，against those who could not avoid differing from them in sentiments and habits；

that this art should never be brought into practice except to restrain the violence of such madmen；and，in these cases，that it should be administered with the least possible severity，and solely to prevent the evil consequences of those rash acts of the insane，and，if possible，to cure them of their disease.

Thus，in a few years，by foresight and arrangement，may almost the whole expense and inconvenience attending the local military be superseded，and a permanent force created，which in numbers，discipline，and principles，would be superior，beyond all comparison，for the purposes of defence；always ready in case of need，yet without the loss which is now sustained by the community of efficient and valuable labour.The expenditure which would be saved by this simple expedient，would be far more than competent to educate the whole of the poor and labouring classes of these kingdoms.

There is still another arrangement in contemplation for the community at New Lanark，and without which the establishment will remain incomplete.

It is an expedient to enable the individuals，by their own foresight，prudence，and industry，to secure to themselves in old age a comfortable provision and asylum.

Those now employed at the establishment contribute to a fund which supports them when too ill to work，or superannuated.This fund，however，is not calculated to give them more than a bare existence；and it is surely desirable that，after they have spent nearly half a century in unremitting industry，they should，if possible，enjoy a comfortable independence.

To effect this object，it is intended that in the most pleasant situation near the present village，neat and convenient dwellings should be erected，with gardens attached；that they should be surrounded and sheltered by plantations，through which public walks should be formed；and the whole arranged to give the occupiers the most substantial comforts.