危险的风险。

危险的风险。

底特律自由出版社的机智人士，他在罗伯特·英格索尔上校关于不忠教义的最新演讲中发表了评论。

After all, Robert, you are talking to a business people who do not take risks—especially fire risks. If you are right, you won’t have a cent’s worth of advantage over the Christian ; but if you are wrong, ah ! Robert, how you will get left, and it won’t be a cold day, either. That, you may say, is a cowardly view of it, but it is the business view of it. A merchant as your phrase goes, “doesn’t know” that his store will burn down, but he doesn’t take any risk in the matter. He takes out an insurance policy. That is not cowardly ; it is mere business foresight. Now that is why a man would be foolish to take your way. The Christian merely takes out a next world fire insurance policy. If there is no fire, why he has had his protection ; if there is a conflagration, he realizes on his policy, while on yours, Robert, we would write ; “Total loss; no insurance.” “But,” says Robert in a recent lecture, “ if I find I was mistaken when I reach the next world, I will go frankly to the Almighty and admit that I was wrong.” Well, I suppose under the circumstances that would be the only thing left to do. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work in this world in the beautiful allegory I have indicated above. Why shouldn’t the merchant, the morning after the fire, go frankly to the insurance companies and say ; “ Gentlemen, I was mistaken ; I admit it. I have been a good moral merchant, never cheated my customers, lived a better life than the man next door. You are going to pay him his policy ; now, gentlemen, do the square thing. I have frankly acknowledged my error. Please hand me over a check for $50,000. Next time I’ll take out a policy.” Of course the insurance people would at once write out the check. It would be just like those generous, impulsive fire associations! ‘‘No, Robert,” to quote from a favorite lecturer, “it won’t do.”