By-ends describes scenarios in which a person should be allowed to use religion for worldly advantage (in his mind, at least)—whether it’s a minister changing his opinions for financial gain or a tradesman doing the same. By-ends claims that neither of these shows a lack of integrity and even justifies them as being more ethical. His justifications, and his new friends’ applause, suggest that people are eager to find ways to reconcile religion and worldly gain, no matter how flimsy the pretext.