Question

service to mankind is the true service to god. justify the same with reference to bishop in the play 'the bishop's candlesticks'.

Answer 1

The given lines are in respect to the bishop's actions. He was a very kind and compassionate man who was ready to help anyone in need, in any way he could. This is seen when he helped Mere Gringoire and paid her rent by selling the salt cellers, and this is also obvious by the fact that on being told my Marie that her mother was feeling poorly he went out on a cold winter evening to visit her and pray for her. Most of all the endearing service done by the Bishop was on behalf of the Convict. The Bishop served him when he broke into the Bishops house and threatened to stab him; he invited him to stay the night and did not judge the Convict on any way; he saved the Convict from going back to "hell" by telling the policemen that he had given the candlesticks to the Convict as a token of appreciation for he was a friend and even till the Convict decided to leave for Paris the bishop told him of a secret path where he could traverse through and not get caught.
In this sense , the bishop being a religious figure does all these acts of goodwill and in turn this becomes an indirect service to God by the bishop.
Therefore, 'service to God is service to man

Answer 2

Deception is a human quality but it is not true for all. Some people, in their greed, end up hurting or cheating people who help them. But there are others, like the convict, who learn from their mistakes and regret them, especially after the Bishop supported him by saying that he himself had given the candlesticks to the convict as a gift. Judging all humans based on a single incident is unfair. There are many people in this world who return the good deeds done to them. Humans have different reactions to the same situation and they will not all react similarly to the same situation.