ipped daughter of Joy, there
are dimples enough in thy cheeks to catch and hold and glorify all the
tears of grief.

And yet the minds of children have been polluted by this infamous
doctrine of eternal punishment. I denounce it to-day as a doctrine, the
infamy of which no language is sufficient to express.

Where did that doctrine of eternal punishment for men and women and
children come from? It came from the low and beastly skull of that
wretch in the dug-out. Where did he get it? It was a souvenir from the
animals. The doctrine of eternal punishment was born in the glittering
eyes of snakes--snakes that hung in fearful coils watching for their
prey. It was born of the howl and bark and growl of wild beasts. It
was born of the grin of hyenas and of the depraved chatter of unclean
baboons. I despise it with every drop of my blood. Tell me there is a
God in the serene heavens that will damn his children for the expression
of an honest belief! More men have died in their sins, judged by your
orthodox creeds, than there are leaves on all the forests in the wide
world ten thousand times over. Tell me these men are in hell; that these
men are in torment; that these children are in eternal pain, and that
they are to be punished forever and forever! I denounce this doctrine as
the most infamous of lies. When the great ship containing the hopes and
aspirations of the world, when the great ship freighted with mankind
goes down in the night of death, chaos and disaster, I am willing to go
down with the ship. I will not be guilty of the ineffable meanness of
paddling away in some orthodox canoe. I will go down with the ship, with
those who love me, and with those whom I have loved. If there is a God
who will damn his children forever, I would rather go to hell than to
go to heaven and keep the society of such an infamous tyrant. I make my
choice now. I despise that doctrine. It has covered the cheeks of this
world with tears. It has polluted the hearts of children, and poisoned
the imaginations of men. It has been a constant pain, a perpetual terror
to every good man and woman and child. It has filled the good with
horror and with fear; but it has had no effect upon the infamous and
base. It has wrung the hearts of the tender: it has furrowed the cheeks
of the good. This doctrine never should be preached again. What right
have you, sir, Mr. clergyman, you, minister of the gospel, to stand
at the portals of the tomb, at the vest