local. Practical moral ideas grow up very early, and develop with the
development of a race. They are the response to the needs of a
people, and when formulated have in several cases taken the shape of
"commandments" from some unseen power. These necessary practical laws
are by degrees attached to those of imaginary value, and all alike
are held in esteem as of equal moral worth. By this means a ficticious
standard of right and wrong becomes established, and a weakening of
confidence in the valueless part results in damage to that portion which
was originally the result of wise and necessary legislation.*

When children (of whatever age) do this or that "because God said so,"
the precepts taught on this basis, even though they are good, will have
no hold upon the man who discovers that their origin was purely human.
It is a dangerous experiment, and depends wholly upon ignorance for
its success. A firm basis of reason in this world is the only solid
foundation of moral training.

My Chicago questioner proceeded upon the hypothesis that what of
valuable morals are contained in the Bible were a "revelation" to one
people, and that their value was dependent upon this origin. For the
benefit of those who have been similarly** imposed upon, I will cite a
few facts in as short space as possible.

* "Durable morality had been associated with a transitory
religious faith. The faith fell into intellectual discredit,
and sexual morality shared its decline for a short season.
This must always be the natural consequence of building
sound ethics on the shifting sands and rotting foundations
of theology. It is one of those enormous drawbacks that
people seldom take into account when they are enumerating
the blessings of superstition."
--Morley's "Diderot," p. 71.

** Professor Max Muller says that "the consciousness of sin
is a leading feature in the religion of the Veda, so is
likewise the belief that the gods are able to take away from
man the heavy burden of his sins."

Brahmanism, with its two hundred millions of believers, and its Rig-Veda
(Bible) composed two thousand four hundred years before Christ, has its
rigid code of morals; its theory of creation; its teachings about sin;
its revelations; its belief in the ability of the gods to forgive;** its
belief that its bible came from God; and its devotees who believe
that an infinite God is pleased with the to