ther the
searcher be Hindu, Chinese, Pagan or Parsee; Hottentot or Arab, savage
or philosopher; Christian, Mohammedan or Buddhist; or any one else on
earth. "Man looketh upon the outward appearance; but God looketh upon
the heart." And they that diligently, honestly and earnestly seek after
him will find him,--somewhere, somehow--in this life or some other, And
when found, it will not be "in far-off realms of space," but in one's
own heart.

"The outward God he findeth not,
Who finds not God within."

THE BIBLE

From the foregoing it is quite clear that religion is not something
miraculously revealed from heaven, handed down in a package already
bound up, complete and finished, ready for use; but that in its origin,
essence and purpose it is natural and common to all humanity alike.
Its present status is but the result of its progressive development,
from its crudest forms in early humanity, to the present day. While
forever remaining one and the same in its origin, essence and purpose,
it has undergone changes in its forms of expression, its means and
methods, in all ages as mankind has progressively developed upward.
What we call the great systems of religion, such as Buddhism,
Christianity, Mohammedanism, and others are but so many different forms
of expression thru which religion manifests itself in human life; and
the various sects and denominations in all these systems are but
further subdivisions in these forms of expression, according to
different desires, tastes and opinions among different people. Hence,
religion was not produced by the Bible, nor is it in any way dependent
upon the Bible as a source of authority, but just the opposite.
Religion was long before the Bible and itself produced the Bible; and
the Bible derives its sole authority from religion.

Here is perhaps as good a place as any to answer the question that has
often been asked me: "If the Bible is not the ultimate source of
authority in religion, what and where is it?" Just the same to you and
me today that it was to Noah, Abraham, Moses, the prophets, apostles,
and all others in all ages. "But were not these men divinely
inspired?" No more than you or I _may be_, even if we are not in fact.
This subject will be fully elucidated when I come to treat specifically
of inspiration and revelation in the next subdivision. The answer to
this question about the source of authority in religion is clearly
indicated in the very definit