ion I have given of religion, and I only
make it more specific here to avoid any misunderstanding of my position
on it. If "religion is a natural impulse imbedded in the heart of man
which compels him to strive upward"; if it is the "zest of Life"; if it
is "that _inner urge_ in all humanity that ever pushes it onward and
upward"; these natural impulses themselves constitute the sole source
of authority in religion. Thomas Paine once said: "All religions are
good that teach men to be good." To which might well be added: That
religion alone is best which teaches men to live the best lives. Life,
not creed, is the final test of religion. To perceive what is right
and what is wrong, to cleave to the right and avoid the wrong, is the
highest, noblest and best expression of religion. Now, there is no
single universal standard of right and wrong that is universally the
same in its application to human life, in all ages, at all times, and
under all circumstances and conditions. Life is progressive; and as it
moves on new conditions arise, new relations develop, new problems
present themselves, and new and changing standards come with them. For
example, human slavery and polygamy were both practiced in the days of
Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon, and for centuries
afterwards; and according to the Bible, with the divine sanction and
approval. The simple facts are, that according to the standards of
those ages, according to the social development of the race at that
time there was no moral turpitude in those practices. But who would
dare defend them now? And yet these, or most of them--and I say it
reverently and sincerely--were doubtless _good men_, judged by the
standards of their time; and devoutly religious.

Coming directly now to the answer to the question: The ultimate, final
authority in all matters of religion is the _individual conscience_,
the inner light, that law written in the hearts of all men, aided and
assisted by all the light of the present day, which includes all the
light of the past that has come down to us, both in the Bible and from
all other courses, history, science and the record of human experiences
generally interpreted and applied by human reason. That "natural
impulse imbedded in the heart of man which compels him to strive
upward"; that "inner urge that ever pushes him onward and upward," will
not only start him in the right way of life, but will remain with him
and guide him