the
questions: "How shall we civilize the world? How shall we protect
life, liberty, property and reputations? How shall we do away with
crime and poverty? How clothe, and feed, and educate, and civilize
mankind?" These are the questions that are asked by thoughtful men and
thoughtful women. The question with them is not, "What will we do in
some other world?" Time enough to ask that when we get there. The
business we will attend to now is, how are, we to civilize the world?
What priest shall I ask? What sacred volume shall I search? What
oracle can I consult? At what shrine must I bow to find out what is to
be done? Each church has a different answer; each has a different
recipe for the salvation of the people, but not while they are in this
world. All that is to be done in this world is to get ready for the
next.

In the first place I am met by the theological world. Have I the right
to inquire? They say, "Certainly; it is your duty to inquire." Each
church has a recipe for the salvation of this world, but not while you
are in this world--afterward. They treat time as a kind of pier--a
kind of wharf running out into the great ocean of eternity; and they
treat us all as though we were waiting there, sitting on our trunks,
for the gospel ship.

I want to know what to do here. Have I the right to inquire? Yes. If
I have the right to inquire, then I have the right to investigate. If I
have the right to investigate, I have the right to accept. If I have
the right to accept, I have the right to reject. And what religion
have I the right to reject? That which does not conform with my
reason, with my standard of truth, with my standard of common sense.
Millions of men have been endeavoring to govern this world by means of
the supernatural. Thousands and thousands of churches exist, thousands
of cathedrals and temples have been built, millions of men have been
engaged to preach this gospel; and what has been the result in this
world? Will one church have any sympathy with another? Does the
religion of one country have any respect for that of another? Or does
not each religion claim to be the only one? And does not the priest of
every religion, with infinite impudence, consign the disciples of all
others to eternal fire?

Why is it the churches have failed to civilize this world? Why is it
that the Christian countries are no better than any other countries?
Why is it that Christian men are no better