That Religion and Morality have no necessary connection is a popular
assumption. In books, in pamphlets, in magazines, on platforms, in
ordinary conversation, it is loudly proclaimed or quietly insinuated
that the morality of the future will be Independent Morality, Morality
without Sanction. Morality, it is iterated and reiterated, can get on
quite well without Religion: Religion is a positive hindrance to
Morality. This view is, no doubt, extreme. Perhaps it is only here
and there in the writings which fall into the hands of most of us, or
in the circles with which most of us mingle, that the matter is stated
so bluntly and so plainly. But in {34} not a few writings of wide
circulation, and in whole classes of the community, the statement is
made as if beyond contradiction. Even in works which we are all
reading, and in companies where we daily find ourselves, the logical
conclusion of arguments, the natural inference from assumptions, would
be simply that extreme position. There is no use in evading the fact
that if some highly popular opinions are accepted, no statement of the
uselessness of Religion in any form or system can be too extreme. The
mere assurance that Religion is a reality, is a benefit, is a
necessity, though it may not seem a great deal to establish, though it
may leave a host of problems still to solve, would be a gain to many,
would sweep away the chief doubts by which they are perplexed.
There need not, on our part, be any hesitation in declaring, to begin
with, that Religion {35} without Morality is worthless. The attempt to
keep them apart, to regard them as independent of each other, has often
enough been made by nominal champions of Religion. The upholding of
certain views regarding God and His relations to mankind has been
considered sufficient to make up for neglect of the duties incumbent on
ordinary mortals. The performance of certain rites and ceremonies has
been considered an adequate compensation for the commission of
deliberate crimes. Instances might easily be cited of persons engaged
in villainous schemes, achieving deeds of dishonesty which will cause
ruin to hundreds of innocent victims, executing plots of fiendish
revenge, with little regard for human life, and no regard at all for
truth, but exceedingly punctilious in attention to religious
observances. One of the most cold-blooded murderers that ever
disgraced the habitable globe was careful not to neglect any act of
devotion, and while {36} perpetrating the most nefarious basenesses
never failed to write in his diary the most pious sentiments. That
kind of religion is worse than nothing, was rightly regarded as
increasing the horror and loathsomeness of the monster's life. In a
minor degree, we have all seen illustrations of the same incongruity,
we may even have detected indications of it in ourselves, the tendency
to imagine that the more we go to church or frequent the Sacraments or
read the Bible, we are entitled to latitude in our conduct. There is
no tendency against which we need to be more constantly on our guard,
none which is more strongly, more terrifically, denounced in the Old
Testament and in the New, by prophets and apostles, and by the Lord
Jesus Christ Himself. Unbelievers in Christianity are perfectly right
when they say that Religion without Morality is absolutely worthless.
{37}