So far as I am concerned I am immortal; that is to say, I can't
recollect when I did not exist, and there never will be a time when I
will remember that I do not exist. I would like to have several millions
of dollars, and I may say I have a lively hope that some day I may be
rich; but to tell you the truth I have very little evidence of it. Our
hope of immortality does not come from any religions, but nearly all
religions come from that hope. The Old Testament, instead of telling
us that we are immortal, tells us how we lost immortality. You will
recollect that if Adam and Eve could have gotten to the tree of life,
they would have eaten of its fruit and would have lived forever; but for
the purpose of preventing immortality God turned them out of the Garden
of Eden, and put certain angels with swords or sabres at the gate to
keep them from getting back. The Old Testament proves, if it proves
anything, which I do not think it does, that there is no life after
this; and the New Testament is not very specific on the subject. There
were a great many opportunities for the Savior and his apostles to
tell us about another world, but they didn't improve them to any great
extent; and the only evidence so far as I know about another life is,
first, that we have no evidence; and, secondly, that we are rather sorry
that we have not, and wish we had. That is about my position.