I believe that, if there is a future life, the best possible preparation
for it is to do the very best we can here and now.
I believe that love for our fellow-men is infinitely nobler, better, and
more necessary than love for God.
I believe that men, women, and children need our best thoughts, our
tenderest consideration, and our earnest sympathy.
I believe that God can get on just as well without any of these as with
them. If he wants anything he can get it without our assistance. It
is people with limitations, not gods without limitations, who need and
should have our aid.
I believe that it is better to build one happy home here than to invest
in a thousand churches which deal with a hereafter.
If a life that embraces this line of action does not fit a man for
heaven, and if faith in vicarious atonement will, then such a heaven is
not worth going to, and its god would be unworthy to make a good man's
acquaintance.
But suppose that faith in a myth is destroyed and another mysticism be
not set up in its place, what then? If a mother takes her child away
from the fire, which it finds beautiful, and believes to be a nice toy,
is it necessary for her to give it a kerosene lamp in its place?
She destroys a pleasant delusion--a faith and a delightful hope and
confidence--because she knows its danger and recognizes its false
foundation. It is surely not necessary that she should give to the child
another delusion equally dangerous and false. She gives it something
she knows to be safe; something she understands will not burn; something
which, though not so bright and attractive to the child at first, gives
pleasure without pain, occupation without disaster. Is she cruel or
only sensible? If I were to pretend to a knowledge of a divine creed, a
superhuman system, I should be guilty of the same dishonesty, the same
deception of which I complain in the Church.
I do not know of any divine commands. I do know of most important human
ones. I do not know the needs of a god or of another world. I do not
know anything about "a land that is fairer than day." I do know that
women make shirts for seventy cents a dozen in this one. I do know that
the needs of humanity and this world are infinite, unending, constant,
and immediate. They will take all our time, our strength, our love, and
our thoughts; and our work here will be only then begun.
Why not, if you believe in a God at all, give him credit for placing you
where he wanted you? Why not give him credit for giving you brains and
sympathies, as well as the courage to use them. Even if Eve did eat that
apple, why should _we_ insist upon having the colic?