Part 7 (1/2)

Man also interpreted his own relation to the G.o.ds, and theirs to him, in the same terms that defined his relations toward his fellowmen. He recognized the fact that some of his fellowmen sometimes did him an injury, or committed some offense against him; that this offense or injury aroused in him a spirit of resentment, a desire for vengeance in kind, even to the taking of the life of the man who had injured, or seriously offended him. Man made his G.o.ds in his own image. He believed these G.o.ds to be like himself. Thus, man interpreted his own sufferings to mean that he was out of right relations with the G.o.ds; that he had personally offended them,--or, one or more of them in some way, according to the source from which he conceived some particular affliction to come. When the individual was conscious of his own innocence, he concluded that some of his ancestors had grievously offended the G.o.d, who relentlessly pursued his posterity and inflicted on them the penalties due for the sins of this ancestor. Hence the doctrine of inherited or original Sin. Man then set about to devise some means to appease the wrath of the G.o.ds, and thus restore harmonious relations with them. A volume might be written here, but we _must_ proceed with the next proposition.

All religion is therefore one in its ultimate purpose, and objective end: To attain to its ideal, or harmonize with its objective. In other words: To attain unto right relations with G.o.d. Lest I be misunderstood, I will repeat: It is immaterial what this G.o.d may be, Jehovah, Allah, Nirvana or Jove; Person, Principle, or Abstract Ideal.

It is that which man _in his mind_ sets before him, toward which he aspires and strives to attain. Remember that what we _think_ G.o.d to be, that is what G.o.d is to us.

We have now reached the point where divisions arise, where religion branches out into religions. ”Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high G.o.d? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

”What must I do to be saved?” This has, in one form or another, at one time or another, been the burden of almost every soul among men. How can man attain unto right relations with his G.o.d? This is the great question of the ages. _Keep in mind_ that it is immaterial who or what this G.o.d may be, how crude or how refined, from the lowest fetish to the highest spiritual conception, the fundamental question remains ever the same: How shall man get right with his G.o.d? What must man do to be saved?

To answer this question has been the purpose of every system of religion known to mankind, and every sect, order and denomination known to every system. And here is where confusion begins. Some one evolves a formula, means, or method that he believes meets the case. Some others are persuaded to accept it and the sect grows. In the mean time some other person has evolved another; and some other still another, and so on, and on, and on, _ad infinitum_; all having the same purpose in view, and each claiming to be the _only right one_, or at least, the _best one_. And it is immaterial how erroneous, crude, or even barbarous one may look to the devotees of the other; in fundamental purpose they are all the same. The Hindu mother who casts her babe into the Ganges as food for the crocodiles, as a sacrifice to her G.o.ds, does it with as sublime a motive as any Christian mother ever bowed before the altar of her own church,--and for the same purpose: To get right with her G.o.d. The Pa.r.s.ee wife, who burns herself to ashes upon the funeral pyre of her dead husband, does it for the same purpose: To get right with her G.o.d. The devotee who throws his body before the wheels of the Juggernaut to have it crushed as an act of devotion, does it for the same purpose: To get right with his G.o.d. The devout Mohammedan who bows himself to the earth five times a day, and says his prayers with his face towards Mecca, does it for the same purpose: To get right with Allah. The savage who repeats his incantations to his fetish that he has probably made with his own hands, does it for the same purpose: To get right with G.o.d as he conceives him. The Chinese that burns his sticks before the image in his Joss-house, does it for the same purpose: To get right with his G.o.d. And so on _ad infinitum_, the same central purpose running thru it all, whether Hindu or Pa.r.s.ee, Buddist or Janist, Confucian or s.h.i.+ntoist, Jew or Gentile, Mohammedan or Christian, Catholic or Protestant, Methodist or Baptist, Presbyterian or Lutheran, Calvinist or Arminian, Unitarian or Trinitarian, one and all, have one and the same ultimate object: To get into right relations with G.o.d, each according to his own conception of G.o.d, and what he understands to be his will concerning him. However, in the more rational interpretation of religion in these later times, the element of fear of punishment hereafter has been almost, if not entirely eliminated; and the religious objective is made the highest, n.o.blest, purest, and best possible life in this world, for _its own intrinsic worth_, and without any reference to any future life, resting firmly in the faith that he who lives right cannot die wrong.

Hence, religion does not consist in creeds, dogmas, or beliefs; nor in forms, ordinances, ceremonies, or sacraments, as I was early taught to believe. But these are, one and all, but so many varying _forms of expression_ which religion takes. They are all only so many different ways, means and methods religion takes to attain to its ultimate purpose and aim. They are only so many different paths which different men take in their search for G.o.d.

And is there but _one_ true path to G.o.d, while all the others only lead to h.e.l.l? And if so, _which_ is the right one? Ah, herein lies the fruitful source of most of the world's tragedies and sufferings! It was this that burned John Huss, Savonarola and Bruno. It was this that lighted the fires of Smithfield and hung helpless, silly women in New England, as witches. But thank G.o.d, it is abating and the dawn of a better day is in sight.

I have long since come to believe that all who honestly, sincerely, and diligently seek G.o.d will ultimately find him, in some way, at some time, when G.o.d sees best to reveal himself, no matter what method may be pursued. I do not mean that all methods are equally good; no, not by any means. The quest for G.o.d may be helped or hindered, advanced or delayed, accordingly as the methods of search may be correct or erroneous. But I do mean to say that I do not believe the Infinite G.o.d, who knows the hearts of men, and will ultimately judge them by this standard, will forever hide, and deny himself to any, in whose heart He sees honesty, purity, and sincerity of purpose and motive, because in their finite judgment, they were unable to intellectually determine just which was the right, or best way;--and this, whether the searcher be Hindu, Chinese, Pagan or Pa.r.s.ee; Hottentot or Arab, savage or philosopher; Christian, Mohammedan or Buddhist; or any one else on earth. ”Man looketh upon the outward appearance; but G.o.d looketh upon the heart.” And they that diligently, honestly and earnestly seek after him will find him,--somewhere, somehow--in this life or some other, And when found, it will not be ”in far-off realms of s.p.a.ce,” but in one's own heart.

”The outward G.o.d he findeth not, Who finds not G.o.d within.”

THE BIBLE

From the foregoing it is quite clear that religion is not something miraculously revealed from heaven, handed down in a package already bound up, complete and finished, ready for use; but that in its origin, essence and purpose it is natural and common to all humanity alike.

Its present status is but the result of its progressive development, from its crudest forms in early humanity, to the present day. While forever remaining one and the same in its origin, essence and purpose, it has undergone changes in its forms of expression, its means and methods, in all ages as mankind has progressively developed upward.

What we call the great systems of religion, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, and others are but so many different forms of expression thru which religion manifests itself in human life; and the various sects and denominations in all these systems are but further subdivisions in these forms of expression, according to different desires, tastes and opinions among different people. Hence, religion was not produced by the Bible, nor is it in any way dependent upon the Bible as a source of authority, but just the opposite.

Religion was long before the Bible and itself produced the Bible; and the Bible derives its sole authority from religion.

Here is perhaps as good a place as any to answer the question that has often been asked me: ”If the Bible is not the ultimate source of authority in religion, what and where is it?” Just the same to you and me today that it was to Noah, Abraham, Moses, the prophets, apostles, and all others in all ages. ”But were not these men divinely inspired?” No more than you or I _may be_, even if we are not in fact.

This subject will be fully elucidated when I come to treat specifically of inspiration and revelation in the next subdivision. The answer to this question about the source of authority in religion is clearly indicated in the very definition 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 const.i.tute 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, n.o.blest 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 circ.u.mstances 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 a.s.sisted 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 to the end, if he will but hear and obey its voice, interpreted by reason.

The reader will recall the opinion I reached concerning the Bible after my special course of study and the process of reasoning that followed it. But after fifteen years of continued study I changed my opinion about it again. When I took a different perspective I got a different view. First, I was confronted with the fact that _the Bible is here_.

And while all my inherited opinions as to its origin, meaning and purpose were gone forever, the second question remained unanswered: _How came it here_? After all these years of study and investigation I found an answer to this question satisfactory to myself, which I have already indicated above, but will here more fully elaborate as a part of my New Confession of Faith.

The Old Testament is but a record preserved and handed down to us, first of events, legends, opinions and beliefs that existed in crude form as traditions, long before a line of it was written; and thereafter, for a period covering approximately a thousand years, it is a record, tho evidently imperfect, of the progressive development of the Jewish race, nation and religion, which are so inseparably bound together that they cannot be separated. Let us go a little more into detail. No one claims that a line of the Old Testament was written before Moses. (And it is here immaterial whether Moses wrote the Pentateuch or not. The Jews believed he did.) Yet the Jewish system of religion, at least in its fundamental features, had been in existence since Abraham, some five hundred years before, to say nothing of previous peoples back to Noah, or even to Adam and his sons. Yet none of these had any Bible whatever. If it is claimed by any one that Moses was the originator of the Jewish system, it leaves Abraham and all his posterity, down to the time of Moses, but pious pagans. But according to the record, Moses added nothing to the _principles_ of religious wors.h.i.+p as practiced by Abraham and the other patriarchs. He simply reorganized, systematized, refined and somewhat elaborated the ancient system of wors.h.i.+p, and at most reduced it to regularity and order.

It was quite natural that Moses should then reduce to writing the traditions and practices of his people, and make a more or less complete record of their laws, regulations, and civil and religious inst.i.tutions; and especially of that system of religious wors.h.i.+p which he had not originated, but organized, systematized and reduced to more perfect order, so that all this might be preserved for the benefit of the people thereafter. This was the beginning of the sacred literature of the Jews which, when completed in its present form, was called the Bible--meaning simply, The Books.

After this, tho the Jewish system of religion, according to the Jews themselves, was finished and complete, they had but five books of written scripture,--the Pentateuch. Yet thirty-four additional books were afterwards written and added to these. Can these later books be quoted as _authority_ for that which existed, in some instances, a thousand years before they were written? Certainly not. But the facts are plain. The system of religion already existing, but continually progressing, gave rise to these subsequent books, which are merely a record of the progress, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, practices, etc., of this peculiar and intensely religious people.

Thus we see that the Old Testament is a _growth_ produced by, and recording the historic development of the Jewish race, nation and religion. It is simply the _literature_ of a people. Its various parts were written by representatives of the people themselves, many of whose names are unknown, at various times covering a period of a thousand years, under many varying conditions and circ.u.mstances. It records in part their history, traditions, legends, myths, their beliefs, superst.i.tions, hopes, fears, ideals and aspirations; and the legendary deeds of their national heroes, just as we find them in the literature of ancient Greece, Rome, England or Scandinavia. It contains books of law, ritual, maxims, hymns, poetry, drama, letters, sermons, denunciations, rebukes, warnings, arguments, anecdotes and biography. No literature on earth is more multifarious in its contents. That it contains many contradictions, errors, inconsistencies and incredible statements is nothing to its discredit from this viewpoint of its origin. The wonder is that there are not more. But that it contains only what the various writers of its different parts, at the time they wrote, honestly thought and _believed_ to be true, may be freely admitted without in the least derogating from its true value, or adding supernatural sanct.i.ty to it.

The Old Testament considered simply as a collection of ancient Jewish literature, reveals to us to-day many of the stages in the national, racial and religious evolution of ancient Israel, just as the literature of any nation or people reveals the same thing concerning them,--no more and no less.

Turning now for a moment to the New Testament: Is it the source and authority for Christianity? Or just the reverse? Which was first of the two? That which goes before is the cause of that which comes after,--not the reverse. If Christianity is to be considered as a separate and distinct system of religion, based upon divine authority, the system was finished, full and complete with the resurrection and ascension of Christ--for the argument's sake, admitting these to be facts. Hence Christianity would have existed as a fact just the same, whether a line of the New Testament had ever been written or not. As a matter of fact, not a line of it was written for twenty-five or thirty years after these events, and it was not completed for a hundred years thereafter. Therefore the New Testament did not produce Christianity; nor is it the authority upon which it is based, but just the opposite.

Christianity produced the New Testament and is the authority upon which it is based.

So the New Testament, like the Old, is just literature,--no more. It records what the authors of its various parts, in the light of their time, and with the knowledge they possessed, as common, fallible, mortal men like ourselves, honestly thought, felt, hoped and believed was the truth. It gives us the only historical sketch we have of the origin and early development of that system of religion that in one form or another now dominates a third part of the human race. And as such it is the most valuable book the world possesses today. But it is no more the ”infallible Word of G.o.d” than the Old Testament, Herodotus, Josephus, Plato or Plutarch.

The conclusion of the whole matter is: The Bible is not the supernaturally inspired, infallible word of G.o.d, given by him as the source and final authority for religion, outside of which and since its close there is no more revelation; but it was written by fallible men of like pa.s.sions with ourselves, who wrote,--not as they were infallibly and inerrantly guided by the Holy Spirit, but--as they were moved by the same impulses, pa.s.sions and motives that have moved men in all ages to write their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, hopes, fears, aspirations and views of life. Thus, as has already been said, the Bible is a _product_ of religion instead of being its source and authority. Thus the literature of the Jewish race and the early Christians _grew_. In course of time the thirty-nine books containing our present Old Testament were brought together in one collection. We do not know just when. Afterwards the twenty-seven books of our New Testament were collected in the same way. Age and tradition first embalmed them in an air of sanct.i.ty; and then superst.i.tion made of them a fetish. Until this ”spell” is broken there can be no hope of anything like unity in the religious world. Until this fetish of a ”once for all divine and infallible revelation, completed and handed down from heaven” is abandoned, there will continue to be ”diversities of interpretation,” and consequently divisions, controversies, bickerings, persecutions and recriminations will continue among mankind, and wars will continue among nations.