mere make-shifts, a species of flying machine to enable us, who
are denied wings on earth, to approach as near him as possible? Do you
wish to deprive the poor mortals who languish in the dust, of this
solace?"

"I? You're again forgetting that I wish to deprive no one of his
religion, nor arouse in any one who is satisfied higher desires; nor to
seek to guide him to what affords me happiness. Let them soar as high
as they wish and can; but they, too, ought to permit the plain
pedestrian, who climbs the rough path to the summit step by step, to
move quietly on his way, and not throw stones at him from their
balloons."

"Who does so? Who, that has understood the law of love, the most sacred
tenet of our religion?"

He approached her and took her hand, exclaiming eagerly: "Not you, my
honored friend. You will not cease to include in your prayers, the man
who acknowledges that he does not join in the words, 'we all believe in
one God.' Perhaps you will prefer not to associate with him, as with
all our love for our neighbor, we do not choose an outcast for a
companion. But ask yourself, how many of your brothers and sisters in
faith have advanced so far in toleration that they will not only permit
every one to be happy in his own way, but even endure those who feel no
desire for what is called heavenly bliss, who see the circle of their
duties and privileges, toils and joys, coupled here on earth, and do
not wish to be more perfect, wiser, or more immortal than one can
become with human intellect and powers? Yet the word 'godless' is still
the harshest that can be said of a fellow man, and people speak of
envy, hatred, revenge, and malice, as traits natural to humanity. But
all neighborly love is refused the poor fellow creature, who confesses
that he can form no idea of a personal ruler of the world, according to
the human pattern, and the one word 'atheist' is sufficient to forever
brand the most peaceful citizen, the noblest philanthropist, the most
earnest seeker after truth. Yet we talk of an age of enlightenment! We
boast of our freedom of thought, our scientific triumphs, and even men
of science fear to express their deepest thoughts in their works, even
those which are not even intended for the masses, in order to be sure
of their peace, if not of their lives! Their real, inmost conviction,
they whisper like some guilty secret into the ears of those whom they
have recognized as kindred spirits, while childish fol