on realities, upon
demonstrations; and its end and aim is to make this world better
every day--to do away with poverty and crime, and to cover the
world with happy and contended homes.

Let me say, right here, that a few years ago the Secular Hall at
Leicester, England, was opened by a speech from George Jacob
Holyoake, entitled, "Secularism as a Religion." I have never read
anything better on the subject of Secularism than this address.
It is so clear and so manly that I do not see how any human being
can read it without becoming convinced, and almost enraptured.

Let me quote a few lies from this address:--

"The mind of man would die if it were not for Thought, and were
Thought suppressed, God would rule over a world of idiots.

"Nature feeds Thought, day and night, with a million hands.

"To think is a duty, because it is a man's duty not to be a fool.

"If man does not think himself, he is an intellectual pauper, living
upon the truth acquired by others, and making no contribution
himself in return. He has no ideas but such as he obtains by 'out-
door relief,' and he goes about the world with a charity mind.

"The more thinkers there are in the world, the more truth there is
in the world.

"Progress can only walk in the footsteps of Conviction.

"Coercion in thought is not progress, it reduces to ignominious
pulp the backbone of the mind.

"By Religion I mean the simple creed of deed and duty, by which a
man seeks his own welfare in his own way, with an honest and fair
regard to the welfare and ways of others.

"In these thinking and practical days, men demand a religion of
daily life, which stands on a business footing."

I think nothing could be much better than the following, which
shows the exact relation that orthodox religion sustains to the
actual wants of human beings:

"The Churches administer a system of Foreign Affairs.

"Secularism dwells in a land of its own. It dwells in a land of
Certitude.

"In the Kingdom of Thought there is no conquest over man, but over
foolishness only."

I will not quote more, but hope all who read this will read the
address of Mr. Holyoake, who has, in my judgment, defined Secularism
with the greatest possible clearness.

_Question_. What, in your opinion, are the best possible means to
spread this gospel or religion of Secularism?

_Answer_. This can only be done by the cultivation of the mind--
only through intelligence--because we are fighting o