And let me say here, once for all, that for the man Christ I have
infinite respect. Let me say, once for all, that the place where man
has died for man is holy ground; and let me say, once for all, to that
great and serene man I gladly pay the homage of my admiration and my
tears. He was a reformer in His day. He was an infidel in His time.
He was regarded as a blasphemer, and His life was destroyed by
hypocrites, who have, in all ages, done what they could to trample
freedom out of the human mind. Had I lived at that time I would have
been His friend, and should He come again He would not find a better
friend than I will be.

That is for the man. For the theological creation I have a different
feeling. If He was, in fact, God, He knew that there was no such thing
as death. He knew that what we call death was but the eternal opening
of the golden gates of everlasting joy; and it took no heroism to face
a death that was simply eternal life.

But when a man, when a poor boy sixteen years of age, goes upon the
field of battle to keep his flag in heaven, not knowing but that death
ends all--not knowing but that, when the shadows creep over him, the
darkness will be eternal--there is heroism.

And so for the man who, in the darkness, said: "My God, why hast Thou
forsaken Me?"--for that man I have nothing but respect, admiration, and
love.

A while ago I made up my mind to find out what was necessary for me to
do in order to be saved. If I have got a soul, I want it saved. I do
not wish to lose anything that is of value. For thousands of years the
world has been asking that question "What shall we do to be saved?"

Saved from poverty? No. Saved from crime? No. Tyranny? No. But
"What shall we do to be saved from the eternal wrath of the God who
made us all?"

If God made us, He will not destroy us. Infinite wisdom never made a
poor investment. And upon all the works of an infinite God, a dividend
must finally be declared. The pulpit has cast a shadow over even the
cradle. The doctrine of endless punishment has covered the cheeks of
this world with tears. I despise it, and I defy it.

I made up my mind, I say, to see what I had to do in order to save my
soul according to the Testament, and thereupon I read it. I read the
gospel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But I found that the Church had
been deceiving me. I found that the clergy did not understand their
own book. I found that they had been