action? On
the contrary, nothing but enmity and hatred, injustice and inhumanity can
possibly result. Has not this been the greatest cause of bloodshed, woe
and tribulation in the past?

Praise be to God! You are living in a land of freedom. You are blessed
with men of learning, men who are well versed in the comparative study of
religions. You realize the need of unity and know the great harm which
comes from prejudice and superstition. I ask you, is not fellowship and
brotherhood preferable to enmity and hatred in society and community? The
answer is self-evident. Love and fellowship are absolutely needful to win
the good pleasure of God, which is the goal of all human attainment. We
must be united. We must love each other. We must ever praise each other.
We must bestow commendation upon all people, thus removing the discord and
hatred which have caused alienation amongst men. Otherwise, the conditions
of the past will continue, praising ourselves and condemning others;
religious wars will have no end, and religious prejudice, the prime cause
of this havoc and tribulation, will increase. This must be abandoned, and
the way to do it is to investigate the reality which underlies all the
religions. This underlying reality is the love of humanity. For God is one
and humanity is one, and the only creed of the Prophets is love and unity.

9 November 1912
Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons
1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C.

Notes by Joseph H. Hannen

The address delivered last evening in the Jewish synagogue evidently
disturbed some of the people, including the revered rabbi who called upon
me this afternoon. Together we went over the ground again, which I shall
now review for your benefit.

It was not possible to make the subject completely plain to the rabbi last
night, as he was very much pressed for time, but today the opportunity was
sufficient for a reconsideration of the statements in detail. I wish you
to understand them thoroughly and memorize them in order that you may
discourse with the Jews and thus, perchance, become instrumental in
leading them aright.

The quintessence of our subject was this: What is the mission of the
Prophet, and what is the object of a divine law? In answer we stated:
There is no doubt that the purpose of a divine law is the education of the
human race, the training of humanity. All mankind may be considered as
pupils or children who are in need of a