they seek to suppress us by the violence of unjust
law. They see that we are a growing danger to every kind of privilege, a
menace to all the idle classes who live in luxury on the sweat and labor
of others--the devouring drones who live on the working bees.

The gospel of Freethought teaches us to distinguish between the knowable
and the unknowable. We cannot fathom the infinite "mystery of the
universe" with our finite plummet, nor see aught behind the veil of
death. Here is our appointed province:

"This world which is the world
Of all of us, and where in the end
We find our happiness or not at all."

Let us make the best of this world and take our chance of any other. If
there is a heaven, we dare say it will hold all honest men. If it will
not, those who go elsewhere will at least be in good company.

Our salvation is here and now. It is certain and not contingent. We need
not die before we realise it. Ours is a gospel, and the only gospel,
for this side of the grave. The promises of theology cannot be made good
till after death; ours are all redeemable in this life.

We ask men to acknowledge realities and dismiss fictions. When you have
sifted all the learned sermons ever preached, you will find very little
good grain. Theology deals with dreams and phantasies, and gives no
guidance to practical men. The whole truth of life may be summed up in
a few words. Happiness is the only good, suffering the only evil, and
selfishness the only sin. And the whole duty of man may be expressed
in one sentence, slightly altered from Voltaire--Learn what is true in
order to do what is right. If a man can tell you anything about these
matters, listen to him; if not, turn a deaf ear, and let him preach to
the wind.

The only noble things in this world are great hearts and great brains,
There is no virtue in a starveling piety which turns all beauty into
ugliness and shrivels up every natural affection. Let the heart beat
high with courage and enterprise, and throb with warm passion. Let the
brain be an active engine of thought, imagination and will. The gospel
of sorrow has had its day, and the time has come for the gospel of
gladness. Let us live out our lives to the full, radiating joy on all
in our own circle, and diffusing happiness through the grander circle
of humanity, until at last we retire from the banquet of life, as others
have done before us, and sink in eternal repose.

FREETHOUGHT IN CURREN