sary quality taken into the system, the better it would be for the patient; such would be the result from a perfect rule or from truth. In this way certain power is ascribed to matter (medicines, etc.) not, as you see, by a science or truth, but by opinions and beliefs which are accepted and acted upon.

Physiology claims power for matter in saying that nerves and muscles have sensation and can act, and all theories of the world have accepted it as a fact, thereby making matter the cause of certain results.

Let us look into the history of what we term "religion"; and in doing so we intend no criticism, our intention being only to show the facts. Our pilgrim fathers left their homes because they could not worship God according to their idea, and came here for the freedom which was denied them in England. Let us remember that the religion of to-day had its birth with them, and as the fountain is, so will the stream be, it cannot rise higher than its source.

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Their first acts were to take from the Indians their land, and kill them; both acts performed in accordance with their views of righteousness and justice, which views, were not in accordance with Jesus' command, "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." England denied them moral liberty, and in so doing, acted in accordance with her ideas of righteousness and justice. She denied to the Pilgrims a moral freedom, they denied to the Indians any freedom; doing not as they would be done by, but persecuting even as they themselves had been perse

cuted.

Without any desire to cast upon our forefathers any dishonor or reproach, but with the sole and earnest wish to bring the facts, as they exist, before the minds of the people, in order to show them the foundation upon which their religious hopes are built, is this explanation given. Jesus and his disciples were indeed persecuted,

but they returned good for evil, and took up arms against none, therefore, whatever their professions and their motives may have been, our pilgrim fathers followed not after the example set by the meek and lowly Jesus, and did not possess the true spirit of Christianity; for he said, "Follow thou me." "There is but one way." Jesus came not to destroy life, but to save it. These early settlers framed laws as their opinions directed, and were as severe in enforcing them upon their children, as well as all other fugitives from tyranny, as their fathers had been before them. Cruel punishments were inflicted upon all who ventured to disregard the expressed opinions of the majority; they were called heretics, were tortured, and were even burned at the stake. In Salem, Mass., only about a hundred years ago, upright, honest people were hung because accused, and, by the same opinions, convicted of witchcraft. These acts of our fathers are the outward mani.

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festations of their opinions or beliefs of Christianity and justice, and to their garments is the religion of to-day clinging. Their acts were not in accordance with Jesus' teachings, and therefore not prompted by Christianity, and from such doctrines. Christianity could not spring. Their thoughts or beliefs were on material gains and materiality in general (directly opposite and contrary to those of Jesus), and upon them we have built our present structure which we name "religion."

All material thought results in opinions. and beliefs, and the mistake which the human race has made in believing and teaching the material ideas or opinions of religion. (which are contrary to true Christianity), and in inventing materia medica and physiology, which have placed power in materiality-medicine and all inert matter, and given it control over the body to sustain or destroy life, has resulted in what the world calls "wisdom" or "knowledge," of which Jesus said, "The

wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." True Wisdom or immortal Truth is not in these thoughts nor in the result of them; they are theories and beliefs only, which, when put to the test of demonstration, are failures. These thoughts have been investigated most thoroughly by learned persons, and had there been any unchangeable demonstrable truth for a basis, it would have been discovered within six thousand years.

Matter cannot act, and has neither power nor wisdom of its own, and the inventions, opinions, or wisdom of man is foolishness with God, and must vanish away, being mortal, — that is, changeable.

All changeable things are no part of the Unchangeable, and, likewise, all beliefs and opinions which are changeable are no part of the unchangeable Truth. "For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial ?"