Formal religion is a scheme whereby man hopes to make peace with his
Maker; and a formal religion also tends to satisfy the sense of
sublimity where the man has failed to find satisfaction in his work.
Voltaire says, "When woman no longer finds herself acceptable to man,
she turns to God," When man is no longer acceptable to himself he goes
to church. In order to keep this article from extending itself into a
tome, I purposely omitted saying a single thing about the Protestant
Church as a useful Social Club and have just assumed for argument's sake
that the church is really a religious institution.

A formal religion is only a cut 'cross lots--an attempt to bring about
the emotions and the sensations that come to a man by the practice of
love, virtue, excellence and truth. When you do a splendid piece of work
and express your best, there comes to you, as reward, an exaltation of
soul, a sublimity of feeling that puts you for the time being in touch
with the Infinite. A formal religion brings this feeling without your
doing anything useful, therefore it is unnatural.

Formalized religion is the strongest where sin, slavery, tyranny and
ignorance abound. Where men are free, enlightened and at work, they find
all the gratification in their work that their souls demand--they cease
to hunt outside themselves for something to give them rest. They are at
peace with themselves, at peace with man and with God.

But any man chained to a hopeless task, whose daily work does not
express himself, who is dogged by a boss, whenever he gets a moment of
respite turns to drink or religion.

Men with an eye on Saturday night, who plot to supplant some one else,
who can locate an employer any hour of the day, who use their wit to