absurd dress and gloomy faces were not considered essential adjuncts to
religion, but free discussion was not allowed upon religious subjects.
Everything must be taken for granted, without any investigation on the
part of the people. After youth comes manhood, the time when reason has
full sway, when superstition and credulities form no part of religious
teaching and thought. People are able to think, to reason for
themselves. After the age of manhood, comes old age and that is the
stage of agnosticism. Questions are being asked, and ideas propounded
which must not be overlooked nor treated with contempt. All questions
asked in a fair spirit, must be answered in a fair manner. It is not
sufficient to say, "it is so", but good and tangible reasons must be
given to prove the truth of an assertion. We are now in the stage of
"old age." Agnosticism and Infidelity are wide spread. After old age
comes decay and the decline of the absolutely orthodox. From time
immemorial, every religion has passed through the same gradation, of
infancy, youth, old age and decay finally comes _philosophy_.

* * * * *

* * * * *

A Swedenborgian is speaking:

Down by the sounding sea, in a lonely cottage, lives a woman, so
wrinkled, old and bent that even death seems to have forgotten her
existence. It would be difficult to imagine that once she was a beauty,
but true it is that many years ago no fresher, fairer maiden could be
found than this same strange old woman. Sixty years ago she had a sailor
lover, who loved her truly and well. On his return after every cruise it
was a sight to soften the heart of even the hardest, to witness the