Christian, no doubt. But ARE you? Do you truly think that when death
shall come to you it is really NOT death, but the simple transition
into another and better life? Do you believe in the actual
immortality of your soul, and do you realise what it means? You do?
You are quite sure? Then, do you live as one convinced of it? Are
you quite indifferent to the riches and purely material advantages
of this world?--are you as happy in poverty as in wealth, and are
you independent of social esteem? Are you bent on the very highest
and most unselfish ideals of life and conduct? I do not say you are
not; I merely ask if you ARE. If your answer is in the affirmative,
do not give the lie to your creed by your daily habits, conversation
and manners; for this is what thousands of professing Christians do,
and the clergy are by no means exempt.

I know very well, of course, that I must not expect your
appreciation, or even your attention, in matters purely spiritual.
The world is too much with you, and you become obstinate of opinion
and rooted in prejudice. Nevertheless, as I said before, this is not
my concern. Your moods are not mine, and with your prejudices I have
nothing to do. My creed is drawn from Nature--Nature, just,
invincible, yet tender--Nature, who shows us that Life, as we know
it now, at this very time and in this very world, is a blessing so
rich in its as yet unused powers and possibilities, that it may be
truly said of the greater majority of human beings that scarce one
of them has ever begun to learn HOW to live.

Shakespeare, the greatest human exponent of human nature at its best
and worst,--the profound Thinker and Artist who dealt boldly with
the facts of good and evil as they truly are,--and did not hesitate
to contrast them forcibly, without any of the deceptive 'half-tones'