which was like "dropping a bucket into an empty well," and began to
look _elsewhere_ for help. [Footnote: Bygones Worth Remembering.--George
Jacob Holyoake] The world owes its advancement to the fact that men no
longer look to Heaven for help, but help themselves. Self-effort, and
not prayer, is the remedy against ignorance, slavery, poverty, and
moral degradation. Fortunately, by holding up before us an impossible
Jesus, with his impossible promises, the churches have succeeded only
in postponing, but not in preventing, the progress of man. This is a
compliment to human nature, and it is well earned. It is also a promise
that in time humanity will be completely emancipated from every phantom
which in the past has scared it into silence or submission, and

"A loftier race than e'er the world
Hath known shall rise
With flame of liberty in their souls,
And light of science in their eyes."




[Illustration: Portion of Manuscript Supposed to Be Copy of Lost
Originals.]

THE CHRISTIAN DOCUMENTS



The documents containing the story of Jesus are so unlike those about
Lincoln or any other historical character, that we must be doubly
vigilant in our investigation.