WHAT IS RELIGION? 231 



received as canonical, one finds that they differ only 

 slightly in degree. 



Faith is the fundamental key-note of the Christian 

 religion. Without faith the religion ceases. Have we 

 that faith ? If we have not, then the Christian religion 

 to us is a delusion. It is worse, it is a wicked and 

 pernicious excuse for evil-doing. 



The basis of the Christian teaching is built upon 

 miracles. No miracle ever existed. 1 For those who 

 understand the laws of Nature, know well, they are 

 immutable, perfect, eternal. All miracles are departures 

 from the laws of Nature. 



Now fortunately the existence of miracles and of 

 faith is capable of experiment, and this experiment we 

 commend to every thoughtful mind. For it is written : 

 " If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall 

 say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place ; 

 and it shall remove ; and nothing shall be impossible 

 unto you." 2 u All things are possible to him that 

 believeth." 3 



To remove a mountain is a too severe test of faith, 

 we will not require such a one. Let us select a large 



1 "It must equally in candour be admitted that the miracle did 

 not consist in placing man and woman upon earth, at any recent 

 period, or with faculties in any way developed, but could only have 

 consisted in causing a germ or germs to come into existence, different 

 from any that could have been formed by natural evolution, and con- 

 taining within them the possibilities of conscious and civilized man, 

 to be developed from the rudest origins by slow and painful progress 

 over countless ages." (" Modern Science and Modern Thought." 

 S. Laing, 1896, p. 210.) 



2 The Gospel according to St. Matthew, chap. 17, ver, 20, Re- 

 vised edition. 



3 St. Mark, chap. 9, ver. 23. 



