REBIRTH AND HEREDITY 127 



to me to be rational or in accordance with the laws that 

 govern the scheme of creation in the past. 



As in the evolution of the world we get the only experi- 

 mental experience of the truths of revelation, and of the effects 

 of religious teachings in the past, so it appears to me that 

 the more we study this interesting science from the stand- 

 point of the Trinity of God, the more we will find in it the 

 only reliable sources from which we can in the future evolve 

 perfect ideals of a perfect religion and perfect forms of 

 government, and so be able to clear up the errors of super- 

 stition and bigotry and gain a true understanding of the 

 truths of revelation. A religion that can perhaps some 

 day become universal and be capable of destroying the 

 embittering enmities of colour, creed and race without which 

 the growth of national and social animosities, strifes and 

 discords would never have existed ; but at the same time we 

 must remember that these same animosities have done their 

 share in the production of virtues which otherwise we should 

 never have evolved, nor would we have been able to correct 

 the principles of government, either social or religious. For 

 if there had been' no crime in the world we would not have 

 learned to value virtue, nor would we have been able to learn 

 how to forgive our neighbours' faults, which is to be the 

 great duty of the coming Epoch of Charity and the principal 

 virtue that we shall have to acquire. This will also decide 

 which of us is to become worthy of immortality, for it is by 

 learning how to forgive our neighbours* sins, so long as they 

 do not interfere with our happiness, that we are to acquire 

 that most perfect form of Charity. This is what is to enable 

 us to gain heaven, and this is one of the defects that women 

 have to attain a great advancement in before we will be able to 

 live with the greatest amount of liberty compatible with per- 

 fect freedom, for at present they are more cruel in their con- 

 demnation of their fallen sisters than men are selfish in their 

 greed of wealth or jealous of the rewards of wealth and posi- 

 tion granted to their superiors, which are the two crimes we 

 have most to cure if we are to gain perfection and evolve such 

 principles of state, social and religious government as will 

 enable the whole world some day to live under laws conducive 

 to universal Peace, Comfort and Content. 



When the increase of science no longer used for individual 



