138 THE PORTAL OF EVOLUTION 



ficent than other men had attained to, for they might be just 

 as useful in some other way. For this reason I maintain 

 that we must honour and respect all religions alike, and that 

 the days when any one religion could lay claim to superiority 

 or infallibility over another are past never to return. That 

 it is man's duty in future to endeavour to bury all religious, 

 social and racial differences ; to aim at teaching that all class 

 and social distinction are but aids to individual freedom, and 

 by co-operative means of production to gradually bring home 

 to the minds of the masses that ownership of wealth is not 

 an individual right or possession, but a mighty trust in the 

 hands of a few for the good of the many, the possession of 

 which is but God's just reward to those whose fitness in the 

 system of evolution has by birth or genius and the hereditary 

 possession of certain qualities, best fitted them to become the 

 good and faithful steward whom the Lord has placed over his 

 household to give them their meat in due season. 



That true Peace, Comfort and Content can only be 

 the outcome of the united actions of one and all of the com- 

 munity, using their time, energy, talents and ability to the 

 utmost and trusting its distribution or reward to the all-wise 

 Creator who has in the past controlled its distribution with 

 wisdom and judgment far above the discretion of mankind, 

 the alteration of which human laws and powers are unable and 

 ever will be unable to control and materially alter. That the 

 inspiration of mankind cannot prevent the necessity that all 

 religions must alter and adapt themselves and their teachings 

 to the advancement of evolution, and the outlook of a better 

 power of understanding of the laws of nature combined with 

 the dogmas of revelation which only can be learnt by a more 

 perfect knowledge of the truths of revelation as revealed in 

 the past evolution of Creation, and by a more perfect under- 

 standing of nature in the future. That in a more perfect 

 knowledge of evolution and history, not in the mysterious 

 fables and parables of past superstitions and bigotries, prophe- 

 cies and miraculous teachings of past religions can we look 

 for the true solution of the correct ways to shape our future 

 lives and laws, whether of state, society or religion. It is 

 true, nevertheless, that these truths and revelations are the 

 ground-work and foundation of every and all religious teach- 

 ings, and it is therefore equally true that if we are to evolve 



