lO Natural Salvation. 



and other places of religious worship, the confusion 

 would out-jargon that on the Plaiii of Shinar. 



Such multiples of contradictory doctrines mutually dis- 

 credit each other. It has followed naturally that the 

 younger generation, born in America and educated in the 

 public schools where general scientific knowledge is im- 

 parted, is quite without a faith, in the old-time meaning 

 of that word, and looks to science f(br its real tenets. 



Nor looks in vain. Even now, already, science is able 

 to outline a new and greater faith ; and no prophetic gift 

 is required to assure us that this new faith will be the 

 religion of future America. 



For a new; hope has come to the human heart, the hope 

 of salvation from "sin " and death by natural means : 

 Natural salvation, contra-distinguished from supernatural 

 salvation. Supernaturalism has been, the burden of all 

 previous religious systems. In all the past, human hopes 

 have founded on rite, sacrifice, and supernatural rescue. 

 But the keynote and initiative of the message of science 

 is natural salvation : salvation under nature, accomplished 

 by the growth and conservation of human knowledge: 



In all the past man has turned to the skies and prayed 

 to powers beyond the earth for salvation ; but now, at the 

 dawn of the twentieth century, he turns to himself and 

 gravely, hopefuUj'- estimates the problem of self-salvation. 



Moreover, self-salvation, when regarded in the light of 

 our present greater knowledge, is seen not to be new at 



