The coming creed of the world. Is there not a faith more sublime and blissful than Christianity! A voice crying in the wilderness

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Preface

Whoever undertakes to say something publicly on so serious and sacred a subject as religion, and is compelled to express views and convictions opposed to those which generally prevail in these days, ought, in my opinion, to enable the reader at once to judge the moral and intellectual attributes of the author, and to ascertain whether these views are really the honest expressions of his convictions, and whether they are dictated by honest conclusions or not. I can think of no better way to reach this end than by giving the reader a concise account of the different phases of mental development through which I have passed.

My parents were Christian people, entirely free from all pietism, and I was brought up simply according to the teachings of the Christian Church. After having been confirmed I lived, like millions of others, as a member of that communion, without ever reflecting on the nature of religion and faith. When I had reached about half-way between thirty and forty years of age an event occurred which was intended to arouse me from my thoughtlessness, to stir me up to reflection, and to lead me into a path which I have followed ever since.

A business friend had introduced to me a youth, sixteen years old, of the name of Eunom Philippi. I have never met, in the long course of my life, a purer, nobler, more modest, young man than he. He was soon thoroughly at home in my house, and was treated like one of my children. We had many and long conversations, and on one occasion the subject of religion and church came under discussion. When I expressed the views of Christianity, in which I had been educated, and which I had followed hitherto, he asked me with that charming modesty which was peculiarly his own : " But, dear Mr. Gerhard, is there not perhaps a faith more sublime and blissful than Christianity?" I do not remember what reply I made to this, but I know that at that moment a veil was drawn from my eyes, and I saw before me, as it were, a light shining through the dark night around me. From that moment I began to reflect upon the serious problems of life. For more than forty years — I am now in my eightieth year — I have seriously considered the subject ; I have gone through nearly the entire literature relating to it, expressing almost every opinion. From week to week, from day to day, the scales have fallen more and more from my eyes, and I have arrived at the conclusion that true religion is nothing more than the belief in one Suftre??ie Being, and the love for our fellow -men. Gradually the dogmatic clouds and mists which surrounded the sublime idea of the Eternal God cleared up and disappeared. It has beamed upon me in all purity an eternal light on my life's path, which, in bright and dark hours, has never left me for a moment. To this day this conviction has preserved in me, with the serious thoughts of matured manhood, the cheerful disposition of youth. It has made my life a happy and contented one, it has enhanced every joy and pleasure, and in the hours of grief, which is the heirloom of all mortals, it has brought me the fulness of comfort and peace. I have deposited the result of my many years' reflections in the following pages. My work is not directed against the sublime doctrine of Jesus, not against the gospel of love,

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but against human dogmatism and priestcraft by wnich it has been corrupted.

Much of similar intent as mine has been said and written before, but the writers and orators di not think it advisable to speak the whole trut and to draw a distinct parallel between Christianity and Religion. While some rejected the good with the bad, by attempting to destroy religion itself, others made use of weapons which must be considered as unworthy and sacrilegious in a contest about the highest problems of life, — namely, satire, scorn, and scoffing. We may, indeed we ought to, oppose publicly and without reserve that which we consider an error ; but it should only be done in a manner which cannot hurt the feeling of those who think differently. I hope the re. der of the foil wing page will be convinced that, whatever have been my feelings, I have been guided by that sentiment.

And now, dear reader, I will repeat once more the words of the Apostle Paul which I have written on the title page : " Prove all things;" and the words of Jesus: " Truth shall make you free." Although I myself know that what I have said is living, and will re-echo in the hearts of hundreds of thousands, I do not disguise to myself the fact that it will arouse many opponents, particularly from three different directions. In the first place, fom those who believe blindly, who will not see with their eyes nor hear with their ears, who think it a sin merely to reflect upon religious questions ; then there are the Pharisees, who say : "I thank thee that I am not like one of those," and who teach what they do not believe ; and, lastly, the 'atheists, who would drag the Eternal God from his throne in the heart of mankind.

io THE COMING CREED OF THE WORLD.

Before all these adversaries I cast down with courage and confidence the words of Ulrich von Hutten : "I have dared!"

Now, dear, reader, 1 stand before you with open visor and open heart. Meet me also with an open heart and the honest desire of examining seriously and faithfully what I have written.

Frederick Gerhard.

Hoboken, N. J., Sept. i, 1884.

Theses.

There is only one Supreme Being, who rules the world, and to whom everything owes its origin. This Supreme Being we call God.

Only to that one Supreme Being we owe adoration and divine veneration. Adoration and divine veneration of one born of woman, or of any object outside of the Supreme Being, is idolatry.

There is only one religion, — namely, that more or less distinct feeling of dependence upon a Supreme Being, which is common to all men ; and the sense of duty and obedience to the will of God, which grows from this and makes itself heard within us.

Religion is not a form. It does not consist in the belief or in the dogmas of any one church, or any observance of certain rites and priestly actions, but only in the love of God, in the suppression of all selfishness, and in active love of our fellow-creatures.

Piety does not consist in frequent attendance at church, in thoughtless prayer, in folding of hands and casting down of eyes — not in outward ceremonies and in contempt of the joys of life ; but in cheerful looking up to God, in grateful enjoyment of all gift? which rejoice, and which God has bestowed upon us.

Love of our fellow-men, no matter of what race, nationality or creed, is, next to our love of God, our most sacred duty. Everything, without exception, that does not correspond with it, or is opposed to it, is deserving of rejection.

God does not require of us that we should be Christians, or Israelites, or Mohammedans, or that we should belong to any other sect, but that we should be good and faithful men. If we honestly strive after this aim and reach it, we have fulfilled the object of our life. It is the highest aim we can reach ; all else is futile.

Two powerful influences regulate men's actions, — the submission to the will of the Supreme Being, and the predomination of our own will, — i. e., selfishness. The first produces love and peace, and the last heartlcssness and disorder.

There are no miracles, there never have been miracles, and there never can be miracles. Everything that occurs in the universe is produced according to eternal, unchangeable laws. The belief in miracles is the origin of superstition.

There is nothing supernatural, though there are things that are supersensible, — namely, natural events

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which appear to our senses as accomplished facts, but the origin and mutual connection of which we cannot comprehend nor conceive with our imperfect human senses.

Reason is the highest gift which God has given to men, and we are bound to use it. We must not believe blindly, but must meditate seriously upon our relations to God and upon our duties. Reason leads to the knowledge of truth.

Religion and science are not opposed to each other. They are the founders of the welfare of mankind and fellow-workers. Both pursue the same task, — to enlighten men, to make them better and happier.

The Bible, which Christianity calls the word of God, is, like every other book, the work of man, written by men who, like others, were subject to errors, and who, moreover, lived in an age which, in culture and knowledge, stands far behind that in which we live. The Bible, besides much that is good and beautiful, contains many errors, much that is incomprehensible, that is opposed to reason, that has no relation to religion ; much that is unholy, and for which the name, The Word of God, is altogether unsuited.

There is no other revelation than that which God has given us in nature, in the whole universe and in our own conscience.

The human spirit is immortal. Neither reward nor punishment await us after death, but a further development to a higher spiritual life, until our spirit has reached perfection and has joined the Great Spirit of the World, and has become one with it.

Toleration is the outgrowth of spiritual pride. Whoever boasts of tolerating another of different belief, arrogates the right that he ought not to tolerate him, and proudly tries to elevate himself above his fellow-men. Instead of being tolerant, we should recognize full equality with us of everybody believing differently, such as we justly claim for ourselves. Not toleration, but recognition of equality of all, is the maxim of our time and of humanity.

Liberty in public and private life cannot exist without complete justice. Liberty is not the right to do everything we wish to do, but only the right to do all which does not interfere with the rights of others*