course of a few days。 That did not seem to me so very much stranger
than it was that an egg should turn into a chicken。 What can I say
to that？ Only that it is the Lord's doings； and marvellous in my
eyes； and if our philosophical friend should find some little live
creatures； or what seem to be live creatures； in any of his messes； I
should say as much； and no more。 You do not think I would shut up my
Bible and Prayer…Book because there is one more thing I do not
understand in a world where I understand so very little of all the
wonders that surround me？
It may be very wrong to pay any attention to those speculations about
the origin of mankind which seem to conflict with the Sacred Record。
But perhaps there is some way of reconciling them； as there is of
making the seven days of creation harmonize with modern geology。 At
least； these speculations are curious enough in themselves； and I
have seen so many good and handsome children come of parents who were
anything but virtuous and comely； that I can believe in almost any
amount of improvement taking place in a tribe of living beings； if
time and opportunity favor it。 I have read in books of natural
history that dogs came originally from wolves。 When I remember my
little Flora； who； as I used to think； could do everything but talk；
it does not seem to me that she was much nearer her savage ancestors
than some of the horrid cannibal wretches are to their neighbors the
great apes。
You see that I am tolerably liberal in my habit of looking at all
these questions。 We women drift along with the current of the times；
listening； in our quiet way； to the discussions going on round us in
books and in conversation； and shift the phrases in which we think
and talk with something of the same ease as that with which we change
our style of dress from year to year。 I doubt if you of the other
sex know what an effect this habit of accommodating our tastes to
changing standards has upon us。 Nothing is fixed in them； as you
know； the very law of fashion is change。 I suspect we learn from our
dressmakers to shift the costume of our minds； and slip on the new
fashions of thinking all the more easily because we have been。
accustomed to new styles of dressing every season。
It frightens me to see how much I have written without having yet
said a word of what I began this letter on purpose to say。 I have
taken so much space in 〃defining my position；〃 to borrow the
politicians' phrase； that I begin to fear you will be out of patience
before you come to the part of my letter I care most about your
reading。
What I want to say is this。 When these matters are talked about
before persons of different ages and various shades of intelligence；
I think one ought to be very careful that his use of language does
not injure the sensibilities； perhaps blunt the reverential feelings；
of those who are listening to him。 You of the sterner sex say that
we women have intuitions； but not logic； as our birthright。 I shall
not commit my sex by conceding this to be true as a whole； but I will
accept the first half of it； and I will go so far as to say that we
do not always care to follow out a train of thought until it ends in
a blind cul de sac； as some of what are called the logical people are
fond of doing。
Now I want to remind you that religion is not a matter of
intellectual luxury to those of us who are interested in it； but
something very different。 It is our life； and more than our life；
for that is measured by pulse…beats； but our religious consciousness
partakes of the Infinite； towards which it is constantly yearning。
It is very possible that a hundred or five hundred years from now the
forms of religious belief may be so altered that we should hardly
know them。 But the sense of dependence on Divine influence and the
need of communion with the unseen and eternal will be then just what
they are now。 It is not the geologist's hammer； or the astronomer's
telescope； or the naturalist's microscope； that is going to take away
the need of the human soul for that Rock to rest upon which is higher
than itself； that Star which never sets； that all…pervading Presence
which gives life to all the least moving atoms of the immeasurable
universe。
I have no fears for myself； and listen very quietly to all your
debates。 I go from your philosophical discussions to the reading of
Jeremy Taylor's 〃Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying 〃 without feeling
that I have unfitted myself in the least degree for its solemn
reflections。 And； as I have mentioned his name； I cannot help saying
that I do not believe that good man himself would have ever shown the
bitterness to those who seem to be at variance with the received
doctrines which one may see in some of the newspapers that call
themselves 〃religious。〃 I have kept a few old books from my honored
father's library； and among them is another of his which I always
thought had more true Christianity in its title than there is in a
good many whole volumes。 I am going to take the book down； or up；
for it is not a little one；and write out the title； which； I dare
say； you remember； and very likely you have the book。 〃Discourse of
the Liberty of Prophesying； showing the Unreasonableness of
prescribing to other Men's Faith； and the Iniquity of persecuting
Different Opinions。〃
Now； my dear sir； I am sure you believe that I want to be liberal and
reasonable； and not to act like those weak alarmists who； whenever
the silly sheep begin to skip as if something was after them； and
huddle together in their fright； are sure there must be a bear or a
lion coming to eat them up。 But for all that； I want to beg you to
handle some of these points； which are so involved in the creed of a
good many well…intentioned persons that you cannot separate them from
it without picking their whole belief to pieces； with more thought
for them than you might think at first they were entitled to。 I have
no doubt you gentlemen are as wise as serpents； and I want you to be
as harmless as doves。
The Young Girl who sits by me has； I know； strong religious
instincts。 Instead of setting her out to ask all sorts of questions；
I would rather； if I had my way； encourage her to form a habit of
attending to religious duties； and make the most of the simple faith
in which she was bred。 I think there are a good many questions young
persons may safely postpone to a more convenient season； and as this
young creature is overworked； I hate to have her excited by the fever
of doubt which it cannot be denied is largely prevailing in our time。
I know you must have looked on our other young friend； who has
devoted himself to the sublimest of the sciences； with as much
interest as I do。 When I was a little girl I used to write out a
line of Young's as a copy in my writing…book；
〃An undevout astronomer is mad〃；
but I do not now feel quite so sure that the contemplation of all the
multitude of remote worlds does not tend to weaken the idea of a
personal Deity。 It is not so much that nebular theory which worries
me； when I think about this subject； as a kind of bewilderment when I
try to conceive of a consciousness filling all those frightful blanks
of space they talk about。 I sometimes doubt whether that young man
worships anything but the stars。 They tell me that many young
students of science like him never see the inside of a church。 I
cannot help wishing they did。 It humanizes people； quite apart from
any higher influence it exerts upon them。 One reason； perhaps； why
they do not care to go to places of worship is that they are liable
to hear the questions they know something about handled in sermons by
those who know very much less about them。 And so they lose a great
deal。 Almost every human being； however vague his notions of the
Power addressed； is capable of being lifted and solemnized by the
exercise of public prayer。 When I was a young girl we travelled in
Europe； and I visited Ferney with my parents； and I remember we all
stopped before a chapel； and I read upon its front； I knew Latin
enough to understand it； I am pleased to say；Deo erexit Voltaire。
I never forgot it； and knowing what a sad scoffer he was at most
sacred things； I could not but be impressed with the fact that even
he was not satisfied with himself； until he had shown his devotion in
a public and lasting form。
We all want religion sooner or later。 I am afraid there are some who
have no natural turn for it； as there are persons without an ear for
music； to which； if I remember right； I heard one of you comparing
what you called religious genius。 But sorrow and misery bring even
these to know what it means； in a great many instances。 May I not
say to you； my friend； that I am one who has learned the secret of
the inner life by the discipline of trials in the life of outward
circumstance？ I can remember the time when I thought more about the
shade of color in a ribbon； whether it matched my complexion or not；
than I did about my spiritual interests in this world or the next。
It was needful that I should learn the meaning of that text； 〃Whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth。〃
Sin