Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-01
CARD anon REV. Mr. 1HoesE.
YAxkrox, d. T.. June. lss., 1878.

YASKrox, d. T.. juno. LIST. 1878.
Editors Press and Dak0kdtan:
. A discussion having recently arisen II
your paper. in which my name has beer
Chased with men charged with tpiidel''y
and tue holding Of indefinite religious
views, will you oblige me by publishing the
following card, setting forth in brief the
principles or creed on which all my tcacl.
ines have been based for the last ten years,
and IN accordance with which they are
likely to be uttered for the rest of my life.
This creed was first published In the
| Wilmington. Del, daily papers In the
spring Of 1872. 1t was again republtshed
In the Philadelphia Public Ledger, and
Daily Times. and in the Camden Daily
Post, last fall, in connection with q course
ofsundsy afternoon lectures on the Science
of Religion" which I gave in the lecture
room Of the new Academy of Fine Arte, at
Philadelphia.
This creed, therefore. has met the eyes Of
about two hundred and fifty thousand
readers, and 10 response to 1t l have re
ccived numerous letters from able men
commencing it as the only creed that car
satisfy the reason and religious spirit O
these times, but nc man has ever ye'
charged it or its author with expressing in
fidelity or indefinite views.
I ask no man to subscribe to it. unit,
Church" in this place will be in no man
ner pledged to it; but 1 am pledged to it a
an expression of Gods eternal truth ant
justic and mercy, and am prepared I % de
tend it at all times and in all places by wore
or deed. as indnitly superior to the fadet
and enslaving othodoxy that many sincer'
men are still trying to uphold:
RELIGIOUS RATIoNAL1sM, CREED IN BRIEF
1. The Unity. Eternity. and Divinity Of
the Universe; God 10 1t and 1t in God, from
Eternity TO Eternity.
2. The natural evolution Of every finite
form any order of life, thought, worship,
and being in the universe.
5. The mortality of each finite object
and being, including worlds and men; eter.
nal invOluti0n and eternal evolution icing
the divine order Of nature.
4. All forms of human evil and suffering
are the natural. necessary oufgrow,hs OF
ignorance. or sclfishness; and character,
which is as is the incarnation of truth and
justice in esch human being, always has
been. Is now. and ever will be the sole
salvation aud hope Of man.
S. The greatest characters" in the
above sense, always have been the great.
est saviours. are 10 and ever will be, and
the saved are those most like them.
6. Religious worship. beginning with
notwithstanding, has grown to Herowor-
sh;r, Relic worship, Nature worship, Poly.
theism, Tii,Ecism. Duslism, Deism, The
ism, PATH. ism: aud Co:mothei>m, or r.
igious r tinnalism, and, while all wor.hip
"I su7rri"r ly infcr,"r be!ngs is elcva,inp.
Md all rr''g ons Of the past and prrsen, MS
20 Cd as p'ss,b e IT Tie time, Yet the UNI
versal religion niuat be based gu universal
na%!ural-spir:tlal laws. ard the purest
and ,ruest wprshipis the worship OF tie
universe! spirit acne.
Z. While all var;tics Of t,u'hs are valu-
able and useful, The largest spiritual truths
and worships are mo-, helpful ard ~inslir.
ing 10 mankind.
w II TunuNE