This
is a strange place, and extraordinary
place, and interesting. There
is nothing resembling it at
home. The people are all insane,
the other animals are all insane,
the earth is insane, Nature
itself is insane. Man is a
marvelous curiosity. When he
is at his very very best he
is a sort of low grade nickel-plated
angel; at is worst he is unspeakable,
unimaginable; and first and
last and all the time he is
a sarcasm. Yet he blandly and
in all sincerity calls himself
the "noblest work of God." This
is the truth I am telling you.
And this is not a new idea
with him, he has talked it
through all the ages, and believed
it. Believed it, and found
nobody among all his race to
laugh at it.
Moreover
-- if I may put another strain
upon you -- he thinks he is
the Creator's pet. He believes
the Creator is proud of him;
he even believes the Creator
loves him; has a passion for
him; sits up nights to admire
him; yes, and watch over him
and keep him out of trouble.
He prays to Him, and thinks
He listens. Isn't it a quaint
idea? Fills his prayers with
crude and bald and florid flatteries
of Him, and thinks He sits
and purrs over these extravagancies
and enjoys them. He prays for
help, and favor, and protection,
every day; and does it with
hopefulness and confidence,
too, although no prayer of
his has ever been answered.
The daily affront, the daily
defeat, do not discourage him,
he goes on praying just the
same. There is something almost
fine about this perseverance.
I must put one more strain
upon you: he thinks he is going
to heaven!
He
has salaried teachers who tell
him that. They also tell him
there is a hell, of everlasting
fire, and that he will go to
it if he doesn't keep the Commandments.
What are Commandments? They
are a curiosity. I will tell
you about them by and by. |