Not only from their immediate, personal teachings came awful fears of what must be the fate of all who were under the judgment as set forth by the unbalanced minds of such as these; but the long ineradicable chain of influences that haunt, and torture the minds of good folks, even to this day.  The utter lack of wisdom and knowledge of God’s laws and providence, in the realm of theological teachings, is undoubtedly the cause of much of the diablerie of the world today.

If all the priests and parsons who have ever infested this earth with their blasphemous theology were to unite their fiendish forces in a concentrated effort to doom one human soul—­one spirit—­to be burned forever in the endless hell fires which they have so long exulted in holding up over poor, wretched, ignorant peoples, they could not do it!  They have had a glorious time persecuting, torturing, burning and slaying human bodies, driving millions of innocent inhabitants off the planet, who had just as much right to this—­their home—­as had, or can ever have any set of bloodthirsty ruffians, claiming their commissions from God Almighty!  How thoughtless, expecting the religionists to put aside this, their most cherished dogma, of “eternal punishment in hell fires!” What would they have left to scare folks with, and make them hand over their dollars, and what, O what! vent could they have for their own natural, pure cussedness?

THE COMMONPLACE.

Great is the god Commonplace, and his prophets of the accredited order of the “Common, ornary Kusses” are legion.  They are of both sexes and of every race, age and condition.  Consent to render homage to their Deity by confessing by word and deed that every man is as good as another and better too, and they will continue to smile openly; but, in secret, they will prey upon you.  Their capable emissaries go around with measuring line and shears, alert to discover, and ready to reduce to the proper dimensions anyone who shall dare to outgrow their prescribed proportions.  You can never know when you are safe from their incursions.

The dignified old man who sits next you at your hotel table seeming to be entirely preoccupied by the discussion of his dinner, may only be biding his time, waiting an excuse to deliver you over to their insatiable maw, to be dealt with according to the rules of their society.  Or, perhaps the lady who in the first flush of your acquaintance quite dazzles you with her fluent chat upon multitudinous topics, suddenly, upon finding you unguardedly expressing opinions not approved by the high priests of mediocrity, lets fall her mask, and shows herself to your astonished gaze a secret emissary, a determined servant of their most ancient and established order.  “Thus far,” so far as we can accompany you, “shalt thou go and no farther” at your peril.  Woe to the soul that yields a ready obedience to the master’s voice, that is ever calling to all who can hear: