so bloodthirsty and brutal, that one cannot now read of them without a shudder of repulsion.  Nevertheless, from the very first dawn of his intelligence, man appears always to have felt the necessity of believing in something stronger and more lasting than himself,—­and his first gropings for truth led him to evolve desperate notions of something more cruel, more relentless, and more wicked than himself, rather than ideals of something more beautiful, more just, more faithful and more loving than he could be.  The dawn of Christianity brought the first glimmering suggestion that a gospel of love and pity might be more serviceable in the end to the needs of the world, than a ruthless code of slaughter and vengeance--though history shows us that the annals of Christianity itself are stained with crime and shamed by the shedding of innocent blood.  Only in these latter days has the world become faintly conscious of the real Force working behind and through all things—­the soul of the Divine, or the Psychic element, animating and inspiring all visible and invisible Nature.  This soul of the Divine—­this Psychic element, however, is almost entirely absent from the teaching of the Christian creed to-day, with the result that the creed itself is losing its power.  I venture to say that a very small majority of the millions of persons worshipping in the various forms of the Christian Church really and truly believe what they publicly profess.  Clergy and laity alike are tainted with this worst of all hypocrisies—­that of calling God to witness their faith when they know they are faithless.  It may be asked how I dare to make such an assertion?  I dare, because I know!  It would be impossible to the people of this or any other country to honestly believe the Christian creed, and yet continue to live as they do.  Their lives give the lie to their avowed religion, and it is this daily spectacle of the daily life of governments, trades, professions and society which causes me to feel that the general aspect of Christendom at the present day, with all its Churches and solemn observances, is one of the most painful and profound hypocrisy.  You who read this page,—­(possibly with indignation) you call yourself a Christian, no doubt.  But are you?  Do you truly think that when death shall come to you it is really not death, but the simple transition into another and better life?  Do you believe in the actual immortality of your soul, and do you realise what it means?  You do?  You are quite sure?  Then, do you live as one convinced of it?  Are you quite indifferent to the riches and purely material advantages of this world?—­are you as happy in poverty as in wealth, and are you independent of social esteem?  Are you bent on the very highest and most unselfish ideals of life and conduct?  I do not say you are not; I merely ask if you are.  If your answer is in the affirmative, do not give the lie to your creed by your daily habits, conversation and manners; for this is what thousands of professing Christians do, and the clergy are by no means exempt.