of idle dabbling, now in this subject and now in that, but after a while he would have found that though we were weak creatures, with no pretence to special knowledge in any subject, we at least knew what we meant, and tried to accomplish it.  For my own part, I was happy when I had struck that path.  I felt as if somehow, after many errors, I had once more gained a road, a religion in fact, and one which essentially was not new but old, the religion of the Reconciliation, the reconciliation of man with God; differing from the current creed in so far as I did not lay stress upon sin as the cause of estrangement, but yet agreeing with it in making it my duty of duties to suppress revolt, and to submit calmly and sometimes cheerfully to the Creator.  This surely, under a thousand disguises, has been the meaning of all the forms of worship which we have seen in the world.  Pain and death are nothing new, and men have been driven into perplexed scepticism, and even insurrection by them, ever since men came into being.  Always, however, have the majority, the vast majority of the race, felt instinctively that in this scepticism and insurrection they could not abide, and they have struggled more or less blindly after explanation; determined not to desist till they had found it, and reaching a result embodied in a multitude of shapes irrational and absurd to the superficial scoffer, but of profound interest to the thoughtful.  I may observe, in passing, that this is a reason why all great religions should be treated with respect, and in a certain sense preserved.  It is nothing less than a wicked waste of accumulated human strivings to sneer them out of existence.  They will be found, every one of them, to have incarnated certain vital doctrines which it has cost centuries of toil and devotion properly to appreciate.  Especially is this true of the Catholic faith, and if it were worth while, it might be shown how it is nothing less than a divine casket of precious remedies, and if it is to be brutally broken, it will take ages to rediscover and restore them.  Of one thing I am certain, that their rediscovery and restoration will be necessary.  I cannot too earnestly insist upon the need of our holding, each man for himself, by some faith which shall anchor him.  It must not be taken up by chance.  We must fight for it, for only so will it become our faith.  The halt in indifference or in hostility is easy enough and seductive enough.  The half-hearted thinks that when he has attained that stage he has completed the term of human wisdom.  I say go on:  do not stay there; do not take it for granted that there is nothing beyond; incessantly attempt an advance, and at last a light, dim it may be, will arise.  It will not be a completed system, perfect in all points, an answer to all our questions, but at least it will give ground for hope.