Rationalist's Manual

Most of us have been born and bred under the influence of some form of religious superstition, which was imposed upon us, from a very proper sense of duty, by our parents. But parents, though having complete control over the education of their children, cannot commit them, when they arrive at years of discretion, to any particular line of thought or opinion. If this were possible, in what a state of appalling ignorance should we be now! The world progresses, and why? Because knowledge progresses.

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Every generation adds something to the knowledge of the preceding one. Our parents acted up to their lights, and may their memories be held in honor and esteem. But, when the enlightenment of the age causes us to exchange the superstitions of our youth, instilled into us from our infancy upwards, for something better, wiser, and more in accordance with the advancement of science and knowledge, it becomes necessary for us to test the teaching we have received, and inform ourselves as to what we must reject and what we may safely retain.

It is all very well to say, "Study science and philosophy;" but how many of us are in a position to do this? Only the limited few. How are poor people, and those who have not had the advantage of a scientific education, to know what is right and true? And if we take from them that religious belief which has for so long acted, not only as a power for good in the land, but as a recognized motive to right living, we must give them something definite in return. We must give them a better, higher, more real motive for right living.

This has been the object which the Author has had in view in compiling the following pages. He has endeavored to furnish sufficient information to enable the least pretentious student to give a reason for the faith that is in him. The articles are necessarily short, for he has confined himself as much as possible to main points.

He hopes that his critics will bear with him in the difficult task he has undertaken; and if his little manual helps even one inquirer to a knowledge of "what is truth," or assists in uniting, in however small a measure, individuals of similar schools of thought, be they known as Freethinkers, Rationalists, Secularists, Agnostics, or Atheists (for union is strength), he will have obtained his reward.

He wishes to express his acknowledgment and indebtedness to the authors from whose works he has so freely drawn.