I said to myself, "Christ was but a man; and
the reason why He so much excelled all other men was, that He acted
freely, without regard to the traditions of the elders, the law of
Moses, or any authority but that of His own untrammelled mind. I will
follow the same course. I will free myself from the prejudices of my
education, from the influence of my surroundings, and from the authority
of all existing laws and religions, and be my own sole ruler, my own
sole counsellor, my own sole guide. I will act with regard to the
religion of Christ, as Christ acted with regard to the religion of
Moses; obey it, abolish it, or modify it, as its different parts may
require. I will act with regard to the Church authorities of my time as
Jesus acted with regard to the Scribes and Pharisees of His day; I will
set them aside. I will be a man; a free, self-ruled, and self-developed
man."
Alas, I little knew the terrible possibilities of the nature of man when
left to itself. I had no conception of its infinite weakness with regard
to what is good, or its fearful capabilities with regard to what is bad.
I had no idea of the infinite amount of evil that lay concealed in the
human heart, ready, when unrepressed, to unfold itself, and take all
horrible forms of vice and folly.
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