Bishops especially, and pluralists in particular, nurse in their hearts this saying: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth." No, poor men, they think too much about their heavenly Father! A few thousand! a year are quite sufficient for them. And Christian bankers and millionaires equally regard the injunction. This is a Christian country, and we are a Christian people, and our various provident and benefit societies and savings' banks tell how we esteem this command: "Take no thought for the morrow, saying, What shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed?" We don't think of the morrow merely, but of years to come, and he who is the most careful in providing for the future, is most honoured amongst men. Now all these impracticable and extravagant commands are taken from the much-vaunted Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus said, whosoever heard them, and obeyed them, he would liken unto a _wise_ man; but whosoever obeyed them not, he would liken unto a foolish man. It may be an honour to be deemed foolish in such a case; but what shall we say of the professing Christian, who considers himself so much superior to the Freethinker, and who boasts of his principles being the checks which keep him moral, and says that if it had not been for his blessed Saviour the world would have been lost? Why, out of the mouth of Jesus himself he is proved to be a hypocrite and foolish, for he does what is solemnly condemned, and leaves undone what is strictly enjoined. "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people _were_ astonished at his doctrine." And can any rational inquirer be astonished at that? On reading over these Gospels calmly, and seeing what are attributed to Jesus as his sayings and doings, one is amazed at the credulity of the world in allowing such a stupendous delusion as the Christian religion to be palmed upon it as something divine derived direct from Deity. After this startling sermon, great multitudes followed Jesus, and wherever he went he healed the sick and performed miracles, but he generally enjoined the convalescents not to mention to any one what he had done. The reason for this is not given, but if one may make a conjecture, it was either because he had really worked no cure at all, or else he was afraid of having too many demands made upon his time. We are told that when "Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side" of the water, that he might get away from them. Before he departed, a disciple said unto him, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead." Is this an instance of meekness?