AN AMERICAN RELIGION Work Play Breathe Bathe Study Laugh Live Love ¶ I believe that no one can harm us but ourselves; that sin is misdirected energy; that there is no devil but fear; and that the Universe is planned for good ❦ We know that work is a blessing, that Winter is as necessary as Summer, that Night is as useful as Day, that Death is a manifestation of Life, and just as good. I believe in the Now and Here. I believe in you and I believe in a power that is in ourselves that makes for righteousness ❦ ❦ ❦ [Illustration] THE PHILOSOPHY OF ELBERT HUBBARD [Illustration] THE ROYCROFTERS Copyright, 1916, by The Roycrofters ¶ Of this edition of _The Philosophy of Elbert Hubbard_ there have been printed 9983 copies on Roycroft watermarked paper, made by hand, especially for The Roycrofters, at Fabriano, Italy, and of the edition signed and numbered, this copy is Number [Illustration] ¶ Why not make this a world of friends? [Illustration] CONTENTS The American Philosophy 11 Freedom and Responsibility 25 Corporal Punishment 30 Purpled Ease 39 Consecrated Lives 57 Marriage and Divorce 65 The Taxation of Church Property 79 Free Motherhood 96 Why I Am a Philistine 104 Oral Righteousness 122 The Health Habit 128 The Elks’ Creed 134 Remember the Weekday 143 Reciprocity 148 Vaccination 153 Equal Suffrage 159 Just Boys 163 The Sea 168 Epigrams 171 CREDO _Elbert Hubbard_