Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Sam W. and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was made using scans of public domain works from the University of Michigan Digital Libraries.) Transcriber's Note This text contains some Greek. You may need to adjust your font for it to display properly. THE SYMPATHY OF RELIGIONS. AN ADDRESS, DELIVERED AT HORTICULTURAL HALL, BOSTON, February 6, 1870. BY THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON. BOSTON: _REPRINTED FROM THE RADICAL._ OFFICE, 25 BROMFIELD STREET. 1871. THE SYMPATHY OF RELIGIONS. BY THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON. Our true religious life begins when we discover that there is an Inner Light, not infallible but invaluable, which "lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Then we have something to steer by; and it is chiefly this, and not an anchor, that we need. The human soul, like any other noble vessel, was not built to be anchored, but to sail. An anchorage may, indeed, be at times a temporary need, in order to make some special repairs, or to take fresh cargo in; yet the natural destiny of both ship and soul is not the harbor, but the ocean; to cut with even keel the vast and beautiful expanse; to pass from island on to island of more than Indian balm, or to continents fairer than Columbus won; or, best of all, steering close to the wind, to extract motive power from the greatest obstacles. Men must forget the eternity through which they have yet to sail, when they talk of anchoring here upon this bank and shoal of time. It would be a tragedy to see the shipping of the world whitening the seas no more, and idly riding at anchor in Atlantic ports; but it would be more tragic to see a world of souls fascinated into a fatal repose and renouncing their destiny of motion.