If the professors of all the sciences had claimed that the knowledge they had was given by inspiration--that it was absolutely true, and that there was no necessity of examining further, not only, but that it was a kind of blasphemy to doubt--all the sciences would have remained as stationary as religion has. Just to the extent that the Bible was appealed to in matters of science, science was retarded; and just to the extent that science has been appealed to in matters of religion, religion has advanced--so that now the object of intelligent religionists is to adopt a creed that will bear the test and criticism of science. Another thing may be alluded to in this connection. All the countries of the world are now, and have been for years, open to us. The ideas of other people--their theories, their religions--are now known; and we have ascertained that the religions of all people have exactly the same foundation as our own--that they all arose in the same way, were substantiated in the same way, were maintained by the same means, having precisely the same objects in view. For many years, the learned of the religious world were examining the religions of other countries, and in that work they established certain rules of criticism--pursued certain lines of argument--by which they overturned the claims of those religions to supernatural origin. After this had been successfully done, others, using the same methods on our religion, pursuing the same line of argument, succeeded in overturning ours. We have found that all miracles rest on the same basis--that all wonders were born of substantially the same ignorance and the same fear. The intelligence of the world is far better distributed than ever before. The historical outlines of all countries are well known. The arguments for and against all systems of religion are generally understood. The average of intelligence is far higher than ever before. All discoveries become almost immediately the property of the whole civilized world, and all thoughts are distributed by the telegraph and press with such rapidity, that provincialism is almost unknown. The egotism of ignorance and seclusion is passing away. The prejudice of race and religion is growing feebler, and everywhere, to a greater extent than ever before, the light is welcome. These are a few of the reasons why creeds are crumbling, and why such a change has taken place in the religious world. Only a few years ago the pulpit was an intellectual power. The pews listened with wonder, and accepted without question. There was something sacred about the preacher. He was different from other mortals. He had bread to eat which they knew not of. He was oracular, solemn, dignified, stupid.