[13] It may not be out of place to mention here that various Ethical Societies in England (and her Colonies), Europe, and America are doing all they can to meet the ethical needs of Agnostics, and their efforts deserve far greater support than they have yet received from the wealthy. For this want of sympathy there are many obvious reasons—reasons, fortunately, that will disappear in the near future. It will be urged that the truly pious and honest believer finds prayer of the greatest help towards right conduct, while the unbelieving ethicist is destitute of this aid. I do not propose now to discuss the ethical value of prayer, or consider the causes of its success and failure; but I would ask the reader to refer to my remarks in Chapter VI. on the psychology of prayer. Personally, I am of opinion that the practice of auto-suggestion may prove useful to those in need of such assistance, and that one day (let us hope at no distant date) psychical research will lead to the discovery of a complete and scientific method for the toughening of our moral fibres. See also further note in the Appendix.
[14] Mr. H. G. Wells furnishes us with some novel ideas on this point in his book, A Modern Utopia, chap. vii., §§ 2–5. If we cannot prevent degenerates from marrying, at least we can abolish an environment that assists heredity in their production. See also Appendix.
[15] See pp. 25–6 of Stanley de Brath’s The Foundations of Success.
[16] See Prince Kropotkin’s articles in The Nineteenth Century and After (August, 1904, and March, 1905), entitled “The Ethical Need of the Present Day” and “The Morality of Nature.” Anyone wishing to know why we must lead the moral life should not fail to read these instructive articles, and also Dr. Saleeby’s Evolution: The Master-Key.
[17] Prince Kropotkin in The Nineteenth Century and After.
[18] “Rationalism may be defined as the mental attitude which unreservedly accepts the supremacy of reason and aims at establishing a system of philosophy and ethics verifiable by experience and independent of all arbitrary assumptions or authority” (from the Memorandum of the Aims and Objects of the Rationalist Press Association).
[19] Closing words of Professor Huxley’s essay, Science and Morals.
[20] Essay entitled “An Episcopal Trilogy,” p. 312 of Essays on Controverted Questions (Macmillan & Co.).
[21] Art. “Why Live a Moral Life?” in the Agnostic Annual, 1895.
[22] Art. “Why Live a Moral Life?” in the Agnostic Annual, 1905.