Analysis of the Influence of Natural Religion on the Temporal Happiness of

Excerpt from Analysis of the Influence of Natural Religion on the Temporal Happiness of Mankind (Classic Reprint)HE following pages present a temperate, and I hope a satisfactory, examination of the temporal good or evil produced by Natural Religion. The topic is of um speakable importance, and has by no means met with the attention which it deserves. It has indeed scarcely ever been separately considered, and those who have contro verted the truth of religion have suffered themselves with but little opposition to be decried as inflicting the deepest injury upon humanity — as corrupting the most effectual source both of rectitude and of consolation — and as robbing mankind of doctrines, which, supposing they were false, ought nevertheless to have been invented and inculcated. Such has been the current opinion on the subject: and it need not he remarked how strong must have been the inclination of an audience so prepossessed, to support that which they regarded as the firmest tie and protection of society. It is therefore essentially requisite, before the question as to the truth of religion can be brought to a fair' and unbiassed decision, to estimate correctly the advantages or disadvantages which result from its adoption. If the esti mate of these advantages drawn up by its advocates be really well-founded, we may safely pronounce that no anti religious writer could possibly make a convert, even though he were armed with demonstration as rigorous as that of Euclid.