“It does seem to me, from books,” said Virginia, “that people are less mean, selfish and jealous than they were a hundred years ago.”
Marian smiled over to her. “You have been reading Thackeray,” she said.
“But,” said Virginia, “all people are not progressing together, for though we should find the truth now, many others will not find it for a long time. The world is like a bunch of roses, in which some are full-blown, and others are small buds.”
“Yes,” I answered her; “and for the whole to evolve, each bud must be unfolded in beauty.”
Now we said many things beside these, but these were the chief trend and conclusions of our thought. I also told them how every moment was a promise and a fulfillment, a state of the endless whole.
Next Sunday each is to tell me what he or she does mean by the word “God.”
The children were enthusiastic, uplifted, whole-hearted in their interest.
Virginia and Alfred, who stayed some time after the others, had a long discussion on good and bad, in which I refused to join.
Virginia said she thought all bad things had good results, and could be used for good.
Alfred answered he was not sure of that, but he believed bad to be a necessary part of good. He said: “If I never felt ill, I could not know I felt well.”
Virginia said: “Reason made evil, for when creatures became reasonable they knew that the things they had done before were wrong.”
I spoke of the name of our club, the Seekers. I said that I thought it expressed exactly what we meant to do.
Ruth answered that to her it seemed the only possible, natural name.
Then I read aloud Virginia’s account of the last meeting:
“A great many people think themselves too educated to believe in any of the established religions, and then don’t take the trouble to find out what they really think and what their true religion is. People have a wrong idea of the meaning of the word ‘religious.’ Consequently, as they don’t know what it means, they cannot _be_ it. Many people who go to church or temple every Sabbath, and sleep, or take note of the different costumes of the congregation during the sermon, consider themselves religious.
“We decided that we all believed in the unity of God. The truth has always been apparent to some, such as Moses and Jesus, and some of the Oriental priests. The two former tried to give the true idea to the people, but failed, as they were too poetical, and the people believed too literally. The latter tried to keep the people in ignorance, as it gave them power, and they therefore told the people what they themselves knew to be untruths.