Oahspe (New Essenes, Es'eans, Aseneans, Essenes & Esseneans)

When a man holds up a book, and says, "You must believe this, because it says, 'Thus saith the Lord,'" should we not pity that man? Does he comprehend the liberty of man to acquire knowledge?

Any book that imparts knowledge of the life and destiny of man, is a good book. Any book that unfolds the character and person of Jehovih, and the wonder and glory of His creations, is a good book.

When a book gives us information of things we know not of, it should also give us a method of proving that information to be true. This book covers that ground.

The day has arrived, when man will not accept proclamations and assertions; he wants plausible reasons, or substantial proofs, that the authority be not merely a presence, but a demonstrable fact.

The time of man-worship is at an end; readers no longer accept a book as good and great, merely because any certain one wrote it. The book must have merits of its own, otherwise it will soon pass out of existence.

If a book were to fall down from the sky with Jehovih's signature to it, man would not accept the book on that account. Why, then, should anything be said about how this book was written? It is not a destroyer of old systems or religions. It reveals a new one, adapted to this age, wherein all men can be as brethren.

NEW YORK