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    What 
   

Has

    Religion 
   

    Done 
   

for

    Mankind? 
   

    CHAPTER 
   

I

R

    ELIGION 
   

or

no

    religion-what 
   

    shall 
   

it

be

for

me?

    That 
   

is

the

    question 
   

    every 
   

    full- 
   

    grown, 
   

    intelligent 
   

    person 
   

    must 
   

    decide 
   

    today 
   

.

    Upon 
   

    each 
   

    one's 
   

    personal 
   

    decision 
   

    depends 
   

his

    everlasting 
   

    destiny 
   

.

It

is

as

    serious 
   

as

all

    that 
   

.

We

    have 
   

to

    face 
   

the

    question 
   

and

    answer 
   

it,

be-

    cause 
   

    religion, 
   

all

    religion, 
   

is

on

    judgment 
   

in

    this 
   

    most 
   

    trying 
   

    time 
   

.

2

    Now, 
   

for

the

    first 
   

    time 
   

in

    human 
   

    history, 
   

all

the

    civilizations 
   

    that 
   

    have 
   

    survived 
   

    till 
   

    today 
   

are

in

    turmoil 
   

at

the

    same 
   

    time 
   

.

    This 
   

is

    most 
   

    unusual 
   

.

It

    must 
   

be

    very 
   

    significant 
   

.

    Religion 
   

    cannot 
   

be

    divorced 
   

    from 
   

    responsibility 
   

for

the

    situation, 
   

for

    from 
   

the

    beginning 
   

    religion 
   

has

    been 
   

    connected 
   

    with 
   

    every 
   

    civilization 
   

    that 
   

has

    arisen 
   

on

the

    face 
   

of

the

    earth 
   

.

    That 
   

is

why

it

is

    sorely 
   

    feeling 
   

the

    effects 
   

of

the

    worsening 
   

    situation 
   

.

    That 
   

is

why

it

is

    under 
   

    judgment 
   

.

Is

    history 
   

now

    overtaking 
   

    religion? 
   

Are

its

    sins, 
   

    long 
   

    indulged 
   

in,

    catching 
   

up

    with 
   

it

and

    finding 
   

it

out

    while 
   

the

    whole 
   

    world 
   

    looks 
   

on?

Is

it

now

    reaping 
   

the

    fruitage 
   

of

    what 
   

it

has

    sown 
   

for

    centuries? 
   

As

we

    endeavor 
   

to

an-

    swer 
   

all

    these 
   

    vital 
   

    questions 
   

we

    cannot 
   

    escape 
   

1

.

    What 
   

    question 
   

    must 
   

we

now

    answer? 
   

Why

is

it

so

    serious? 
   

2

.

Why

is

the

    world 
   

    situation 
   

so

    unusual, 
   

and

why

    must 
   

we

    investigate 
   

    what 
   

    religion 
   

has

    done 
   

for

    mankind? 
   

7

What Has Religion Done for Mankind? CHAPTER I ELIGION or no religion—what shall it be for me? That is the question every full grown, intelligent person must decide today. Upon each one’s personal decision depends his everlasting destiny. It is as serious as all that. We have to face the question and answer it, because religion, all religion, is on judgment in this most trying time. 2 Now, for the first time in human history, all the civilizations that have survived till today are in turmoil at the same time. This is most unusual. It must be very significant. Religion cannot be divorced from responsibility for the situation, for from the beginning religion has been connected with every civilization that has arisen on the face of the earth. That is why it is sorely feeling the effects of the worsening situation. That is why it is under judgment. Is history now overtaking religion? Are its sins, long indulged in, catching up with it and finding it out while the whole world looks on? Is it now reaping the fruitage of what it has sown for centuries? As we endeavor to answer all these vital questions we cannot escape 1. What question must we now answer? Why is it so serious? 2. Why is the world situation so unusual, and why must we investigate what religion has done for mankind? q