The Story of My Mind; Or, How I Became a Rationalist

The Story of My Mind; Or, How I Became a Rationalist is a candid narrative tracing the author's intellectual and spiritual evolution from a traditional Christian upbringing to a committed Rationalist stance. Baptized and raised in the Congregational church, with early expectations to enter the Christian ministry, the author pursued theological studies and became a Presbyterian pastor. However, a life-threatening robbery in Asia Minor profoundly challenged his belief in divine providence, sparking doubts that deepened as he engaged with thinkers like Emerson and Theodore Parker. This internal conflict led him to resign from the Presbyterian church voluntarily, marking the start of a difficult but determined break from orthodox Calvinism.

In the years following, the author explored various religious and philosophical alternatives. He found some moral support among Unitarians, who offered hospitality without demanding strict adherence, yet he resisted fully joining them due to their lingering supernatural claims and theological compromises. Spiritualism appeared as another tempting path, promising hope of immortality and financial backing, but he remained skeptical, critiquing its lack of evidence and the inconceivability of its claims. He also examined attempts to reconcile religion and reason, such as Orlando Smith's book 'Balance,' which posited a universal law of equilibrium; however, he found such efforts flawed by mixing scientific ideas with unproven theological assumptions.

The author then engaged with the Ethical Movement, initially attracted by its Rationalistic and atheistic stance focused on ethics divorced from creed. He collaborated with Ethical Societies in Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago, but grew critical as the movement shifted away from its original principles, softening its opposition to church doctrines and encouraging members to remain church-affiliated. He saw this as a betrayal, arguing that true morality requires overthrowing religious dogma, which he believed often undermined ethical behavior by prioritizing faith over reason. He contrasted this accommodation with the uncompromising Rationalist Society he later led in Chicago, which he described as successful and fulfilling, emphasizing intellectual freedom and the necessity of confronting religious tyranny.

Addressing common objections to Rationalism, the author critiques religious consolations offered in times of suffering and death, exposing clergy's pretended certainties and the inadequacy of comforting illusions. He challenges poetic assertions like Browning's 'God's in His Heaven, all's right with the world,' and questions the meaning of thanking God for pain after tragedies. He defends Rationalism's critical stance as essential for truth and growth, rejecting the idea that it cruelly removes comforting 'crutches' from the weak, instead promoting genuine strength through intellectual honesty.

The work also presents a broad critique of religion itself, viewing all faiths as human inventions reflecting their creators' cultures and traits rather than divine truths. The author examines major world religions, highlighting their exclusiveness, intolerance, and historical link to violence and persecution. He praises figures like Buddha and Confucius for their rational and ethical teachings free from supernaturalism, while criticizing doctrines that promote cruelty or pessimism. He argues that religious scriptures, while limited by their times, represent humanity's early attempts to understand life and the universe, akin to primitive science.

Finally, the author reflects on the evolution from religion to science, portraying ancient rites and texts as early efforts to control and explain the world. He uses vivid metaphors, such as the pope holding the keys of heaven and hell, to symbolize mankind's enduring desire for mastery over existence. Declaring that the era of faiths is over, he asserts that science and liberty of thought have become the foundations of modern civilization, inviting readers to embrace intellectual freedom as essential to truth, goodness, and human progress.