I fear all our attempts to produce political happiness by the solitary influence of human reason will be as fruitless as the search for the philosopher’s stone. It seems to be reserved to Christianity alone to produce universal, moral, political, and physical happiness.
 
Reason produces, it is true, great and popular truths, but it affords motives too feeble to induce mankind to act agreeably to them. Christianity unfolds the same truths and accompanies them with motives, agreeable, powerful, and irresistible.
 
I anticipate nothing but suffering to the human race while the present systems of paganism, deism, and atheism prevail in the world. New England may escape the storm which impends our globe, but, if she does, it will only be by adhering to the religious principles and moral habits of the first settlers of that country.
 
~ Benjamin Rush ~