"Were I a religionist did I truly, firmly, consistently believe as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another life, religion should be to me everything. I would cast aside earthly thoughts and feelings as less than vanity.  Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image when sleep sunk me into unconsciousness. I would labor for her cause alone.  I wouldn't labor for the meat that perishes nor for treasures on earth but only for a crown of glory in the heavenly regions where treasures and happiness are alike beyond the reach of time and chance.  I would take thought to the morrow of eternity alone.  I would esteem one soul gained to heaven worth a lifetime of suffering.  There should be neither worldly prudence nor calculating circumspection in my engrossing zeal.  Earthly consequences should never stay my hand or seal my lips.  I would speak to the imagination, awaken the feelings, stir up the passions, arouse the fancy.  Earth: its joys and its griefs should never occupy a moment of my thoughts for these are but the affairs of a portion of eternity so small that no language can express it's comparatively infinite littleness.  I should strive to look but on eternity and on the immortal souls around me soon to be everlastingly miserable or everlastingly happy.  I would deem all who thought only of this world, merely seeking to increase temporal happiness, and laboring to obtain temporal goods; I would deem all such as purely madmen.  I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season.  And my text should be "what should it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul."

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