an has been described as �incurably religious.� This is but another way of saying that
religion is a universal phenomenon. Missionaries testify to its presence in some form or
other, among all the nations and tribes of the earth. It is one of the most remarkable
phenomena of the life of man, touching the deepest springs of his spiritual existence,
controlling his thoughts, stirring his emotions, and guiding his actions. While it is
generally hailed as one of the greatest blessings of mankind, some denounce it as one of
the most pernicious factors in the life of the world. But even its greatest enemies cannot
deny its paramount significance and its tremendous influence in the lives of individuals and
nations. It naturally forces itself upon the attention of all serious minded people. Even the
philosopher Hume, though a radical skeptic and opponent of the supernatural, once said:
�Look out for a people entirely void of religion, and if you find them at all, be assured that
they are but a few degrees removed from the brutes.�