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GENERAL SURVEY AND CONCLUSIONS
(v) science, which has finally consoled itself with the belief that there is to be an eternal peaceful end in the grave, there being happily no soul to worry one with its future destiny;
(vi) physical strength, which has deteriorated in some places quite appreciably and which must further deteriorate as an inevitable result of privations, pestilence and perennial wars; and
(vii) peace of mind, which is almost impossible without Religion, and which in many cases is being throttled by the high-pressure speed of modern civilization.
These deteriorations are most pronounced in India and in certain other parts of Asia, but the turn of others is coming. The European Mahabharata has already laid the foundation of suffering and distress in the West, and the trend of the civilization of our times, with its soul-less politics and aspirations that do not admit of any one living for long in peace, may be depended upon for completing the work of ruin in due course of time. One of the prophecies of religion is that there would be no fire left after 18500 years hence, and it is significant that coal is diminishing fast! Be that as it may, I am not here to regale you with prophecies. These are bad times undoubtedly, and worse are still in store, though we may fairly expect an occa
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