An Epitaph: G. P. Spencer

Science has never killed or persecuted a single person for doubting or denying its teaching, and most of these teaching have been true; but religion has murdered millions for doubting or denying her dogmas and most of these dogmas have been false. 

All stories about gods and devils, of heavens and hells, as they do not conform to nature, and are not apparent to sense, should be rejected without consideration. 

Beyond the universe there is nothing and within the universe the supernatural does not and cannot exist. 

Of all deceivers who have plagued mankind, none are so deeply ruinous to human happiness as those imposters who pretend to lead by a light above nature. 

The lips of the dead are closed forever. There comes no voice from the tomb. Christianity is responsible for having cast the fable of eternal fire over almost every grave. 

G. P. Spencer 1908 epitaph

The above is engraved on the entombment for G.P Spencer and his wife Annett M. Caswell Spencer at Lyndon Center Cemetery in Lyndon, VT.

I always do my own research before I post here. According to the burial and genealogy records I have found, the person buried here is named Gratis P. Spencer. His wife Annett died in 1916 and is buried beside him.

I noticed in my research that many others have posted this epitaph to their blogs/sites and most have it attributed to George P. Spencer, as did the blogger I first saw post this. Either way, this gravesite does exist and the above is engraved on it. 

The story is, Spencer was a stonecutter and engraved this himself before he died.

*pictures taken by KimPS (genealogy nut)