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If we take any other doctrine that has been called old…fashioned
we shall find the case the same。 It is the same； for instance；
in the deep matter of the Trinity。 Unitarians （a sect never to be
mentioned without a special respect for their distinguished intellectual
dignity and high intellectual honour） are often reformers by the
accident that throws so many small sects into such an attitude。
But there is nothing in the least liberal or akin to reform in
the substitution of pure monotheism for the Trinity。 The complex
God of the Athanasian Creed may be an enigma for the intellect；
but He is far less likely to gather the mystery and cruelty
of a Sultan than the lonely god of Omar or Mahomet。 The god
who is a mere awful unity is not only a king but an Eastern king。
The HEART of humanity； especially of European humanity； is certainly
much more satisfied by the strange hints and symbols that gather
round the Trinitarian idea； the image of a council at which mercy
pleads as well as justice； the conception of a sort of liberty
and variety existing even in the inmost chamber of the world。
For Western religion has always felt keenly the idea 〃it is not
well for man to be alone。〃 The social instinct asserted itself
everywhere as when the Eastern idea of hermits was practically expelled
by the Western idea of monks。 So even asceticism became brotherly；
and the Trappists were sociable even when they were silent。
If this love of a living complexity be our test； it is certainly
healthier to have the Trinitarian religion than the Unitarian。
For to us Trinitarians （if I may say it with reverence）to us God
Himself is a society。 It is indeed a fathomless mystery of theology；
and even if I were theologian enough to deal with it directly； it would
not be relevant to do so here。 Suffice it to say here that this triple
enigma is as comforting as wine and open as an English fireside；
that this thing that bewilders the intellect utterly quiets the heart：
but out of the desert； from the dry places and the dreadful suns；
come the cruel children of the lonely God； the real Unitarians who
with scimitar in hand have laid waste the world。 For it is not well
for God to be alone。
Again； the same is true of that difficult matter of the danger
of the soul； which has unsettled so many just minds。 To hope
for all souls is imperative； and it is quite tenable that their
salvation is inevitable。 It is tenable； but it is not specially
favourable to activity or progress。 Our fighting and creative society
ought rather to insist on the danger of everybody； on the fact
that every man is hanging by a thread or clinging to a precipice。
To say that all will be well anyhow is a comprehensible remark：
but it cannot be called the blast of a trumpet。 Europe ought rather
to emphasize possible perdition； and Europe always has emphasized it。
Here its highest religion is at one with all its cheapest romances。
To the Buddhist or the eastern fatalist existence is a science
or a plan； which must end up in a certain way。 But to a Christian
existence is a STORY； which may end up in any way。 In a thrilling
novel （that purely Christian product） the hero is not eaten
by cannibals； but it is essential to the existence of the thrill
that he MIGHT be eaten by cannibals。 The hero must （so to speak）
be an eatable hero。 So Christian morals have always said to the man；
not that he would lose his soul； but that he must take care that he
didn't。 In Christian morals； in short； it is wicked to call a man
〃damned〃： but it is strictly religious and philosophic to call
him damnable。
All Christianity concentrates on the man at the cross…roads。
The vast and shallow philosophies； the huge syntheses of humbug；
all talk about ages and evolution and ultimate developments。
The true philosophy is concerned with the instant。 Will a man
take this road or that？that is the only thing to think about；
if you enjoy thinking。 The aeons are easy enough to think about；
any one can think about them。 The instant is really awful：
and it is because our religion has intensely felt the instant；
that it has in literature dealt much with battle and in theology
dealt much with hell。 It is full of DANGER； like a boy's book：
it is at an immortal crisis。 There is a great deal of real similarity
between popular fiction and the religion of the western people。
If you say that popular fiction is vulgar and tawdry； you only say
what the dreary and well…informed say also about the images in the
Catholic churches。 Life （according to the faith） is very like a
serial story in a magazine： life ends with the promise （or menace）
〃to be continued in our next。〃 Also； with a noble vulgarity；
life imitates the serial and leaves off at the exciting moment。
For death is distinctly an exciting moment。
But the point is that a story is exciting because it has in it
so strong an element of will； of what theology calls free…will。
You cannot finish a sum how you like。 But you can finish a story
how you like。 When somebody discovered the Differential Calculus
there was only one Differential Calculus he could discover。
But when Shakespeare killed Romeo he might have married him to
Juliet's old nurse if he had felt inclined。 And Christendom has
excelled in the narrative romance exactly because it has insisted
on the theological free…will。 It is a large matter and too much
to one side of the road to be discussed adequately here； but this
is the real objection to that torrent of modern talk about treating
crime as disease； about making a prison merely a hygienic environment
like a hospital； of healing sin by slow scientific methods。
The fallacy of the whole thing is that evil is a matter of active
choice whereas disease is not。 If you say that you are going to cure
a profligate as you cure an asthmatic； my cheap and obvious answer is；
〃Produce the people who want to be asthmatics as many people want
to be profligates。〃 A man may lie still and be cured of a malady。
But he must not lie still if he wants to be cured of a sin；
on the contrary； he must get up and jump about violently。
The whole point indeed is perfectly expressed in the very word
which we use for a man in hospital； 〃patient〃 is in the passive mood；
〃sinner〃 is in the active。 If a man is to be saved from influenza；
he may be a patient。 But if he is to be saved from forging；
he must be not a patient but an IMPATIENT。 He must be personally
impatient with forgery。 All moral reform must start in the active