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rd of the rule and his insistence that his disciples should seek for the spirit underlying and often masked by the rule。 His Church； being made of baser matter； has followed him as reluctantly as possible and no further than it was obliged。 But it has followed him far enough to admit his principle that in all these matters there is no need for superstitious fear； that the interpretation of the divine purpose is left to the unembarrassed intelligence of men。 The church has followed him far enough to make the harsh threatenings of priests and ecclesiastics against what they are pleased to consider impurity or sexual impiety； a profound inconsistency。 One seems to hear their distant protests when one reads of Christ and the Magdalen； or of Christ eating with publicans and sinners。 The clergy of our own days play the part of the New Testament Pharisees with the utmost exactness and complete unconsciousness。 One cannot imagine a modern ecclesiastic conversing with a Magdalen in terms of ordinary civility； unless she was in a very high social position indeed； or blending with disreputable characters without a dramatic sense of condescension and much explanatory by…play。 Those who profess modern religion do but follow in these matters a course entirely compatible with what has survived of the authentic teachings of Christ； when they declare that God is not sexual； and that religious passion and insult and persecution upon the score of sexual things are a barbaric inheritance。 But lest anyone should fling off here with some hasty assumption that those who profess the religion of the true God are sexually anarchistic； let stress be laid at once upon the opening sentence of the preceding paragraph； and let me a little anticipate a section which follows。 We would free men and women from exact and superstitious rules and observances； not to make them less the instruments of God but more wholly his。 The claim of modern religion is that one should give oneself unreservedly to God； that there is no other salvation。 The believer owes all his being and every moment of his life to God； to keep mind and body as clean； fine； wholesome； active and completely at God's service as he can。 There is no scope for indulgence or dissipation in such a consecrated life。 It is a matter between the individual and his conscience or his doctor or his social understanding what exactly he may do or not do； what he may eat or drink or so forth； upon any occasion。 Nothing can exonerate him from doing his utmost to determine and perform the right act。 Nothing can excuse his failure to do so。 But what is here being insisted upon is that none of these things has immediately to do with God or religious emotion； except only the general will to do right in God's service。 The detailed interpretation of that 〃right〃 is for the dispassionate consideration of the human intelligence。 All this is set down here as distinctly as possible。 Because of the emotional reservoirs of sex； sexual dogmas are among the most obstinately recurrent of all heresies； and sexual excitement is always tending to leak back into religious feeling。 Amongst the sex…tormented priesthood of the Roman communion in particular； ignorant of the extreme practices of the Essenes and of the Orphic cult and suchlike predecessors of Christianity； there seems to be an extraordinary belief that chastity was not invented until Christianity came； and that the religious life is largely the propitiation of God by feats of sexual abstinence。 But a superstitious abstinence that scars and embitters the mind； distorts the imagination； makes the body gross and keeps it unclean； is just as offensive to God as any positive depravity。
CHAPTER THE THIRD THE LIKENESS OF GOD
1。 GOD IS COURAGE Now having set down what those who profess the new religion regard as the chief misconceptions of God； having put these systems of ideas aside from our explanations； the path is cleared for the statement of what God is。 Since language springs entirely from material； spatial things； there is always an element of metaphor in theological statement。 So that I have not called this chapter the Nature of God； but the Likeness of God。 And firstly； GOD IS COURAGE。
2。 GOD IS A PERSON
And next GOD IS A PERSON。 Upon this point those who are beginning to profess modern religion are very insistent。 It is； they declare； the central article； the axis； of their religion。 God is a person who can be known as one knows a friend； who can be served and who receives service； who partakes of our nature； who is； like us； a being in conflict with the unknown and the limitless and the forces of death； who values much that we value and is against much that we are pitted against。 He is our king to whom we must be loyal； he is our captain； and to know him is to have a direction in our lives。 He feels us and knows us； he is helped and gladdened by us。 He hopes and attempts。 。 。 。 God is no abstraction nor trick of words； no Infinite。 He is as real as a bayonet thrust or an embrace。 Now this is where those who have left the old creeds and come asking about the new realisations find their chief difficulty。 They say； Show us this person； let us hear him。 （If they listen to the silences within； presently they will hear him。） But when one argues； one finds oneself suddenly in the net of those ancient controversies between species and individual； between the one and the many； which arise out of the necessarily imperfect methods of the human mind。 Upon these matters there has been much pregnant writing during the last half century。 Such ideas as this writer has to offer are to be found in a previous little book of his； 〃First and Last Things；〃 in which； writing as one without authority or specialisation in logic and philosophy； as an ordinary man vividly interested； for others in a like case； he was at some pains to elucidate the imperfections of this instrument of ours； this mind； by which we must seek and explain and reach up to God。 Suffice it here to say that theological discussion may very easily become like the vision of a man with cataract； a mere projection of inherent imperfections。 If we do not use our phraseology with a certain courage； and take that of those who are trying to convey their ideas to us with a certain politeness and charity； there is no end possible to any discussion in so subtle and intimate a matter as theology but assertions； denials； and wranglings。 And about this word 〃person〃 it is necessary to be as clear and explicit as possible； though perfect clearness； a definition of mathematical sharpness； is by the very nature of the case impossible。 Now when we speak of a person or an individual we think typically of a man； and we forget that he was once an embryo and will presently decay； we forget that he came of two people and may beget many； that he has forgotten much and will forget more； that he can be confused； divided against himself； delirious； drunken； drugged； or asleep。 On the contrary we are； in our hasty way of thinking of him； apt to suppose him continuous； definite； acting consistently and ne