按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
irectly to the improvement of education and to the solidarity of mankind。 * Go thy way； eat thy bread with joy； and drink thy wine with a merry heart； for God now accepteth thy works。 Let thy garments be always white； and let thy head lack no ointment。 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity； which he hath given thee under the sun； all the days of thy vanity for that is thy portion in this life； and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun。 whatsoever thy hand findeth to do； do it with thy might； for there is no work； nor device； nor knowledge； nor wisdom； in the grave； whither thou goest。 〃In progress towards the goal； nature will have to be consulted continuously。 Already； in the case of the ephemerids； nature has produced a complete cycle of normal life ending in natural death。 In the problem of his own fate； man must not be content with the gifts of nature； he must direct them by his own efforts。 Just as he has been able to modify the nature of animals and plants； man must attempt to modify his own constitution； so as to readjust its disharmonies。 。 。 。 〃To modify the human constitution； it will be necessary first； to frame the ideal； and thereafter to set to work with all the resources of science。 〃If there can be formed an ideal able to unite men in a kind of religion of the future； this ideal must be founded on scientific principles。 And if it be true； as has been asserted so often； that man can live by faith alone； the faith must be in the power of science。〃
Now this； after all the flat repudiations that have preceded it of 〃religion〃 and 〃philosophy〃 as remedies for human ills； is nothing less than the fundamental proposition of the religious life translated into terms of materialistic science； the proposition that damnation is really over…individuation and that salvahon is escape from self into the larger being of life。 。 。 。 What can this 〃religion of the future〃 be but that devotion to the racial adventure under the captaincy of God which we have already found； like gold in the bottom of the vessel； when we have washed away the confusions and impurities of dogmatic religion？ By an inquiry setting out from a purely religious starting…point we have already reached conclusions identical with this ultimate refuge of an extreme materialist。 This altar to the Future of his； we can claim as an altar to our Godan altar rather indistinctly inscribed。
2。 SACRIFICE IMPLIES GOD
Almost all Agnostic and Atheistical writings that show any fineness and generosity of spirit； have this tendency to become as it were the statement of an anonymous God。 Everything is said that a religious writer would sayexcept that God is not named。 Religious metaphors abound。 It is as if they accepted the living body of religion but denied the bones that held it togetheras they might deny the bones of a friend。 It is true； they would admit； the body moves in a way that implies bones in its every movement； but WE HAVE NEVER SEEN THOSE BONES。 The disputes in theoryI do not say the difference in reality between the modern believer and the atheist or agnosticbecomes at times almost as impalpable as that subtle discussion dear to students of physics； whether the scientific 〃ether〃 is real or a formula。 Every material phenomenon is consonant with and helps to define this ether； which permeates and sustains and is all things； which nevertheless is perceptible to no sense； which is reached only by an intellectual process。 Most minds are disposed to treat this ether as a reality。 But the acutely critical mind insists that what is only so attainable by inference is not real； it is no more than 〃a formula that satisfies all phenomena。〃 But if it comes to that； am I anything more than the formula that satisfies all my forms of consciousness？ Intellectually there is hardly anything more than a certain will to believe； to divide the religious man who knows God to be utterly real； from the man who says that God is merely a formula to satisfy moral and spiritual phenomena。 The former has encountered him； the other has as yet felt only unassigned impulses。 One says God's will is so； the other that Right is so。 One says God moves me to do this or that； the other the Good Will in me which I share with you and all well…disposed men； moves me to do this or that。 But the former makes an exterior reference and escapes a risk of self… righteousness。 I have recently been reading a book by Mr。 Joseph McCabe called 〃The Tyranny of Shams；〃 in which he displays very typically this curious tendency to a sort of religion with God 〃blacked out。〃 His is an extremely interesting case。 He is a writer who was formerly a Roman Catholic priest； and in his reaction from Catholicism he displays a resolution even sterner than Professor Metchnikoff's； to deny that anything religious or divine can exist； that there can be any aim in life except happiness； or any guide but 〃science。〃 Butand here immediately he turns east againhe is careful not to say 〃individual happiness。〃 And he says 〃Pleasure is； as Epicureans insisted； only a part of a large ideal of happiness。〃 So he lets the happiness of devotion and sacrifice creep in。 So he opens indefinite possibilities of getting away from any merely materialistic rule of life。 And he writes：
〃In every civilised nation the mass of the people are inert and indifferent。 Some even make a pretence of justifying their inertness。 Why； they ask； should we stir at all？ Is there such a thing as a duty to improve the earth？ What is the meaning or purpose of life？ Or has it a purpose？ 〃One generally finds that this kind of reasoning is merely a piece of controversial athletics or a thin excuse for idleness。 People tell you that the conflict of science and religionit would be better to say； the conflict of modern culture and ancient traditionshas robbed life of its plain significance。 The men who； like Tolstoi； seriously urge this point fail to appreciate the modern outlook on life。 Certainly modern culturescience； history； philosophy； and artfinds no purpose in life： that is to say； no purpose eternally fixed and to be discovered by man。 A great chemist said a few years ago that he could imagine 'a series of lucky accidents'the chance blowing by the wind of certain chemicals into pools on the primitive earthaccounting for the first appearance of life； and one might not unjustly sum up the influences which have lifted those early germs to the level of conscious beings as a similar series of lucky accidents。 〃But it is sheer affectation to say that this demoralises us。 If there is no purpose impressed on the universe； or prefixed to the development of humanity； it follows only that humanity may choose its own purpose and set up its own goal； and the most elementary sense of order will teach us that this choice must be social； not merely individual。 In whatever measure ill…controlled individuals may yield to personal impulses or attractions； the aim of the race must be a collective aim。 I do not mean an austere demand of self… sacrifice from the individual； but an adjustmenta