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Why should gregariousness drive a man to God rather than to the third…class carriage and the public…house？ Why should gregariousness drive men out of crowded Egyptian cities into the cells of the Thebaid？ Schopenhauer in a memorable passage （about the hedgehogs who assembled for warmth） is flatly opposed to Professor Murray； and seems far more plausible when he declares that the nature of man is insufficiently gregarious。 The parallel with the dog is not a valid one。 Does not the truth lie rather in the supposition that it is not the Friend that is the instinctive delusion but the isolation？ Is not the real deception； our belief that we are completely individualised； and is it not possible that this that Professor Murray calls 〃instinct〃 is really not a vestige but a new thing arising out of our increasing understanding； an intellectual penetration to that greater being of the species； that vine； of which we are the branches？ Why should not the soul of the species； many faceted indeed； be nevertheless a soul like our own？ Here； as in the case of Professor Metchnikoff； and in many other cases of atheism； it seems to me that nothing but an inadequate understanding of individuation bars the way to at least the intellectual recognition of the true God。
6。 RELIGION AS ETHICS
And while I am dealing with rationalists； let me note certain recent interesting utterances of Sir Harry Johnston's。 You will note that while in this book we use the word 〃God〃 to indicate the God of the Heart； Sir Harry uses 〃God〃 for that idea of God…of…the…Universe； which we have spoken of as the Infinite Being。 This use of the word 〃God〃 is of late theological origin； the original identity of the words 〃good〃 and 〃god〃 and all the stories of the gods are against him。 But Sir Harry takes up God only to define him away into incomprehensible necessity。 Thus：
〃We know absolutely nothing concerning the Force we call God； and； assuming such an intelligent ruling force to be in existence； permeating this universe of millions of stars and （no doubt） tens of millions of planets； we do not know under what conditions and limitations It works。 We are quite entitled to assume that the end of such an influence is intended to be order out of chaos； happiness and perfection out of incompleteness and misery； and we are entitled to identify the reactionary forces of brute Nature with the anthropomorphic Devil of primitive religions； the power of darkness resisting the power of light。 But in these conjectures we must surely come to the conclusion that the theoretical potency we call 'God' makes endless experiments； and scrap…heaps the failures。 Think of the Dinosaurs and the expenditure of creative energy that went to their differentiation and their wellnigh incredible physical development。 。 。 。 〃To such a Divine Force as we postulate； the whole development and perfecting of life on this planet； the whole production of man； may seem little more than to any one of us would be the chipping out； the cutting； the carving； and the polishing of a gem； and we should feel as little remorse or pity for the scattered dust and fragments as must the Creative Force of the immeasurably vast universe feel for the DISJECTA MEMBRA of perfected life on this planet。 。 。 。〃
But thence he goes on to a curiously imperfect treatment of the God of man as if he consisted in nothing more than some vague sort of humanitarianism。 Sir Harry's ideas are much less thoroughly thought out than those of any other of these sceptical writers I have quoted。 On that account they are perhaps more typical。 He speaks as though Christ were simply an eminent but illreported and abominably served teacher of ethicsand yet of the only right ideal and ethics。 He speaks as though religions were nothing more than ethical movements； and as though Christianity were merely someone remarking with a bright impulsiveness that everything was simply horrid； and so； 〃Let us instal loving kindness as a cardinal axiom。 He ignores altogether the fundamental essential of religion； which is THE DEVELOPMENT AND SYNTHESIS OF THE DIVERGENT AND CONFLICTING MOTIVES OF THE UNCONVERTED LIFE； AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL LIFE WITH THE IMMORTAL PURPOSE OF GOD。 He presents a conception of religion relieved of its 〃nonsense〃 as the cheerful self…determination of a number of bright little individuals （much stirred but by no means overcome by Cosmic Pity） to the Service of Man。 As he seems to present it； it is as outward a thing； it goes as little into the intimacy of their lives； as though they had after proper consideration agreed to send a subscription to a Red Cross Ambulance or take part in a public demonstration against the Armenian Massacres； or do any other rather nice…spirited exterior thing。 This is what he says：
〃I hope that the religion of the future will devote itself wholly to the Service of Man。 It can do so without departing from the Christian ideal and Christian ethics。 It need only drop all that is silly and disputable； and 'mattering not neither here nor there；' of Christian theologya theology virtually absent from the direct teaching of Christand all of Judaistic literature or prescriptions not made immortal in their application by unassailable truth and by the confirmation of science。 An excellent remedy for the nonsense which still clings about religion may be found in two books： Cotter Monson's 'Service of Man；' which was published as long ago as 1887； and has since been re…issued by the Rationalist Press Association in its well…known sixpenny series； and J。 Allanson Picton's 'Man and the Bible。' Similarly； those who wish to acquire a sane view of the relations between man and God would do well to read Winwood Reade's 'Martyrdom of Man。'〃
Sir Harry in fact clears the ground for God very ably； and then makes a well…meaning gesture in the vacant space。 There is no help nor strength in his gesture unless God is there。 Without God； the 〃Service of Man〃 is no better than a hobby or a sentimentality or an hypocrisy in the undisciplined prison of the mortal life。
CHAPTER THE FIFTH THE INVISIBLE KING
1。 MODERN RELIGION A POLITICAL RELIGION
The conception of a young and energetic God； an Invisible Prince growing in strength and wisdom； who calls men and women to his service and who gives salvation from self and mortality only through self…abandonment to his service； necessarily involves a demand for a complete revision and fresh orientation of the life of the convert。 God faces the blackness of the Unknown and the blind joys and confusions and cruelties of Life； as one who leads mankind through a dark jungle to a great conquest。 He brings mankind not rest but a sword。 It is plain that he can admit no divided control of the world he claims。 He concedes nothing to Caesar。 In our philosophy there are no human things that are God's and others that are Caesar's。 Those of the new thought cannot render unto God the things that are God's； and to Caesar the things that are Caesar's。 Whatever claim Caesar may make to rule men's lives and direct their destinies outside the will o