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organization； to consider as little as possible the systematic
theology and the ideas about the gods themselves； and to confine
myself as far as I can to personal religion pure and simple。 To
some of you personal religion； thus nakedly considered； will no
doubt seem too incomplete a thing to wear the general name。 〃It
is a part of religion；〃 you will say； 〃but only its unorganized
rudiment； if we are to name it by itself； we had better call it
man's conscience or morality than his religion。 The name
'religion' should be reserved for the fully organized system of
feeling； thought； and institution； for the Church； in short； of
which this personal religion； so called； is but a fractional
element。〃
But if you say this； it will only show the more plainly how much
the question of definition tends to become a dispute about names。
Rather than prolong such a dispute； I am willing to accept almost
any name for the personal religion of which I propose to treat。
Call it conscience or morality； if you yourselves prefer； and not
religionunder either name it will be equally worthy of our
study。 As for myself； I think it will prove to contain some
elements which morality pure and simple does not contain； and
these elements I shall soon seek to point out； so I will myself
continue to apply the word 〃religion〃 to it； and in the last
lecture of all； I will bring in the theologies and the
ecclesiasticisms； and say something of its relation to them。
In one sense at least the personal religion will prove itself
more fundamental than either theology or ecclesiasticism。
Churches； when once established； live at second…hand upon
tradition； but the FOUNDERS of every church owed their power
originally to the fact of their direct personal communion with
the divine。 Not only the superhuman founders； the Christ； the
Buddha； Mahomet； but all the originators of Christian sects have
been in this case；so personal religion should still seem the
primordial thing； even to those who continue to esteem it
incomplete。
There are； it is true； other things in religion chronologically
more primordial than personal devoutness in the moral sense。
Fetishism and magic seem to have preceded inward piety
historicallyat least our records of inward piety do not reach
back so far。 And if fetishism and magic be regarded as stages of
religion； one may say that personal religion in the inward sense
and the genuinely spiritual ecclesiasticisms which it founds are
phenomena of secondary or even tertiary order。 But； quite apart
from the fact that many anthropologistsfor instance； Jevons and
Frazer expressly oppose 〃religion〃 and 〃magic〃 to each other；
it is certain that the whole system of thought which leads to
magic； fetishism； and the lower superstitions may just as well be
called primitive science as called primitive religion。 The
question thus becomes a verbal one again； and our knowledge of
all these early stages of thought and feeling is in any case so
conjectural and imperfect that farther discussion would not be
worth while。
Religion； therefore； as I now ask you arbitrarily to take it；
shall mean for us THE FEELINGS； ACTS； AND EXPERIENCES OF
INDIVIDUAL MEN IN THEIR SOLITUDE； SO FAR AS THEY APPREHEND
THEMSELVES TO STAND IN RELATION TO WHATEVER THEY MAY CONSIDER THE
DIVINE。 Since the relation may be either moral； physical； or
ritual； it is evident that out of religion in the sense in which
we take it； theologies； philosophies； and ecclesiastical
organizations may secondarily grow。 In these lectures； however；
as I have already said； the immediate personal experiences will
amply fill our time； and we shall hardly consider theology or
ecclesiasticism at all。
We escape much controversial matter by this arbitrary definition
of our field。 But； still； a chance of controversy comes up over
the word 〃divine；〃 if we take the definition in too narrow a
sense。 There are systems of thought which the world usually
calls religious； and yet which do not positively assume a God。
Buddhism is in this case。 Popularly； of course； the Buddha
himself stands in place of a God； but in strictness the
Buddhistic system is atheistic。 Modern transcendental idealism；
Emersonianism； for instance； also seems to let God evaporate into
abstract Ideality。 Not a deity in concreto； not a superhuman
person； but the immanent divinity in things； the essentially
spiritual structure of the universe； is the object of the
transcendentalist cult。 In that address to the graduating class
at Divinity College in 1838 which made Emerson famous； the frank
expression of this worship of mere abstract laws was what made
the scandal of the performance。
〃These laws；〃 said the speaker； 〃execute themselves。 They are
out of time； out of space； and not subject to circumstance：
Thus； in the soul of man there is a justice whose retributions
are instant and entire。 He who does a good deed is instantly
ennobled。 He who does a mean deed is by the action itself
contracted。 He who puts off impurity thereby puts on purity。 If
a man is at heart just； then in so far is he God； the safety of
God； the immortality of God； the majesty of God； do enter into
that man with justice。 If a man dissemble； deceive； he deceives
himself； and goes out of acquaintance with his own being。
Character is always known。 Thefts never enrich； alms never
impoverish； murder will speak out of stone walls。 The least
admixture of a liefor example； the taint of vanity； any attempt
to make a good impression； a favorable appearancewill instantly
vitiate the effect。 But speak the truth； and all things alive or
brute are vouchers； and the very roots of the grass underground
there do seem to stir and move to bear your witness。 For all
things proceed out of the same spirit； which is differently named
love； justice； temperance； in its different applications； just as
the ocean receives different names on the several shores which it
washes。 In so far as he roves from these ends； a man bereaves
himself of power； of auxiliaries。 His being shrinks 。 。 。 he
becomes less and less； a mote； a point； until absolute badness is
absolute death。 The perception of this law awakens in the mind a
sentiment which we call the religious sentiment； and which makes
our highest happiness。 Wonderful is its power to charm and to
command。 It is a mountain air。 It is the embalmer of the world。
It makes the sky and the hills sublime； and the silent song of
the stars is it。 It is th