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47…52； 354…357）。 But the final consciousness which each type
reaches of union with the divine has the same practical
significance for the individual； and individuals may well be
allowed to get to it by the channels which lie most open to their
several temperaments。 In the cases which were quoted in Lecture
IV； of the mind…cure form of healthy…mindedness； we found
abundant examples of regenerative process。 The severity of the
crisis in this process is a matter of degree。 How long one shall
continue to drink the consciousness of evil； and when one shall
begin to short…circuit and get rid of it； are also matters of
amount and degree； so that in many instances it is quite
arbitrary whether we class the individual as a once…born or a
twice…born subject。
But； you may now ask； would not this one…sidedness be cured if we
should all espouse the science of religions as our own religion？
In answering this question I must open again the general
relations of the theoretic to the active life。
Knowledge about a thing is not the thing itself。 You remember
what Al…Ghazzali told us in the Lecture on Mysticismthat to
understand the causes of drunkenness； as a physician understands
them； is not to be drunk。 A science might come to understand
everything about the causes and elements of religion； and might
even decide which elements were qualified； by their general
harmony with other branches of knowledge； to be considered true；
and yet the best man at this science might be the man who found
it hardest to be personally devout。 Tout savoir c'est tout
pardonner。 The name of Renan would doubtless occur to many
persons as an example of the way in which breadth of knowledge
may make one only a dilettante in possibilities； and blunt the
acuteness of one's living faith。＇332＇ If religion be a function
by which either God's cause or man's cause is to be really
advanced； then he who lives the life of it； however narrowly； is
a better servant than he who merely knows about it； however much。
Knowledge about life is one thing； effective occupation of a
place in life； with its dynamic currents passing through your
being； is another。
＇332＇ Compare； e。g。； the quotation from Renan on p。 37； above。
For this reason； the science of religions may not be an
equivalent for living religion； and if we turn to the inner
difficulties of such a science； we see that a point comes when
she must drop the purely theoretic attitude； and either let her
knots remain uncut； or have them cut by active faith。 To see
this； suppose that we have our science of religions constituted
as a matter of fact。 Suppose that she has assimilated all the
necessary historical material and distilled out of it as its
essence the same conclusions which I myself a few moments ago
pronounced。 Suppose that she agrees that religion； wherever it
is an active thing； involves a belief in ideal presences； and a
belief that in our prayerful communion with them；＇333＇ work is
done； and something real comes to pass。 She has now to exert her
critical activity； and to decide how far； in the light of other
sciences and in that of general philosophy； such beliefs can be
considered TRUE。
＇333＇ 〃Prayerful〃 taken in the broader sense explained above on
pp。 453 ff。
Dogmatically to decide this is an impossible task。 Not only are
the other sciences and the philosophy still far from being
completed； but in their present state we find them full of
conflicts。 The sciences of nature know nothing of spiritual
presences； and on the whole hold no practical commerce whatever
with the idealistic conceptions towards which general philosophy
inclines。 The scientist； so…called； is； during his scientific
hours at least； so materialistic that one may well say that on
the whole the influence of science goes against the notion that
religion should be recognized at all。 And this antipathy to
religion finds an echo within the very science of religions
itself。 The cultivator of this science has to become acquainted
with so many groveling and horrible superstitions that a
presumption easily arises in his mind that any belief that is
religious probably is false。 In the 〃prayerful communion〃 of
savages with such mumbo…jumbos of deities as they acknowledge； it
is hard for us to see what genuine spiritual workeven though it
were work relative only to their dark savage obligations can
possibly be done。
The consequence is that the conclusions of the science of
religions are as likely to be adverse as they are to be favorable
to the claim that the essence of religion is true。 There is a
notion in the air about us that religion is probably only an
anachronism； a case of 〃survival；〃 an atavistic relapse into a
mode of thought which humanity in its more enlightened examples
has outgrown； and this notion our religious anthropologists at
present do little to counteract。
This view is so widespread at the present day that I must
consider it with some explicitness before I pass to my own
conclusions。 Let me call it the 〃Survival theory；〃 for brevity's
sake。
The pivot round which the religious life； as we have traced it；
revolves； is the interest of the individual in his private
personal destiny。 Religion； in short； is a monumental chapter in
the history of human egotism。 The gods believed inwhether by
crude savages or by men disciplined intellectuallyagree with
each other in recognizing personal calls。 Religious thought is
carried on in terms of personality； this being； in the world of
religion； the one fundamental fact。 To…day； quite as much as at
any previous age； the religious individual tells you that the
divine meets him on the basis of his personal concerns。
Science； on the other hand； has ended by utterly repudiating the
personal point of view。 She catalogues her elements and records
her laws indifferent as to what purpose may be shown forth by
them； and constructs her theories quite careless of their bearing
on human anxieties and fates。 Though the scientist may
individually nourish a religion； and be a theist in his
irresponsible hours； the days are over when it could be said that
for Science herself the heavens declare the glory of God and the
firmament showeth his handiwork。 Our solar system； with its
harmonies； is seen now as but one passing case of a certain sort
of moving equilibrium in the heavens； realized by a local
accident in an appalling wilderness