CompareLotze’sdoctrinethattheonlymeaningwecanattachtothenotionofathingasitis“initself“isbyconceivingitasitisFORitself,i。e。,asapieceoffullexperiencewithaprivatesenseof“pinch“orinneractivityofsomesortgoingwithit。
Ifthisbetrue,itisabsurdforsciencetosaythattheegotisticelementsofexperienceshouldbesuppressed。Theaxisofrealityrunssolelythroughtheegotisticplaces——theyarestrunguponitlikesomanybeads。Todescribetheworldwithallthevariousfeelingsoftheindividualpinchofdestiny,allthevariousspiritualattitudes,leftoutfromthedescription——theybeingasdescribableasanythingelse——wouldbesomethinglikeofferingaprintedbilloffareastheequivalentforasolidmeal。Religionmakesnosuchblunder。
Theindividual’sreligionmaybeegotistic,andthoseprivaterealitieswhichitkeepsintouchwithmaybenarrowenough;butatanyrateitalwaysremainsinfinitelylesshollowandabstract,asfarasitgoes,thanasciencewhichpridesitselfontakingnoaccountofanythingprivateatall。
Abilloffarewithonerealraisinonitinsteadoftheword“raisin。”withonerealegginsteadoftheword“egg。”mightbeaninadequatemeal,butitwouldatleastbeacommencementofreality。Thecontentionofthesurvival-theorythatweoughttosticktonon-personalelementsexclusivelyseemslikesayingthatweoughttobesatisfiedforeverwithreadingthenakedbilloffare。Ithink,therefore,thathoweverparticularquestionsconnectedwithourindividualdestiniesmaybeanswered,itisonlybyacknowledgingthemasgenuinequestions,andlivinginthesphereofthoughtwhichtheyopenup,thatwebecomeprofound。Buttolivethusistobereligious;soI
unhesitatinglyrepudiatethesurvival-theoryofreligion,asbeingfoundedonanegregiousmistake。Itdoesnotfollow,becauseourancestorsmadesomanyerrorsoffactandmixedthemwiththeirreligion,thatweshouldthereforeleaveoffbeingreligiousatall。[337]Bybeingreligiousweestablishourselvesinpossessionofultimaterealityattheonlypointsatwhichrealityisgivenustoguard。Ourresponsibleconcerniswithourprivatedestiny,afterall。
[337]Eventheerrorsoffactmaypossiblyturnoutnottobeaswholesaleasthescientistassumes。WesawinLectureIVhowthereligiousconceptionoftheuniverseseemstomanymind-curers“verified“fromdaytodaybytheirexperienceoffact。
“Experienceoffact“isafieldwithsomanythingsinitthatthesectarianscientistmethodicallydeclining,ashedoes,torecognizesuch“facts“asmind-curersandotherslikethemexperience,otherwisethanbysuchrudeheadsofclassificationas“bosh。”“rot。”“folly。”certainlyleavesoutamassofrawfactwhich,savefortheindustriousinterestofthereligiousinthemorepersonalaspectsofreality,wouldneverhavesucceededingettingitselfrecordedatall。Weknowthistobetruealreadyincertaincases;itmay,therefore,betrueinothersaswell。Miraculoushealingshavealwaysbeenpartofthesupernaturaliststockintrade,andhavealwaysbeendismissedbythescientistasfigmentsoftheimagination。Butthescientist’stardyeducationinthefactsofhypnotismhasrecentlygivenhimanapperceivingmassforphenomenaofthisorder,andheconsequentlynowallowsthatthehealingsmayexist,providedyouexpresslycallthemeffectsof“suggestion。”
EventhestigmataofthecrossonSaintFrancis’shandsandfeetmayonthesetermsnotbeafable。Similarly,thetime-honoredphenomenonofdiabolicalpossessionisonthepointofbeingadmittedbythescientistasafact,nowthathehasthenameof“hystero-demonopathy“bywhichtoapperceiveit。Noonecanforeseejusthowfarthislegitimationofoccultistphenomenaundernewlyfoundscientisttitlesmayproceed——even“prophecy。”
even“levitation。”mightcreepintothepale。
Thusthedivorcebetweenscientistfactsandreligiousfactsmaynotnecessarilybeaseternalasitatfirstsightseems,northepersonalismandromanticismoftheworld,astheyappearedtoprimitivethinking,bematterssoirrevocablyoutgrown。Thefinalhumanopinionmay,inshort,insomemannernowimpossibletoforesee,reverttothemorepersonalstyle,justasanypathofprogressmayfollowaspiralratherthanastraightline。Ifthiswereso,therigorouslyimpersonalviewofsciencemightonedayappearashavingbeenatemporarilyusefuleccentricityratherthanthedefinitivelytriumphantpositionwhichthesectarianscientistatpresentsoconfidentlyannouncesittobe。
YouseenowwhyIhavebeensoindividualisticthroughouttheselectures,andwhyIhaveseemedsobentonrehabilitatingtheelementoffeelinginreligionandsubordinatingitsintellectualpart。Individualityisfoundedinfeeling;andtherecessesoffeeling,thedarker,blinderstrataofcharacter,aretheonlyplacesintheworldinwhichwecatchrealfactinthemaking,anddirectlyperceivehoweventshappen,andhowworkisactuallydone。[338]Comparedwiththisworldoflivingindividualizedfeelings,theworldofgeneralizedobjectswhichtheintellectcontemplatesiswithoutsolidityorlife。Asinstereoscopicorkinetoscopicpicturesseenoutsidetheinstrument,thethirddimension,themovement,thevitalelement,arenotthere。Wegetabeautifulpictureofanexpresstrainsupposedtobemoving,butwhereinthepicture,asIhaveheardafriendsay,istheenergyorthefiftymilesanhour?
Hume’scriticismhasbanishedcausationfromtheworldofphysicalobjects,and“Science“isabsolutelysatisfiedtodefinecauseintermsofconcomitantchange-readMach,Pearson,Ostwald。
The“original“ofthenotionofcausationisinourinnerpersonalexperience,andonlytherecancausesintheold-fashionedsensebedirectlyobservedanddescribed。
WhenIreadinareligiouspaperwordslikethese:
“PerhapsthebestthingwecansayofGodisthatheisTHE
INEVITABLEINFERENCE。”Irecognizethetendencytoletreligionevaporateinintellectualterms。Wouldmartyrshavesungintheflamesforamereinference,howeverinevitableitmightbe?
Originalreligiousmen,likeSaintFrancis,Luther,Behmen,haveusuallybeenenemiesoftheintellect’spretensiontomeddlewithreligiousthings。Yettheintellect,everywhereinvasive,showseverywhereitsshallowingeffect。SeehowtheancientspiritofMethodismevaporatesunderthosewonderfullyablerationalisticbookletswhicheveryoneshouldreadofaphilosopherlikeProfessorBowneTheChristianRevelation,TheChristianLifeTheAtonement:CincinnatiandNewYork,1898,1899,1900。Seethepositivelyexpulsivepurposeofphilosophyproperlysocalled:——
“Religion。”writesM。VacherotLaReligion,Paris,1869,pp。
313,436,etpassim,“answerstoatransientstateorcondition,nottoapermanentdeterminationofhumannature,beingmerelyanexpressionofthatstageofthehumanmindwhichisdominatedbytheimagination……Christianityhasbutasinglepossiblefinalheirtoitsestate,andthatisscientificphilosophy。”
Inastillmoreradicalvein,ProfessorRibotPsychologiedesSentiments,p。310describestheevaporationofreligion。Hesumsitupinasingleformula——theever-growingpredominanceoftherationalintellectualelement,withthegradualfadingoutoftheemotionalelement,thislattertendingtoenterintothegroupofpurelyintellectualsentiments。“Ofreligioussentimentproperlysocalled,nothingsurvivesatlastsaveavaguerespectfortheunknowablexwhichisalastrelicofthefear,andacertainattractiontowardstheideal,whichisarelicofthelove,thatcharacterizedtheearlierperiodsofreligiousgrowth。
Tostatethismoresimply,religiontendstoturnintoreligiousphilosophy——Thesearepsychologicallyentirelydifferentthings,theonebeingatheoreticconstructionofratiocination,whereastheotheristhelivingworkofagroupofpersons,orofagreatinspiredleader,callingintoplaytheentirethinkingandfeelingorganismofman。”
IfindthesamefailuretorecognizethatthestrongholdofreligionliesinindividualityinattemptslikethoseofProfessorBaldwinMentalDevelopment,SocialandEthicalInterpretations,ch。xandMr。H。R。MarshallInstinctandReason,chaps。viii。toxii。tomakeitapurely“conservativesocialforce。”
Letusagree,then,thatReligion,occupyingherselfwithpersonaldestiniesandkeepingthusincontactwiththeonlyabsoluterealitieswhichweknow,mustnecessarilyplayaneternalpartinhumanhistory。Thenextthingtodecideiswhatsherevealsaboutthosedestinies,orwhetherindeedsherevealsanythingdistinctenoughtobeconsideredageneralmessagetomankind。Wehavedoneasyousee,withourpreliminaries,andourfinalsummingupcannowbegin。
IamwellawarethatafterallthepalpitatingdocumentswhichI
havequoted,andalltheperspectivesofemotion-inspiringinstitutionandbeliefthatmypreviouslectureshaveopened,thedryanalysistowhichInowadvancemayappeartomanyofyoulikeananti-climax,atapering-offandflatteningoutofthesubject,insteadofacrescendoofinterestandresult。IsaidawhileagothatthereligiousattitudeofProtestantsappearspoverty-strickentotheCatholicimagination。Stillmorepoverty-stricken,Ifear,maymyfinalsummingupofthesubjectappearatfirsttosomeofyou。OnwhichaccountIprayyounowtobearthispointinmind,thatinthepresentpartofitIamexpresslytryingtoreducereligiontoitslowestadmissibleterms,tothatminimum,freefromindividualisticexcrescences,whichallreligionscontainastheirnucleus,andonwhichitmaybehopedthatallreligiouspersonsmayagree。Thatestablished,weshouldhavearesultwhichmightbesmall,butwouldatleastbesolid;andonitandroundittheruddieradditionalbeliefsonwhichthedifferentindividualsmaketheirventuremightbegrafted,andflourishasrichlyasyouplease。Ishalladdmyownover-beliefwhichwillbe,Iconfess,ofasomewhatpallidkind,asbefitsacriticalphilosopher,andyouwill,Ihope,alsoaddyourover-beliefs,andweshallsoonbeinthevariedworldofconcretereligiousconstructionsoncemore。Forthemoment,letmedrylypursuetheanalyticpartofthetask。
Boththoughtandfeelingaredeterminantsofconduct,andthesameconductmaybedeterminedeitherbyfeelingorbythought。
Whenwesurveythewholefieldofreligion,wefindagreatvarietyinthethoughtsthathaveprevailedthere;butthefeelingsontheonehandandtheconductontheotherarealmostalwaysthesame,forStoic,Christian,andBuddhistsaintsarepracticallyindistinguishableintheirlives。ThetheorieswhichReligiongenerates,beingthusvariable,aresecondary;andifyouwishtograspheressence,youmustlooktothefeelingsandtheconductasbeingthemoreconstantelements。Itisbetweenthesetwoelementsthattheshortcircuitexistsonwhichshecarriesonherprincipalbusiness,whiletheideasandsymbolsandotherinstitutionsformloop-lineswhichmaybeperfectionsandimprovements,andmayevensomedayallbeunitedintooneharmonioussystem,butwhicharenottoberegardedasorganswithanindispensablefunction,necessaryatalltimesforreligiouslifetogoon。Thisseemstomethefirstconclusionwhichweareentitledtodrawfromthephenomenawehavepassedinreview。
Thenextstepistocharacterizethefeelings。Towhatpsychologicalorderdotheybelong?
TheresultantoutcomeofthemisinanycasewhatKantcallsa“sthenic“affection,anexcitementofthecheerful,expansive,“dynamogenic“orderwhich,likeanytonic,freshensourvitalpowers。Inalmosteverylecture,butespeciallyinthelecturesonConversionandonSaintliness,wehaveseenhowthisemotionovercomestemperamentalmelancholyandimpartsendurancetotheSubject,orazest,orameaning,oranenchantmentandglorytothecommonobjectsoflife。[340]Thenameof“faith-state。”bywhichProfessorLeubadesignatesit,isagoodone。[341]Itisabiologicalaswellasapsychologicalcondition,andTolstoyisabsolutelyaccurateinclassingfaithamongtheforcesBYWHICH
MENLIVE。[342]Thetotalabsenceofit,anhedonia,[343]meanscollapse。
[340]Compare,forinstance,pages200,215,219,222,244-250,270-273。
[341]AmericanJournalofPsychology,vii。345。
[342]Above,p。181。
[343]Above,p。143。
Thefaith-statemayholdaveryminimumofintellectualcontent。
Wesawexamplesofthisinthosesuddenrapturesofthedivinepresence,orinsuchmysticalseizuresasDr。Buckedescribed。[344]Itmaybeamerevagueenthusiasm,halfspiritual,halfvital,acourage,andafeelingthatgreatandwondrousthingsareintheair。[345]
[344]Above,p。391。
[345]Example:HenriPerreyvewritestoGratry:“Idonotknowhowtodealwiththehappinesswhichyouarousedinmethismorning。Itoverwhelmsme;IwanttoDOsomething,yetIcandonothingandamfitfornothing……IwouldfaindoGREAT
THINGS。”Again,afteraninspiringinterview,hewrites:“I
wenthomewards,intoxicatedwithjoy,hope,andstrength。I
wantedtofeeduponmyhappinessinsolitudefarfromallmen。
Itwaslate;but,unheedingthat,Itookamountainpathandwentonlikeamadman,lookingattheheavens,regardlessofearth。
Suddenlyaninstinctmademedrawhastilyback——Iwasontheveryedgeofaprecipice,onestepmoreandImusthavefallen。
Itookfrightandgaveupmynocturnalpromenade。”A。Gratry:
HenriPerreyve,London,1872,pp。92,89。
Thisprimacy,inthefaith-state,ofvagueexpansiveimpulseoverdirectioniswellexpressedinWaltWhitman’slinesLeavesofGrass,1872,p。190:——
“Otoconfrontnight,storms,hunger,ridicule,accidents,rebuffs,asthetreesandanimalsdo……
DearCamerado!IconfessIhaveurgedyouonwardwithme,andstillurgeyou,withouttheleastideawhatisourdestinationOrwhetherweshallbevictorious,orutterlyquell’danddefeated。”
Thisreadinessforgreatthings,andthissensethattheworldbyitsimportance,wonderfulness,etc。,isaptfortheirproduction,wouldseemtobetheundifferentiatedgermofallthehigherfaiths。Trustinourowndreamsofambition,orinourcountry’sexpansivedestinies,andfaithintheprovidenceofGod,allhavetheirsourceinthatonrushofoursanguineimpulses,andinthatsenseoftheexceedingnessofthepossibleoverthereal。
When,however,apositiveintellectualcontentisassociatedwithafaith-state,itgetsinvinciblystampedinuponbelief,