god the invisible king-第13节

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SE　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　adjustmentas　genial　and　　generous　as　possibleof　individual　variations　for　common　good。　　　Otherwise　life　becomes　discordant　and　futile；　and　the　pain　and　waste　　react　on　each　individual。　　So　we　raise　again；　in　the　twentieth　　century；　the　old　question　of　'the　greatest　good；'　which　men　　discussed　in　the　Stoa　Poikile　and　the　suburban　groves　of　Athens；　in　　the　cool　atria　of　patrician　mansions　on　the　Palatine　and　the　　Pincian；　in　the　Museum　at　Alexandria；　and　the　schools　which　Omar　　Khayyam　frequented；　in　the　straw…strewn　schools　of　the　Middle　Ages　　and　the　opulent　chambers　of　Cosimo　dei　Medici。〃

And　again：

〃The　old　dream　of　a　co…operative　effort　to　improve　life；　to　bring　　happiness　to　as　many　minds　of　mortals　as　we　can　reach；　shines　above　　all　the　mists　of　the　day。　　Through　the　ruins　of　creeds　and　　philosophies；　which　have　for　ages　disdained　it；　we　are　retracing　our　　steps　toward　that　heightjust　as　the　Athenians　did　two　thousand　　years　ago。　　It　rests　on　no　metaphysic；　no　sacred　legend；　no　　disputable　traditionnothing　that　scepticism　can　corrode　or　　advancing　knowledge　undermine。　　Its　foundations　are　the　fundamental　　and　unchanging　impulses　of　our　nature。〃

And　again：

〃The　revolt　which　burns　in　so　much　of　the　abler　literature　of　our　　time　is　an　unselfish　revolt；　or　non…selfish　revolt：　it　is　an　outcome　　of　that　larger　spirit　which　conceives　the　self　to　be　a　part　of　the　　general　social　organism；　and　it　is　therefore　neither　egoistic　nor　　altruistic。　　It　finds　a　sanction　in　the　new　intelligence；　and　an　　inspiration　in　the　finer　sentiments　of　our　generation；　but　the　glow　　which　chiefly　illumines　it　is　the　glow　of　the　great　vision　of　a　　happier　earth。　　It　speaks　of　the　claims　of　truth　and　justice；　and　　assails　untruth　and　injustice；　for　these　are　elemental　principles　of　　social　life；　but　it　appeals　more　confidently　to　the　warmer　sympathy　　which　is　linking　the　scattered　children　of　the　race；　and　it　urges　　all　to　co…operate　in　the　restriction　of　suffering　and　the　creation　　of　happiness。　　The　advance　guard　of　the　race；　the　men　and　women　in　　whom　mental　alertness　is　associated　with　fine　feeling；　cry　that　they　　have　reached　Pisgah's　slope　and　in　increasing　numbers　men　and　women　　are　pressing　on　to　see　if　it　be　really　the　Promised　Land。〃

〃Pisgahthe　Promised　Land！〃　　Mr。　　McCabe　in　that　passage　sounds　as　　if　he　were　half…way　to　〃Oh！　Beulah　Land！〃　and　the　tambourine。　That　〃larger　spirit；〃　we　maintain；　is　God；　those　〃impulses〃　are　the　　power　of　God；　and　Mr。　McCabe　serves　a　Master　he　denies。　　He　has　but　　to　realise　fully　that　God　is　not　necessarily　the　Triune　God　of　the　　Catholic　Church；　and　banish　his　intense　suspicion　that　he　may　yet　be　　lured　back　to　that　altar　he　abandoned；　he　has　but　to　look　up　from　　that　preoccupation；　and　immediately　he　will　begin　to　realise　the　　presence　of　Divinity。

3。　GOD　IS　AN　EXTERNAL　REALITY

It　may　be　argued　that　if　atheists　and　agnostics　when　they　set　　themselves　to　express　the　good　will　that　is　in　them；　do　shape　out　　God；　that　if　their　conception　of　right　living　falls　in　so　completely　　with　the　conception　of　God's　service　as　to　be　broadly　identical；　　then　indeed　God；　like　the　ether　of　scientific　speculation；　is　no　　more　than　a　theory；　no　more　than　an　imaginative　externalisation　of　　man's　inherent　good　will。　　Why　trouble　about　God　then？　　Is　not　the　　declaration　of　a　good　disposition　a　sufficient　evidence　of　　salvation？　　What　is　the　difference　between　such　benevolent　　unbelievers　as　Professor　Metchnikoff　or　Mr。　McCabe　and　those　who　　have　found　God？　The　difference　is　this；　that　the　benevolent　atheist　stands　alone　　upon　his　own　good　will；　without　a　reference；　without　a　standard；　　trusting　to　his　own　impulse　to　goodness；　relying　upon　his　own　moral　　strength。　　A　certain　immodesty；　a　certain　self…righteousness；　hangs　　like　a　precipice　above　him；　incalculable　temptations　open　like　gulfs　　beneath　his　feet。　　He　has　not　really　given　himself　or　got　away　from　　himself。　　He　has　no　one　to　whom　he　can　give　himself。　　He　is　still　a　　masterless　man。　　His　exaltation　is　self…centred；　is　priggishness；　　his　fall　is　unrestrained　by　any　exterior　obligation。　　His　devotion　　is　only　the　good　will　in　himself；　a　disposition；　it　is　a　mood　that　　may　change。　　At　any　moment　it　may　change。　　He　may　have　pledged　　himself　to　his　own　pride　and　honour；　but　who　will　hold　him　to　his　　bargain？　　He　has　no　source　of　strength　beyond　his　own　amiable　　sentiments；　his　conscience　speaks　with　an　unsupported　voice；　and　no　　one　watches　while　he　sleeps。　　He　cannot　pray；　he　can　but　ejaculate。　　　He　has　no　real　and　living　link　with　other　men　of　good　will。　And　those　whose　acquiescence　in　the　idea　of　God　is　merely　　intellectual　are　in　no　better　case　than　those　who　deny　God　　altogether。　　They　may　have　all　the　forms　of　truth　and　not　divinity。　　　The　religion　of　the　atheist　with　a　God…shaped　blank　at　its　heart　and　　the　persuasion　of　the　unconverted　theologian；　are　both　like　lamps　　unlit。　　The　lit　lamp　has　no　difference　in　form　from　the　lamp　unlit。　　　But　the　lit　lamp　is　alive　and　the　lamp　unlit　is　asleep　or　dead。　The　difference　between　the　unconverted　and　the　unbeliever