herland(她乡)-第34节
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an old man in a flowing robe； flowing hair； flowing beard； and in the light
of her perfectly frank and innocent questions this concept seemed rather
unsatisfying。
I explained that the God of the Christian world was really the
ancient Hebrew God； and that we had simply taken over the patriarchal
ideathat ancient one which quite inevitably clothed its thought of God
with the attributes of the patriarchal ruler； the grandfather。
〃I see；〃 she said eagerly； after I had explained the genesis and
development of our religious ideals。 〃They lived in separate groups； with
a male head； and he was probably a littledomineering？〃
〃No doubt of that；〃 I agreed。
〃And we live together without any ‘head；' in that sensejust our
chosen leadersthat DOES make a difference。〃
〃Your difference is deeper than that；〃 I assured her。 〃It is in
your common motherhood。 Your children grow up in a world where
everybody loves them。 They find life made rich and happy for them by
the diffused love and wisdom of all mothers。 So it is easy for you to
think of God in the terms of a similar diffused and competent love。 I
think you are far nearer right than we are。〃
〃What I cannot understand；〃 she pursued carefully； 〃is your
preservation of such a very ancient state of mind。 This patriarchal idea
you tell me is thousands of years old？〃
〃Oh yesfour； five； six thousandevery so many。〃
〃And you have made wonderful progress in those yearsin other
things？〃
〃We certainly have。 But religion is different。 You see； our
religions come from behind us； and are initiated by some great teacher
who is dead。 He is supposed to have known the whole thing and taught it；
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finally。 All we have to do is believeand obey。〃
〃Who was the great Hebrew teacher？〃
〃Ohthere it was different。 The Hebrew religion is an
accumulation of extremely ancient traditions； some far older than their
people； and grew by accretion down the ages。 We consider it inspired
‘the Word of God。'〃
〃How do you know it is？〃
〃Because it says so。〃
〃Does it say so in as many words？ Who wrote that in？〃
I began to try to recall some text that did say so； and could not
bring it to mind。
〃Apart from that；〃 she pursued； 〃what I cannot understand is
why you keep these early religious ideas so long。 You have changed all
your others； haven't you？〃
〃Pretty generally；〃 I agreed。 〃But this we call ‘revealed
religion；' and think it is final。 But tell me more about these little temples
of yours；〃 I urged。 〃And these Temple Mothers you run to。〃
Then she gave me an extended lesson in applied religion； which
I will endeavor to concentrate。
They developed their central theory of a Loving Power； and
assumed that its relation to them was motherlythat it desired their
welfare and especially their development。 Their relation to it； similarly；
was filial； a loving appreciation and a glad fulfillment of its high purposes。
Then； being nothing if not practical； they set their keen and active minds
to discover the kind of conduct expected of them。 This worked out in a
most admirable system of ethics。 The principle of Love was universally
recognizedand used。
Patience； gentleness； courtesy； all that we call 〃good breeding；〃
was part of their code of conduct。 But where they went far beyond us
was in the special application of religious feeling to every field of life。
They had no ritual； no little set of performances called 〃divine service；〃
save those religious pageants I have spoken of； and those were as much
educational as religious； and as much social as either。 But they had a
clear established connection between everything they didand God。
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Their cleanliness； their health； their exquisite order； the rich peaceful
beauty of the whole land； the happiness of the children； and above all the
constant progress they madeall this was their religion。
They applied their minds to the thought of God； and worked out
the theory that such an inner power demanded outward expression。 They
lived as if God was real and at work within them。
As for those little temples everywheresome of the women were
more skilled； more temperamentally inclined； in this direction； than others。
These； whatever their work might be； gave certain hours to the Temple
Service； which meant being there with all their love and wisdom and
trained thought； to smooth out rough places for anyone who needed it。
Sometimes it was a real grief； very rarely a quarrel； most often a
perplexity； even in Herland the human soul had its hours of darkness。
But all through the country their best and wisest were ready to give help。
If the difficulty was unusually profound； the applicant was
directed to someone more specially experienced in that line of thought。
Here was a religion which gave to the searching mind a rational
basis in life； the concept of an immense Loving Power working steadily
out through them； toward good。 It gave to the 〃soul〃 that sense of
contact with the inmost force； of perception of the uttermost purpose；
which we always crave。 It gave to the 〃heart〃 the blessed feeling of
being loved； loved and UNDERSTOOD。 It gave clear； simple； rational
directions as to how we should liveand why。 And for ritual it gave first
those triumphant group demonstrations； when with a union of all the arts；
the revivifying combination of great multitudes moved rhythmically with
march and dance； song and music； among their own noblest products and
the open beauty of their groves and hills。 Second； it gave these numerous
little centers of wisdom where the least wise could go to the most wise and
be helped。
〃It is beautiful！〃 I cried enthusiastically。 〃It is the most
practical； comforting； progressive religion I ever heard of。 You DO love
one anotheryou DO bear one another's burdensyou DO realize that a
little child is a type of the kingdom of heaven。 You are more Christian
than any people I ever saw。 Buthow about death？ And the life
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everlasting？ What does your religion teach about eternity？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Ellador。 〃What is eternity？〃
What indeed？ I tried； for the first time in my life； to get a real
hold on the idea。
〃It isnever stopping。〃
〃Never stopping？〃 She looked puzzled。
〃Yes； life； going on forever。〃
〃Ohwe see that； of course。 Life does go on forever； all about
us。〃
〃But eternal life goes on WITHOUT DYING。〃
〃The same person？〃
〃Yes； the same person； unending； immortal。〃 I was pleased to
think that I had something to teach from our religion； which theirs had
never promulgated。
〃Here？〃 asked Ellador。 〃Never to diehere？〃 I could see her
practical mind heaping up the people； and hurriedly reassured her。
〃Oh no； indeed； not herehereafter。 We must die here； of
course； but then we ‘enter into eternal life。' The soul lives forever。〃
〃How do you know？〃 she inquired。
〃I won't attempt to prove it to you；〃 I hastily continued。 〃Let
us assume it to be so。 How does this idea strike you？〃
Again she smiled at me； that
