lecture20-第1节
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Lecture XX
CONCLUSIONS
The material of our study of human nature is now spread before
us； and in this parting hour； set free from the duty of
description； we can draw our theoretical and practical
conclusions。 In my first lecture； defending the empirical
method； I foretold that whatever conclusions we might come to
could be reached by spiritual judgments only； appreciations of
the significance for life of religion； taken 〃on the whole。〃
Our conclusions cannot be as sharp as dogmatic conclusions would
be； but I will formulate them； when the time comes； as sharply as
I can。
Summing up in the broadest possible way the characteristics of
the religious life； as we have found them； it includes the
following beliefs：
1。 That the visible world is part of a more spiritual universe
from which it draws its chief significance；
2。 That union or harmonious relation with that higher universe
is our true end；
3。 That prayer or inner communion with the spirit thereof be
that spirit 〃God〃 or 〃law〃is a process wherein work is really
done； and spiritual energy flows in and produces effects；
psychological or material； within the phenomenal world。
Religion includes also the following psychological
characteristics：
4。 A new zest which adds itself like a gift to life； and takes
the form either of lyrical enchantment or of appeal to
earnestness and heroism。
5。 An assurance of safety and a temper of peace； and； in
relation to others； a preponderance of loving affections。
In illustrating these characteristics by documents； we have been
literally bathed in sentiment。 In re…reading my manuscript； I am
almost appalled at the amount of emotionality which I find in it。
After so much of this； we can afford to be dryer and less
sympathetic in the rest of the work that lies before us。
The sentimentality of many of my documents is a consequence of
the fact that I sought them among the extravagances of the
subject。 If any of you are enemies of what our ancestors used to
brand as enthusiasm； and are； nevertheless； still listening to me
now； you have probably felt my selection to have been sometimes
almost perverse； and have wished I might have stuck to soberer
examples。 I reply that I took these extremer examples as
yielding the profounder information。 To learn the secrets of any
science； we go to expert specialists； even though they may be
eccentric persons； and not to commonplace pupils。 We combine
what they tell us with the rest of our wisdom； and form our final
judgment independently。 Even so with religion。 We who have
pursued such radical expressions of it may now be sure that we
know its secrets as authentically as anyone can know them who
learns them from another； and we have next to answer； each of us
for himself； the practical question： what are the dangers in
this element of life？ and in what proportion may it need to be
restrained by other elements； to give the proper balance？
But this question suggests another one which I will answer
immediately and get it out of the way； for it has more than once
already vexed us。＇330＇ Ought it to be assumed that in all men the
mixture of religion with other elements should be identical？
Ought it； indeed； to be assumed that the lives of all men should
show identical religious elements？ In other words； is the
existence of so many religious types and sects and creeds
regrettable？
＇330＇ For example； on pages 135； 160； 326 above。
To these questions I answer 〃No〃 emphatically。 And my reason is
that I do not see how it is possible that creatures in such
different positions and with such different powers as human
individuals are； should have exactly the same functions and the
same duties。 No two of us have identical difficulties； nor
should we be expected to work out identical solutions。 Each；
from his peculiar angle of observation； takes in a certain sphere
of fact and trouble； which each must deal with in a unique
manner。 One of us must soften himself； another must harden
himself； one must yield a point； another must stand firmin
order the better to defend the position assigned him。 If an
Emerson were forced to be a Wesley； or a Moody forced to be a
Whitman； the total human consciousness of the divine would
suffer。 The divine can mean no single quality； it must mean a
group of qualities； by being champions of which in alternation；
different men may all find worthy missions。 Each attitude being
a syllable in human nature's total message； it takes the whole of
us to spell the meaning out completely。 So a 〃god of battles〃
must be allowed to be the god for one kind of person； a god of
peace and heaven and home； the god for another。 We must frankly
recognize the fact that we live in partial systems； and that
parts are not interchangeable in the spiritual life。 If we are
peevish and jealous； destruction of the self must be an element
of our religion； why need it be one if we are good and
sympathetic from the outset？ If we are sick souls； we require a
religion of deliverance； but why think so much of deliverance； if
we are healthy…minded？＇331＇ Unquestionably； some men have the
completer experience and the higher vocation； here just as in the
social world； but for each man to stay in his own experience；
whate'er it be； and for others to tolerate him there； is surely
best。
＇331＇ From this point of view； the contrasts between the healthy
and the morbid mind； and between the once…born and the twice…born
types； of which I spoke in earlier lectures （see pp。 159…164）；
cease to be the radical antagonisms which many think them。 The
twice…born look down upon the rectilinear consciousness of life
of the once…born as being 〃mere morality；〃 and not properly
religion。 〃Dr。 Channing；〃 an orthodox minister is reported to
have said； 〃is excluded from the highest form of religious life
by the extraordinary rectitude of his character。〃 It is indeed
true that the outlook upon life of the twice…bornholding as it
does more of the element of evil in solutionis the wider and
completer。 The 〃heroic〃 or 〃solemn〃 way in which life comes to
them is a 〃higher synthesis〃 into which healthy… mindedness and
morbidness both enter and combine。 Evil is not evaded； but
sublated in the higher religious cheer of these persons （see pp。
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 w
