lecture20-第6节
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the emotional element； this latter tending to enter into the
group of purely intellectual sentiments。 〃Of religious sentiment
properly so called； nothing survives at last save a vague respect
for the unknowable x which is a last relic of the fear； and a
certain attraction towards the ideal； which is a relic of the
love； that characterized the earlier periods of religious growth。
To state this more simply； religion tends to turn into religious
philosophy。These are psychologically entirely different things；
the one being a theoretic construction of ratiocination； whereas
the other is the living work of a group of persons； or of a great
inspired leader； calling into play the entire thinking and
feeling organism of man。〃
I find the same failure to recognize that the stronghold of
religion lies in individuality in attempts like those of
Professor Baldwin （Mental Development； Social and Ethical
Interpretations； ch。 x） and Mr。 H。 R。 Marshall （Instinct and
Reason； chaps。 viii。 to xii。） to make it a purely 〃conservative
social force。〃
Let us agree； then； that Religion； occupying herself with
personal destinies and keeping thus in contact with the only
absolute realities which we know； must necessarily play an
eternal part in human history。 The next thing to decide is what
she reveals about those destinies； or whether indeed she reveals
anything distinct enough to be considered a general message to
mankind。 We have done as you see； with our preliminaries； and
our final summing up can now begin。
I am well aware that after all the palpitating documents which I
have quoted； and all the perspectives of emotion…inspiring
institution and belief that my previous lectures have opened； the
dry analysis to which I now advance may appear to many of you
like an anti…climax； a tapering…off and flattening out of the
subject； instead of a crescendo of interest and result。 I said
awhile ago that the religious attitude of Protestants appears
poverty…stricken to the Catholic imagination。 Still more
poverty…stricken； I fear； may my final summing up of the subject
appear at first to some of you。 On which account I pray you now
to bear this point in mind； that in the present part of it I am
expressly trying to reduce religion to its lowest admissible
terms； to that minimum； free from individualistic excrescences；
which all religions contain as their nucleus； and on which it may
be hoped that all religious persons may agree。 That established；
we should have a result which might be small； but would at least
be solid； and on it and round it the ruddier additional beliefs
on which the different individuals make their venture might be
grafted； and flourish as richly as you please。 I shall add my
own over…belief （which will be； I confess； of a somewhat pallid
kind； as befits a critical philosopher）； and you will； I hope；
also add your over…beliefs； and we shall soon be in the varied
world of concrete religious constructions once more。 For the
moment； let me dryly pursue the analytic part of the task。
Both thought and feeling are determinants of conduct； and the
same conduct may be determined either by feeling or by thought。
When we survey the whole field of religion； we find a great
variety in the thoughts that have prevailed there； but the
feelings on the one hand and the conduct on the other are almost
always the same； for Stoic； Christian； and Buddhist saints are
practically indistinguishable in their lives。 The theories which
Religion generates； being thus variable； are secondary； and if
you wish to grasp her essence； you must look to the feelings and
the conduct as being the more constant elements。 It is between
these two elements that the short circuit exists on which she
carries on her principal business； while the ideas and symbols
and other institutions form loop…lines which may be perfections
and improvements； and may even some day all be united into one
harmonious system； but which are not to be regarded as organs
with an indispensable function； necessary at all times for
religious life to go on。 This seems to me the first conclusion
which we are entitled to draw from the phenomena we have passed
in review。
The next step is to characterize the feelings。 To what
psychological order do they belong？
The resultant outcome of them is in any case what Kant calls a
〃sthenic〃 affection； an excitement of the cheerful； expansive；
〃dynamogenic〃 order which； like any tonic； freshens our vital
powers。 In almost every lecture； but especially in the lectures
on Conversion and on Saintliness； we have seen how this emotion
overcomes temperamental melancholy and imparts endurance to the
Subject； or a zest； or a meaning； or an enchantment and glory to
the common objects of life。＇340＇ The name of 〃faith…state；〃 by
which Professor Leuba designates it； is a good one。＇341＇ It is a
biological as well as a psychological condition； and Tolstoy is
absolutely accurate in classing faith among the forces BY WHICH
MEN LIVE。＇342＇ The total absence of it； anhedonia；＇343＇ means
collapse。
＇340＇ Compare； for instance； pages 200； 215； 219； 222；
244…250； 270…273。
＇341＇ American Journal of Psychology； vii。 345。
＇342＇ Above； p。 181。
＇343＇ Above； p。 143。
The faith…state may hold a very minimum of intellectual content。
We saw examples of this in those sudden raptures of the divine
presence； or in such mystical seizures as Dr。 Bucke
described。＇344＇ It may be a mere vague enthusiasm； half
spiritual； half vital； a courage； and a feeling that great and
wondrous things are in the air。＇345＇
＇344＇ Above； p。 391。
＇345＇ Example： Henri Perreyve writes to Gratry： 〃I do not know
how to deal with the happiness which you aroused in me this
morning。 It overwhelms me； I want to DO something； yet I can do
nothing and am fit for nothing。 。 。 。 I would fain do GREAT
THINGS。〃 Again； after an inspiring interview； he writes： 〃I
went homewards； intoxicated with joy； hope； and strength。 I
wanted to feed upon my happiness in solitude far from all men。
It was late； but； unheeding that； I took a mountain path and went
on like a madman； looking at the heavens； regardless of earth。
Suddenly an instinct made me draw hastily back I was on the
very edge of a precipice； one step more and I must have fallen。
I took fright and gave up my nocturnal promenade。〃 A。 Gratry：
Henri Perreyve； London； 1872； pp。 92； 89。
This primacy； in the faith…state； of vague expansive impulse over
direction is well expressed in Walt Whitman's lines （Leaves of
Grass； 1872； p。 190）：
〃O to confront night； storms； hunger；ridicule； accidents；
rebuffs； as the trees and animals do。 。 。 。
Dear Camerado！ I confess I have urged you onward with me； and
still urge you； without the least idea what is our
destination
Or whether we shall be victorious； or utterly quell'd and
defeated。〃
This readiness for great things； and this sense that the world by
its importance； wonderfulness； etc。； is apt for their production；
would seem to be the undifferentiated germ of all the higher
faiths。 Trust in our own dreams of ambition； or in our country's
expansive destinies； and faith in the providence of God； all have
their source in that onrush of our sanguine impulses； and in that
sense of the exceedingness of the possible over the real。
When； however； a positive intellectual content is associated with
a faith…state； it gets invincibly stamped in upon belief；＇346＇
and this explains the passionate loyalty of religious persons
everywhere to the minutest details of their so widely differing
creeds。 Taking creeds and faith…state together； as forming
〃religions；〃 and treating these as purely subjective phenomena；
without regard to the question of their 〃truth；〃 we are obliged；
on account of their extraordinary influence upon action and
endurance； to class them amongst the most important biological
functions of mankind。 Their stimulant and anaesthetic effect is
so great that Professor Leuba； in a recent article；＇347＇ goes so
far as to say that so long as men can USE their God； they care
very little who he is； or even whether he is at all。 〃The truth
of the matter can be
