alexandria and her schools(亚历山大和她的学校)-第25节
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demagogism； the hatred of philosophers； the persecution of princesthat
their ground was a moral ground； and not a merely intellectual one； that
they started； not from any notions of the understanding； but from the
inward conscience； that truly pure Reason in which the intellectual and the
moral spheres are united； which they believed to exist； however dimmed
or crushed； in every human being； capable of being awakened； purified；
and raised up to a noble and heroic life。 They concealed nothing moral
from their disciples： only they forbade them to meddle with intellectual
matters； before they had had a regular intellectual training。 The
witnesses of reason and conscience were sufficient guides for all men； and
at them the many might well stop short。 The teacher only needed to
proceed further； not into a higher region； but into a lower one； namely； into
the region of the logical understanding； and there make deductions from；
and illustrations of； those higher truths which he held in common with
every slave； and held on the same ground as they。
And the consequence of this method of philosophising was patent。
They were enabled to produce； in the lives of millions； generation after
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generation； a more immense moral improvement than the world had ever
seen before。 Their disciples did actually become righteous and good men；
just in proportion as they were true to the lessons they learnt。 They did； for
centuries； work a distinct and palpable deliverance on the earth； while all
the solemn and earnest meditation of the Neoplatonists； however good or
true； worked no deliverance whatsoever。 Plotinus longed at one time to
make a practical attempt。 He asked the Emperor Gallienus； his patron； to
rebuild for him a city in Campania； to allow him to call it Platonopolis；
and put it into the hands of him and his disciples； that they might there
realise Plato's ideal republic。 Luckily for the reputation of Neoplatonism；
the scheme was swamped by the courtiers of Gallienus； and the earth was
saved the sad and ludicrous sight of a realised Laputa； probably a very
quarrelsome one。 That was his highest practical conception： the
foundation of a new society： not the regeneration of society as it existed。
That work was left for the Christian schools； and up to a certain point
they performed it。 They made men good。 This was the test； which of
the schools was in the right： this was the test； which of the two had hold
of the eternal roots of metaphysic。 Cicero says； that he had learnt more
philosophy from the Laws of the Twelve Tables than from all the Greeks。
Clement and his school might have said the same of the Hebrew Ten
Commandments and Jewish Law； which are so marvellously analogous to
the old Roman laws； founded； as they are； on the belief in a Supreme
Being； a Jupiterliterally a Heavenly Fatherwho is the source and the
sanction of law； of whose justice man's justice is the pattern； who is the
avenger of crimes against marriage； property； life； on whom depends the
sanctity of an oath。 And so； to compare great things with small； there
was a truly practical human element here in the Christian teaching； purely
ethical and metaphysical； and yet palpable to the simplest and lowest；
which gave to it a regenerating force which the highest efforts of
Neoplatonism could never attain。
And yet Alexandrian Christianity； notoriously enough； rotted away；
and perished hideously。 Most true。 But what if the causes of its decay
and death were owing to its being untrue to itself？
I do not say that they had no excuses for being untrue to their own
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faith。 We are not here to judge them。 That peculiar subtlety of mind；
which rendered the Alexandrians the great thinkers of the then world； had
with Christians； as well as Heathens； the effect of alluring them away from
practice to speculation。 The Christian school； as was to be expected from
the moral ground of their philosophy； yielded to it far more slowly than the
Heathen； but they did yield； and especially after they had conquered and
expelled the Heathen school。 Moreover； the long battle with the Heathen
school had stirred up in them habits of exclusiveness； of denunciation； the
spirit which cannot assert a fact； without dogmatising rashly and harshly
on the consequences of denying that fact。 Their minds assumed a
permanent habit of combativeness。 Having no more Heathens to fight；
they began fighting each other； excommunicating each other； denying to
all who differed from them any share of that light； to claim which for all
men had been the very ground of their philosophy。 Not that they would
have refused the Logos to all men in words。 They would have cursed a
man for denying the existence of the Logos in every man； but they would
have equally cursed him for acting on his existence in practice； and
treating the heretic as one who had that within him to which a preacher
might appeal。 Thus they became Dogmatists； that is； men who assert a
truth so fiercely； as to forget that a truth is meant to be used； and not
merely assertedif； indeed； the fierce assertion of a truth in frail man is
not generally a sign of some secret doubt of it； and in inverse proportion to
his practical living faith in it： just as he who is always telling you that he
is a man； is not the most likely to behave like a man。 And why did this
befall them？ Because they forgot practically that the light proceeded
from a Person。 They could argue over notions and dogmas deduced from
the notion of His personality： but they were shut up in those notions；
they had forgotten that if He was a Person； His eye was on them； His rule
and kingdom within them； and that if He was a Person； He had a character；
and that that character was a righteous and a loving character： and
therefore they were not ashamed； in defending these notions and dogmas
about Him； to commit acts abhorrent to His character； to lie； to slander； to
intrigue； to hate； even to murder； for the sake of what they madly called
His glory： but which was really only their own glorythe glory of their
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own dogmas； of propositions and conclusions in their own brain； which；
true or false； were equally heretical in their mouths； because they used
them only as watchwords of division。 Orthodox or unorthodox； they lost
the knowledge of God； for they lost the knowledge of righteousness； and
love； and peace。 That Divine Logos； and theology as a whole； receded
further and further aloft into abysmal heights； as it became a mere dreary
system of dead scientific terms； having no practical bearing on their hearts
and lives； and then they； as the Neoplatonists had done before them； filled
up the void by those daemonologies； images； base Fetish worships； which
made the Mohammedan invaders regard them； and I believe justly； as
polytheists and idolaters； base as the pagan Arabs of the desert。
I cannot but believe them； moreover； to have been untrue to the
teaching of Clement and his school； in that coarse and materialist
admiration of celibacy which ruined Alexandrian society； as their
dogmatic ferocity ruined Alexandrian thought。 The Creed which taught
them that in the person of the Incarnate Logos； that which was most divine
had been proved to be most human； that which was most human had been
proved to be most divine； ought surely to have given to them； as it has
given to modern Europe； nobler； clearer； simpler views of the true relation
of the sexes。 However； on this matter they did not see their way。 Perhaps；
in so
