god the invisible king-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


f　　theoretical　conviction。　　I　am　temperamentally　Arminian　as　I　am　　temperamentally　Nominalist。　　I　feel　that　it　must　be　in　the　nature　of　　God　to　attempt　all　souls。　　There　must　be　accessibilities　I　can　only　　suspect；　and　accessibilities　of　which　I　know　nothing。　Yet　here　is　a　consideration　pointing　rather　the　other　way。　　If　you　　think；　as　you　must　think；　that　you　yourself　can　be　lost　to　God　and　　damned；　then　I　cannot　see　how　you　can　avoid　thinking　that　other　　people　can　be　damned。　　But　that　is　not　to　believe　that　there　are　　people　damned　at　the　outset　by　their　moral　and　intellectual　　insufficiency；　that　is　not　to　make　out　that　there　is　a　class　of　　essential　and　incurable　spiritual　defectives。　　The　religious　life　　preceded　clear　religious　understanding　and　extends　far　beyond　its　　range。　In　my　own　case　I　perceive　that　in　spite　of　the　value　I　attach　to　　true　belief；　the　reality　of　religion　is　not　an　intellectual　thing。　　　The　essential　religious　fact　is　in　another　than　the　mental　sphere。　　　I　am　passionately　anxious　to　have　the　idea　of　God　clear　in　my　own　　mind；　and　to　make　my　beliefs　plain　and　clear　to　other　people；　and　　particularly　to　other　people　who　may　seem　to　be　feeling　with　me；　I　　do　perceive　that　error　is　evil　if　only　because　a　faith　based　on　　confused　conceptions　and　partial　understandings　may　suffer　　irreparable　injury　through　the　collapse　of　its　substratum　of　ideas。　　　I　doubt　if　faith　can　be　complete　and　enduring　if　it　is　not　secured　　by　the　definite　knowledge　of　the　true　God。　　Yet　I　have　also　to　admit　　that　I　find　the　form　of　my　own　religious　emotion　paralleled　by　　people　with　whom　I　have　no　intellectual　sympathy　and　no　agreement　in　　phrase　or　formula　at　all。　There　is　for　example　this　practical　identity　of　religious　feeling　　and　this　discrepancy　of　interpretation　between　such　an　inquirer　as　　myself　and　a　convert　of　the　Salvation　Army。　　Here；　clothing　itself　　in　phrases　and　images　of　barbaric　sacrifice；　of　slaughtered　lambs　　and　fountains　of　precious　blood；　a　most　repulsive　and　　incomprehensible　idiom　to　me；　and　expressing　itself　by　shouts；　　clangour；　trumpeting；　gesticulations；　and　rhythmic　pacings　that　stun　　and　dismay　my　nerves；　I　find；　the　same　object　sought；　release　from　　self；　and　the　same　end；　the　end　of　identification　with　the　immortal；　　successfully　if　perhaps　rather　insecurely　achieved。　　I　see　God　　indubitably　present　in　these　excitements；　and　I　see　personalities　I　　could　easily　have　misjudged　as　too　base　or　too　dense　for　spiritual　　understandings；　lit　by　the　manifest　reflection　of　divinity。　　One　may　　be　led　into　the　absurdest　underestimates　of　religious　possibilities　　if　one　estimates　people　only　coldly　and　in　the　light　of　everyday　　life。　　There　is　a　sub…intellectual　religious　life　which；　very　　conceivably；　when　its　utmost　range　can　be　examined；　excludes　nothing　　human　from　religious　cooperation；　which　will　use　any　words　to　its　　tune；　which　takes　its　phrasing　ready…made　from　the　world　about　it；　　as　it　takes　the　street　for　its　temple；　and　yet　which　may　be　at　its　　inner　point　in　the　directest　contact　with　God。　　Religion　may　suffer　　from　aphasia　and　still　be　religion；　it　may　utter　misleading　or　　nonsensical　words　and　yet　intend　and　convey　the　truth。　　The　methods　　of　the　Salvation　Army　are　older　than　doctrinal　Christianity；　and　may　　long　survive　it。　　Men　and　women　may　still　chant　of　Beulah　Land　and　　cry　out　in　the　ecstasy　of　salvation；　the　tambourine；　that　modern　　revival　of　the　thrilling　Alexandrine　sistrum；　may　still　stir　dull　　nerves　to　a　first　apprehension　of　powers　and　a　call　beyond　the　　immediate　material　compulsion　of　life；　when　the　creeds　of　　Christianity　are　as　dead　as　the　lore　of　the　Druids。　The　emancipation　of　mankind　from　obsolete　theories　and　formularies　　may　be　accompanied　by　great　tides　of　moral　and　emotional　release　　among　types　and　strata　that　by　the　standards　of　a　trained　and　　explicit　intellectual；　may　seem　spiritually　hopeless。　　It　is　not　　necessary　to　imagine　the　whole　world　critical　and　lucid　in　order　to　　imagine　the　whole　world　unified　in　religious　sentiment；　　comprehending　the　same　phrases　and　coming　together　regardless　of　　class　and　race　and　quality；　in　the　worship　and　service　of　the　true　　God。　　The　coming　kingship　of　God　if　it　is　to　be　more　than　hieratic　　tyranny　must　have　this　universality　of　appeal。　　As　the　head　grows　　clear　the　body　will　turn　in　the　right　direction。　　To　the　mass　of　men　　modern　religion　says；　〃This　is　the　God　it　has　always　been　in　your　　nature　to　apprehend。〃

11。　GOD　AND　THE　LOVE　AND　STATUS　OF　WOMEN

Now　that　we　are　discussing　the　general　question　of　individual　　conduct；　it　will　be　convenient　to　take　up　again　and　restate　in　that　　relationship；　propositions　already　made　very　plainly　in　the　second　　and　third　chapters。　　Here　there　are　several　excellent　reasons　for　a　　certain　amount　of　deliberate　repetition。　。　。　。　All　the　mystical　relations　of　chastity；　virginity；　and　the　like　with　　religion；　those　questions　of　physical　status　that　play　so　large　a　　part　in　most　contemporary　religions；　have　disappeared　from　modern　　faith。　　Let　us　be　as　clear　as　possible　upon　this。　　God　is　concerned　　by　the　health　and　fitness　and　vigour　of　his　servants；　we　owe　him　our　　best　and　utmost；　but　he　has　no　special　concern　and　no　special　　preferences　or　commandments　regarding　sexual　things。　Christ；　it　is　manifest；　was　of　the　modern　faith　in　these　matters；　he　　welcomed　the　Magdalen；　neither　would　he　condemn　the　woman　taken　in　　adultery。　　Manifestly　corruption　and　disease　were　not　to　stand　　between　him　and　those　who　sought　God　in　him。　　But　the　Christianity　　of　the　creeds；　in　this　as　in　so　many　respects；　does　not　rise　to　the　　level　of　its　founder；　and　it　is　as　necessary　to　repeat　to…day　as　　though　the　name　of　Christ　had　not　been　ascendant　for　nineteen　　centuries；　that　sex　is　a　secondary　thing　to　religion；　and　sexual　　status　of　no　account　in　the　presence　of　God。　　It　follows　quite　　logically　that　God　does　not　discriminate　between　man　and　woman　in　　any　essential　things。　　We　leave　our　individuality　behind　us　when　we　　come　into　the　presence　of　God。　　Sex　is　not　disavowed　but　forgotten。　　　Just　as　one's　last　meal　is　forgottenwhich　also　is　a　difference　　between　the　religious　moment　of　modern　faith　and　certain　Christian　　sacraments。　　You　are　a　believer　and　God　is　at　hand　to　you；　heed　not　　your　state；　reach　out　to　him　and　he　is　there。　　In　the　moment　of　　religion　you　are　human；　it　matters　not　what　else　you　are；　male　or　　female；　clean　or　unclean；　Hebrew　or　Gentile；　bond　or　free。　　It　is　　AFTER　the　moment　of　religion　that　we　become　concerned　about　our　　state　and　the　manner　in　which　we　use　ourselves。　We　have　to　follow　our　reason　as　our　sole　guide　in　our　individual　　treatment　of　all　such　things　as　food　and　health　and　sex。　　God　is　the　　king　of　the　whole　world；　he　is　the　owner　of　our　souls　and　bodies　and　　all　things。　　He　is　not　particularly　concerned　about　any　aspect；　　because　he　is　concerned　about　every　aspect。　　We　have　to　make　the　　best　use　of　ourselves　for　his　kingdom；　that　is　our　rule　of　life。　　　That　rule　means　neither　painful　nor　frantic　abstinences　nor　any　　forced　way　of　living。　　Purity；　cleanliness；　health；　none　of　these　　things　are　for　themselves；　they　are　for　use；　none　are　magic；　all　are　　means。　　The　sword　must　be　sharp　and　clean。　　That　does　not　mean　that　　we　are　perpetually　to　sharpen　and　clean　itwhich　would　weaken　and　　waste　the　blade。　　The　sword　must　neither　be　drawn　constantly　nor　　always　rusting　in　its　sheath。　　Those　who　have　had　the　wits　and　soul　　to　come　to　God；　will　have　the　wits　and　soul　to　find　out　and　know　　what　is　waste；　what　is　vanity；　what　is　the　happiness　that　begets　　strength　of　body　and　spirit；　what　is　error；　where　vice　begins；　and　　to　avoid　and　repent　and　recoil　from　all　those　things　that　degrade。　　　These　are　matters　not　of　the　rule　of　life　but　of　the　application　of　　life。　　They　must　neither　be　neglected　nor　made　disproportionally　　important。　To　the　believer；　relationship　with　God　is　the　supreme　relationship。　　　It　is　difficult　to　imagine　how　the　association　of　lovers　and　friends　　can　be　very　fine　and　close　and　good　unless　the　two　who　love　are　each　　also　linked　to　God；　so　that　through　their　moods　and　fluctuations　and　　the　changes　of　years　they　can　be　held　steadfast　by　his　undying　　steadfastness。　　But　it　has　been　felt　by　many　deep…feeling　people　　that　there　is　so　much　kindred　between　the　love　and　trust　of　husband　　and　wife　and　the　feeling　we　have　for　God；　that　it　is　reasonable　to　　consider　the　former　also　as　a　sacred　thing。　　They　do　so　value　that　　close　love　of　mated　man　and　woman；　they　are　so　intent　upon　its　　permanence　and　completeness　and　to　lift　the　dear　relationship　out　of　　the　ruck　of　casual　and　transitory　things；　that　they　want　to　bring　　it；　as　it　were；　into　the　very　presence　and　assent　of　God。　　There　are　　many　who　dream　and　desire　that　they　are　as　deeply　and　completely　　mated　as　this；　many　more　who　would　fain　be　so；　and　some　who　are。　　　And　from　this　comes　the　earnest　desire　to　make　marriage　sacramental　　and　the　attempt　to　impose　upon　all　the　world　the　outward　appearance；　　the　restrictions；　the　pretence　at　least　of　such　a　sacramental　union。　There　may　be　such　a　quasi…sacramental　union　in　many　cases；　but　only　　after　years　can　one　be　sure　of　it；　it　is　not　to　be　brought　about　by　　vows　and　promises　but　by