06-worship-第2部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



contemporaries；　scholars　as　well　as　merchants；　succumb　to　a　great

despair；　　have　corrupted　into　a　timorous　conservatism；　and　believe

in　nothing。　　In　our　large　cities；　the　population　is　godless；

materialized；　　no　bond；　no　fellow…feeling；　no　enthusiasm。　　These

are　not　men；　but　hungers；　thirsts；　fevers；　and　appetites　walking。

How　is　it　people　manage　to　live　on；　　so　aimless　as　they　are？　　After

their　peppercorn　aims　are　gained；　it　seems　as　if　the　lime　in　their

bones　alone　held　them　together；　and　not　any　worthy　purpose。　　There　is

no　faith　in　the　intellectual；　none　in　the　moral　universe。　　There　is

faith　in　chemistry；　in　meat；　and　wine；　in　wealth；　in　machinery；　in

the　steam…engine；　galvanic　battery；　turbine…wheels；　sewing　machines；

and　in　public　opinion；　but　not　in　divine　causes。　　A　silent　revolution

has　loosed　the　tension　of　the　old　religious　sects；　and；　in　place　of

the　gravity　and　permanence　of　those　societies　of　opinion；　they　run

into　freak　and　extravagance。　　In　creeds　never　was　such　levity；

witness　the　heathenisms　in　Christianity；　the　periodic　〃revivals；〃　the

Millennium　mathematics；　the　peacock　ritualism；　the　retrogression　to

Popery；　the　maundering　of　Mormons；　the　squalor　of　Mesmerism；　the

deliration　of　rappings；　the　rat　and　mouse　revelation；　thumps　in

table…drawers；　and　black　art。　　The　architecture；　the　music；　the

prayer；　partake　of　the　madness：　the　arts　sink　into　shift　and

make…believe。　　Not　knowing　what　to　do；　we　ape　our　ancestors；　the

churches　stagger　backward　to　the　mummeries　of　the　dark　ages。　　By　the

irresistible　maturing　of　the　general　mind；　the　Christian　traditions

have　lost　their　hold。　　The　dogma　of　the　mystic　offices　of　Christ

being　dropped；　and　he　standing　on　his　genius　as　a　moral　teacher；　'tis

impossible　to　maintain　the　old　emphasis　of　his　personality；　and　it

recedes；　as　all　persons　must；　before　the　sublimity　of　the　moral　laws。

From　this　change；　and　in　the　momentary　absence　of　any　religious

genius　that　could　offset　the　immense　material　activity；　there　is　a

feeling　that　religion　is　gone。　　When　Paul　Leroux　offered　his　article

_〃Dieu〃_　to　the　conductor　of　a　leading　French　journal；　he　replied；

_〃La　question　de　Dieu　manque　d'actualite。〃_　In　Italy；　Mr。　Gladstone

said　of　the　late　King　of　Naples；　〃it　has　been　a　proverb；　that　he　has

erected　the　negation　of　God　into　a　system　of　government。〃　In　this

country；　the　like　stupefaction　was　in　the　air；　and　the　phrase　〃higher

law〃　became　a　political　jibe。　　What　proof　of　infidelity；　like　the

toleration　and　propagandism　of　slavery？　　What；　like　the　direction　of

education？　　What；　like　the　facility　of　conversion？　　What；　like　the

externality　of　churches　that　once　sucked　the　roots　of　right　and

wrong；　and　now　have　perished　away　till　they　are　a　speck　of　whitewash

on　the　wall？　　What　proof　of　skepticism　like　the　base　rate　at　which

the　highest　mental　and　moral　gifts　are　held？　　Let　a　man　attain　the

highest　and　broadest　culture　that　any　American　has　possessed；　then

let　him　die　by　sea…storm；　railroad　collision；　or　other　accident；　and

all　America　will　acquiesce　that　the　best　thing　has　happened　to　him；

that；　after　the　education　has　gone　far；　such　is　the　expensiveness　of

America；　that　the　best　use　to　put　a　fine　person　to；　is；　to　drown　him

to　save　his　board。



　　　　　　　　Another　scar　of　this　skepticism　is　the　distrust　in　human

virtue。　　It　is　believed　by　well…dressed　proprietors　that　there　is　no

more　virtue　than　they　possess；　that　the　solid　portion　of　society

exist　for　the　arts　of　comfort：　that　life　is　an　affair　to　put　somewhat

between　the　upper　and　lower　mandibles。　　How　prompt　the　suggestion　of

a　low　motive！　　Certain　patriots　in　England　devoted　themselves　for

years　to　creating　a　public　opinion　that　should　break　down　the

corn…laws　and　establish　free　trade。　　‘Well；'　says　the　man　in　the

street；　‘Cobden　got　a　stipend　out　of　it。'　Kossuth　fled　hither　across

the　ocean　to　try　if　he　could　rouse　the　New　World　to　a　sympathy　with

European　liberty。　　‘Aye；'　says　New　York；　‘he　made　a　handsome　thing　of

it；　enough　to　make　him　comfortable　for　life。'



　　　　　　　　See　what　allowance　vice　finds　in　the　respectable　and

well…conditioned　class。　　If　a　pickpocket　intrude　into　the　society　of

gentlemen；　they　exert　what　moral　force　they　have；　and　he　finds

himself　uncomfortable；　and　glad　to　get　away。　　But　if　an　adventurer　go

through　all　the　forms；　procure　himself　to　be　elected　to　a　post　of

trust；　as　of　senator；　or　president；　　though　by　the　same　arts　as　we

detest　in　the　house…thief；　　the　same　gentlemen　who　agree　to

discountenance　the　private　rogue；　will　be　forward　to　show　civilities

and　marks　of　respect　to　the　public　one：　and　no　amount　of　evidence　of

his　crimes　will　prevent　them　giving　him　ovations；　complimentary

dinners；　opening　their　own　houses　to　him；　and　priding　themselves　on

his　acquaintance。　　We　were　not　deceived　by　the　professions　of　the

private　adventurer；　　the　louder　he　talked　of　his　honor；　the　faster

we　counted　our　spoons；　but　we　appeal　to　the　sanctified　preamble　of

the　messages　and　proclamations　of　the　public　sinner；　as　the　proof　of

sincerity。　　It　must　be　that　they　who　pay　this　homage　have　said　to

themselves；　On　the　whole；　we　don't　know　about　this　that　you　call

honesty；　a　bird　in　the　hand　is　better。



　　　　　　　　Even　well…disposed；　good　sort　of　people　are　touched　with　the

same　infidelity；　and　for　brave；　straightforward　action；　use

half…measures　and　compromises。　　Forgetful　that　a　little　measure　is　a

great　error；　forgetful　that　a　wise　mechanic　uses　a　sharp　tool；　they

go　on　choosing　the　dead　men　of　routine。　　But　the　official　men　can　in

nowise　help　you　in　any　question　of　to…day；　they　deriving　entirely

from　the　old　dead　things。　　Only　those　can　help　in　counsel　or　conduct

who　did　not　make　a　party　pledge　to　defend　this　or　that；　but　who　were

appointed　by　God　Almighty；　before　they　came　into　the　world；　to　stand

for　this　which　they　uphold。



　　　　　　　　It　has　been　charged　that　a　want　of　sincerity　in　the　leading　men

is　a　vice　general　throughout　American　society。　　But　the　multitude　of

the　sick　shall　not　make　us　deny　the　existence　of　health。　　In　spite　of

our　imbecility　and　terrors；　and　〃universal　decay　of　religion；〃　&c。

&c。；　the　moral　sense　reappears　to…day　with　the　same　morning　newness

that　has　been　from　of　old　the　fountain　of　beauty　and　strength。　　You

say；　there　is　no　religion　now。　　'Tis　like　saying　in　rainy　weather；

there　is　no　sun；　when　at　that　moment　we　are　witnessing　one　of　his

superlative　effects。　　The　religion　of　the　cultivated　class　now；　to　be

sure；　consists　in　an　avoidance　of　acts　and　engagements　which　it　was

once　their　religion　to　assume。　　But　this　avoidance　will　yield

spontaneous　forms　in　their　due　hour。　　There　is　a　principle　which　is

the　basis　of　things；　which　all　speech　aims　to　say；　and　all　action　to

evolve；　a　simple；　quiet；　undescribed；　undescribable　presence；

dwelling　very　peacefully　in　us；　our　rightful　lord：　we　are　not　to　do；

but　to　let　do；　not　to　work；　but　to　be　worked　upon；　and　to　this　homage

there　is　a　consent　of　all　thoughtful　and　just　men　in　all　ages　and

conditions。　　To　this　sentiment　belong　vast　and　sudden　enlargements　of

power。　　'Tis　remarkable　that　our　faith　in　ecstasy　consists　with　total

inexperience　of　it。　　It　is　the　order　of　the　world　to　educate　with

accuracy　the　senses　and　the　understanding；　and　the　enginery　at　work

to　draw　out　these　powers　in　priority；　no　doubt；　has　its　office。　　But

we　are　never　without　a　hint　that　these　powers　are　mediate　and

servile；　and　that　we　are　one　day　to　deal　with　real　being；　　essences

with　essences。　　Even　the　fury　of　material　activity　has　some　results

friendly　to　moral　health。　　The　energetic　action　of　the　times　develops

individualism；　and　the　religious　appear　isolated。　　I　esteem　this　a

step　in　the　right　direction。　　Heaven　deals　with　us　on　no

representative　system。　　Souls　are　not　saved　in　bundles。　　The　Spirit

saith　to　the　man；　‘How　is　it　with　thee？　thee　personally？　is　it　well？

is　it　ill？'　For　a　great　nature；　it　is　a　happiness　to　escape　a

religious　training；　　religion　of　character　is　so　apt　to　be　invaded。

Religion　must　always　be　a　crab　fruit：　it　cannot　be　grafted　and　keep

its　wild　beauty。　　〃I　have　seen；〃　said　a　traveller　who　had　known　the

extremes　of　society；　〃I　have　seen　human　nature　in　all　its　forms；　it

is　everywhere　the　same；　but　the　wilder　it　is；　the　more　virtuous。〃



　　　　　　　　We　say；　the　old　forms　of　religion　decay；　and　that　a　skepticism

devastates　the　community。　　I　do　not　think　it　can　be　cured　or　stayed

by　any　modification　of　theologic　creeds；　much　less　by　theologic

discipline。　　The　cure　for　false　theology　is　motherwit。　　Forget　your

books　and　traditions；　and　obey　your　moral　perceptions　at　this　hour。

That　which　is　signified　by　the　words　〃moral〃　and　〃spiritual；〃　is　a

lasting　essence；　and；　with　whatever　illusions　we　have　loaded　them；

will　certainly　bring　back　the　words；　age　after　age；　to　their　ancient

meaning。　　I　know　no　words　that　mean　so　much。　　In　our　definitions；　we

grope　after　the　_spiritual_　by　describing　it　as　invisible。　　The　true

meaning　of　_spiritual_　is　_real_；　that　law　which　executes　itself；

which　works　without　means；　and　which　cannot　be　conceived　as　not

existing。　　Men　talk　of　〃mere　morality；〃　　which　is　much　as　if　one

should　say；　‘poor　God；　with　nobody　to　help　him。'　I　find　the

omnipresence　and　the　almightiness　in　the　reaction　of　every　atom　in

Nature。　　I　can　best　indicate　by　examples　those　reactions　by　which

every　part　of　Nature　replies　to　the　purpose　of　the　actor；　

beneficently　to　the　good；　penally　to　the　bad。　　Let　us　replace

sentimentalism　by　realism；　and　dare　to　uncover　those　simple　and

terrible　laws　which；　be　they　seen　or　unseen；　pervade　and　govern。



　　　　　　　　Every　man　takes　care　that　his　neighbor　shall　not　cheat　him。

But　a　day　comes　when　he　begins　to　care　that　he　do　not　cheat　his

neighbor。　　Then　all　goes　well。　　He　has　changed　his　market…cart　into　a

chariot　of　the　sun。　　What　a　day　dawns；　when　we　have　taken　to　heart

the　doctrine　of　faith！　to　prefer；