06-worship-第6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！



indefinite　centuries　and　millenniums　and　aeons。　　Higher　than　the

question　of　our　duration　is　the　question　of　our　deserving。

Immortality　will　come　to　such　as　are　fit　for　it；　and　he　who　would　be

a　great　soul　in　future；　must　be　a　great　soul　now。　　It　is　a　doctrine

too　great　to　rest　on　any　legend；　that　is；　on　any　man's　experience　but

our　own。　　It　must　be　proved；　if　at　all；　from　our　own　activity　and

designs；　which　imply　an　interminable　future　for　their　play。



　　　　　　　　What　is　called　religion　effeminates　and　demoralizes。　　Such　as

you　are；　the　gods　themselves　could　not　help　you。　　Men　are　too　often

unfit　to　live；　from　their　obvious　inequality　to　their　own

necessities；　or；　they　suffer　from　politics；　or　bad　neighbors；　or　from

sickness；　and　they　would　gladly　know　that　they　were　to　be　dismissed

from　the　duties　of　life。　　But　the　wise　instinct　asks；　‘How　will　death

help　them？'　These　are　not　dismissed　when　they　die。　　You　shall　not

wish　for　death　out　of　pusillanimity。　　The　weight　of　the　Universe　is

pressed　down　on　the　shoulders　of　each　moral　agent　to　hold　him　to　his

task。　　The　only　path　of　escape　known　in　all　the　worlds　of　God　is

performance。　　You　must　do　your　work；　before　you　shall　be　released。

And　as　far　as　it　is　a　question　of　fact　respecting　the　government　of

the　Universe；　Marcus　Antoninus　summed　the　whole　in　a　word；　〃It　is

pleasant　to　die；　if　there　be　gods；　and　sad　to　live；　if　there　be

none。〃



　　　　　　　　And　so　I　think　that　the　last　lesson　of　life；　the　choral　song

which　rises　from　all　elements　and　all　angels；　is；　a　voluntary

obedience；　a　necessitated　freedom。　　Man　is　made　of　the　same　atoms　as

the　world　is；　he　shares　the　same　impressions；　predispositions；　and

destiny。　　When　his　mind　is　illuminated；　when　his　heart　is　kind；　he

throws　himself　joyfully　into　the　sublime　order；　and　does；　with

knowledge；　what　the　stones　do　by　structure。



　　　　　　　　The　religion　which　is　to　guide　and　fulfil　the　present　and

coming　ages；　whatever　else　it　be；　must　be　intellectual。　　The

scientific　mind　must　have　a　faith　which　is　science。　　〃There　are　two

things；〃　said　Mahomet；　〃which　I　abhor；　the　learned　in　his

infidelities；　and　the　fool　in　his　devotions。〃　Our　times　are　impatient

of　both；　and　specially　of　the　last。　　Let　us　have　nothing　now　which　is

not　its　own　evidence。　　There　is　surely　enough　for　the　heart　and

imagination　in　the　religion　itself。　　Let　us　not　be　pestered　with

assertions　and　half…truths；　with　emotions　and　snuffle。



　　　　　　　　There　will　be　a　new　church　founded　on　moral　science；　at　first

cold　and　naked；　a　babe　in　a　manger　again；　the　algebra　and　mathematics

of　ethical　law；　the　church　of　men　to　come；　without　shawms；　or

psaltery；　or　sackbut；　but　it　will　have　heaven　and　earth　for　its　beams

and　rafters；　science　for　symbol　and　illustration；　it　will　fast　enough

gather　beauty；　music；　picture；　poetry。　　Was　never　stoicism　so　stern

and　exigent　as　this　shall　be。　　It　shall　send　man　home　to　his　central

solitude；　shame　these　social；　supplicating　manners；　and　make　him　know

that　much　of　the　time　he　must　have　himself　to　his　friend。　　He　shall

expect　no　cooperation；　he　shall　walk　with　no　companion。　　The　nameless

Thought；　the　nameless　Power；　the　superpersonal　Heart；　　he　shall

repose　alone　on　that。　　He　needs　only　his　own　verdict。　　No　good　fame

can　help；　no　bad　fame　can　hurt　him。　　The　Laws　are　his　consolers；　the

good　Laws　themselves　are　alive；　they　know　if　he　have　kept　them；　they

animate　him　with　the　leading　of　great　duty；　and　an　endless　horizon。

Honor　and　fortune　exist　to　him　who　always　recognizes　the　neighborhood

of　the　great；　always　feels　himself　in　the　presence　of　high　causes。