god the invisible king-第15部分

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dy　torn　away　from　its　nail；　and　with　　eyes　not　downcast　but　resolute　against　the　sky；　a　face　without　pain；　　pain　lost　and　forgotten　in　the　surpassing　glory　of　the　struggle　and　　the　inflexible　will　to　live　and　prevail。　。　。　。　But　we　do　not　care　how　long　the　thorns　are　drawn；　nor　how　terrible　　the　wounds；　so　long　as　he　does　not　droop。　　God　is　courage。　　God　is　　courage　beyond　any　conceivable　suffering。　But　when　all　this　has　been　said；　it　is　well　to　add　that　it　concerns　　the　figure　of　Christ　only　in　so　far　as　that　professes　to　be　the　　figure　of　God；　and　the　crucifix　only　so　far　as　that　stands　for　　divine　action。　　The　figure　of　Christ　crucified；　so　soon　as　we　think　　of　it　as　being　no　more　than　the　tragic　memorial　of　Jesus；　of　the　man　　who　proclaimed　the　loving…kindness　of　God　and　the　supremacy　of　God's　　kingdom　over　the　individual　life；　and　who；　in　the　extreme　agony　of　　his　pain　and　exhaustion；　cried　out　that　he　was　deserted；　becomes　　something　altogether　distinct　from　a　theological　symbol。　　　Immediately　that　we　cease　to　worship；　we　can　begin　to　love　and　pity。　　　Here　was　a　being　of　extreme　gentleness　and　delicacy　and　of　great　　courage；　of　the　utmost　tolerance　and　the　subtlest　sympathy；　a　saint　　of　non…resistance。　。　。　。　We　of　the　new　faith　repudiate　the　teaching　of　non…resistance。　　We　　are　the　militant　followers　of　and　participators　in　a　militant　God。　　　We　can　appreciate　and　admire　the　greatness　of　Christ；　this　gentle　　being　upon　whose　nobility　the　theologians　trade。　　But　submission　is　　the　remotest　quality　of　all　from　our　God；　and　a　moribund　figure　is　　the　completest　inversion　of　his　likeness　as　we　know　him。　　A　　Christianity　which　shows；　for　its　daily　symbol；　Christ　risen　and　　trampling　victoriously　upon　a　broken　cross；　would　be　far　more　in　the　　spirit　of　our　worship。*　*　It　is　curious；　after　writing　the　above；　to　find　in　a　letter　　written　by　Foss　Westcott；　Bishop　of　Durham；　to　that　pertinacious　　correspondent；　the　late　Lady　Victoria　Welby；　almost　exactly　the　same　　sentiments　I　have　here　expressed。　　〃If　I　could　fill　the　Crucifix　　with　life　as　you　do；〃　he　says；　〃I　would　gladly　look　on　it；　but　the　　fallen　Head　and　the　closed　Eye　exclude　from　my　thought　the　idea　of　　glorified　humanity。　　The　Christ　to　whom　we　are　led　is　One　who　'hath　　been　crucified；'　who　hath　passed　the　trial　victoriously　and　borne　　the　fruits　to　heaven。　　I　dare　not　then　rest　on　this　side　of　the　　glory。〃　I　find；　too；　a　still　more　remarkable　expression　of　the　modern　spirit　　in　a　tract；　〃The　Call　of　the　Kingdom；〃　by　that　very　able　and　subtle；　　Anglican　theologian；　the　Rev。　W。　Temple；　who　declares　that　under　the　　vitalising　stresses　of　the　war　we　are　winning　〃faith　in　Christ　as　an　　heroic　leader。　　We　have　thought　of　Him　so　much　as　meek　and　gentle　　that　there　is　no　ground　in　our　picture　of　Him；　for　the　vision　which　　His　disciple　had　of　Him：　'His　head　and　His　hair　were　white；　as　white　　wool；　white　as　snow；　and　His　eyes　were　as　a　flame　of　fire：　and　His　　feet　like　unto　burnished　brass；　as　if　it　had　been　refined　in　a　　furnace；　and　His　voice　was　as　the　voice　of　many　waters。　　And　He　had　　in　His　right　hand　seven　stars；　and　out　of　His　mouth　proceeded　a　　sharp　two…edged　sword；　and　His　countenance　was　as　the　sun　shineth　in　　its　strength。'〃　These　are　both　exceptional　utterances；　interesting　as　showing　how　　clearly　parallel　are　the　tendencies　within　and　without　Christianity。

4。　THE　PRIMARY　DUTIES

Now　it　follows　very　directly　from　the　conception　of　God　as　a　finite　　intelligence　of　boundless　courage　and　limitless　possibilities　of　　growth　and　victory；　who　has　pitted　himself　against　death；　who　stands　　close　to　our　inmost　beings　ready　to　receive　us　and　use　us；　to　rescue　　us　from　the　chagrins　of　egotism　and　take　us　into　his　immortal　　adventure；　that　we　who　have　realised　him　and　given　ourselves　　joyfully　to　him；　must　needs　be　equally　ready　and　willing　to　give　our　　energies　to　the　task　we　share　with　him；　to　do　our　utmost　to　increase　　knowledge；　to　increase　order　and　clearness；　to　fight　against　　indolence；　waste；　disorder；　cruelty；　vice；　and　every　form　of　his　and　　our　enemy；　death；　first　and　chiefest　in　ourselves　but　also　in　all　　mankind；　and　to　bring　about　the　establishment　of　his　real　and　　visible　kingdom　throughout　the　world。　And　that　idea　of　God　as　the　Invisible　King　of　the　whole　world　means　　not　merely　that　God　is　to　be　made　and　declared　the　head　of　the　　world；　but　that　the　kingdom　of　God　is　to　be　present　throughout　the　　whole　fabric　of　the　world；　that　the　Kingdom　of　God　is　to　be　in　the　　teaching　at　the　village　school；　in　the　planning　of　the　railway　　siding　of　the　market　town；　in　the　mixing　of　the　mortar　at　the　　building　of　the　workman's　house。　　It　means　that　ultimately　no　effigy　　of　intrusive　king　or　emperor　is　to　disfigure　our　coins　and　stamps　　any　more；　God　himself　and　no　delegate　is　to　be　represented　wherever　　men　buy　or　sell；　on　our　letters　and　our　receipts；　a　perpetual　　witness；　a　perpetual　reminder。　　There　is　no　act　altogether　without　　significance；　no　power　so　humble　that　it　may　not　be　used　for　or　　against　God；　no　life　but　can　orient　itself　to　him。　　To　realise　God　　in　one's　heart　is　to　be　filled　with　the　desire　to　serve　him；　and　the　　way　of　his　service　is　neither　to　pull　up　one's　life　by　the　roots　nor　　to　continue　it　in　all　its　essentials　unchanged；　but　to　turn　it　　about；　to　turn　everything　that　there　is　in　it　round　into　his　way。　The　outward　duty　of　those　who　serve　God　must　vary　greatly　with　the　　abilities　they　possess　and　the　positions　in　which　they　find　　themselves；　but　for　all　there　are　certain　fundamental　duties；　a　　constant　attempt　to　be　utterly　truthful　with　oneself；　a　constant　　sedulousness　to　keep　oneself　fit　and　bright　for　God's　service；　and　　to　increase　one's　knowledge　and　powers；　and　a　hidden　persistent　　watchfulness　of　one's　baser　motives；　a　watch　against　fear　and　　indolence；　against　vanity；　against　greed　and　lust；　against　envy；　　malice；　and　uncharitableness。　　To　have　found　God　truly　does　in　　itself　make　God's　service　one's　essential　motive；　but　these　evils　　lurk　in　the　shadows；　in　the　lassitudes　and　unwary　moments。　　No　one　　escapes　them　altogether；　there　is　no　need　for　tragic　moods　on　　account　of　imperfections。　　We　can　no　more　serve　God　without　blunders　　and　set…backs　than　we　can　win　battles　without　losing　men。　　But　the　　less　of　such　loss　the　better。　　The　servant　of　God　must　keep　his　mind　　as　wide　and　sound　and　his　motives　as　clean　as　he　can；　just　as　an　　operating　surgeon　must　keep　his　nerves　and　muscles　as　fit　and　his　　hands　as　clean　as　he　can。　　Neither　may　righteously　evade　exercise　　and　regular　washingof　mind　as　of　hands。　　An　incessant　watchfulness　　of　one's　self　and　one's　thoughts　and　the　soundness　of　one's　　thoughts；　cleanliness；　clearness；　a　wariness　against　indolence　and　　prejudice；　careful　truth；　habitual　frankness；　fitness　and　steadfast　　work；　these　are　the　daily　fundamental　duties　that　every　one　who　　truly　comes　to　God　will；　as　a　matter　of　course；　set　before　himself。

5。　THE　INCREASING　KINGDOM

Now　of　the　more　intimate　and　personal　life　of　the　believer　it　will　　be　more　convenient　to　write　a　little　later。　　Let　us　for　the　present　　pursue　the　idea　of　this　world…kingdom　of　God；　to　whose　establishment　　he　calls　us。　　This　kingdom　is　to　be　a　peaceful　and　co…ordinated　　activity　of　all　mankind　upon　certain　divine　ends。　　These；　we　　conceive；　are　first；　the　maintenance　of　the　racial　life；　secondly；　　the　exploration　of　the　external　being　of　nature　as　it　is　and　as　it　　has　been；　that　is　to　say　history　and　science；　thirdly；　that　　exploration　of　inherent　human　possibility　which　is　art；　fourthly；　　that　clarification　of　thought　and　knowledge　which　is　philosophy；　and　　finally；　the　progressive　enlargement　and　development　of　the　racial　　life　under　these　lights；　so　that　God　may　work　through　a　continually　　better　body　of　humanity　and　through　better　and　better　equipped　　minds；　that　he　and　our　race　may　increase　for　ever；　working　　unendingly　upon　the　development　of　the　powers　of　life　and　the　　mastery　of　the　blind　forces　of　matter　throughout　the　deeps　of　space。　　　He　sets　out　with　us；　we　are　persuaded；　to　conquer　ourselves　and　our　　world　and　the　stars。　　And　beyond　the　stars　our　eyes　can　as　yet　see　　nothing；　our　imaginations　reach　and　fail。　　Beyond　the　limits　of　our　　understanding　is　the　veiled　Being　of　Fate；　whose　face　is　hidden　from　　us。　。　。　。　It　may　be　that　minds　will　presently　appear　among　us　of　such　a　　quality　that　the　face　of　that　Unknown　will　not　be　altogether　　hidden。　。　。　。　But　the　business　of　such　ordinary　lives　as　ours　is　the　setting　up　of　　this　earthly　kingdom　of　God。　　That　is　the　form　into　which　our　lives　　must　fall　and　our　consciences　adapt　themselves。　Belief　in　God　as　the　Invisible　King　brings　with　it　almost　　necessarily　a　conception　of　this　coming　kingdom　of　God　on　earth。　　　Each　believer　as　he　grasps　this　natural　and　immediate　consequence　of　　the　faith　that　has　come　into　his　life　will　form　at　the　same　time　a　　Utopian　conception　of　this　world　changed　in　the　direction　of　God's　　purpose。　　The　vision　will　follow　the　realisation　of　God's　true　　nature　and　purpose　as　a　necessary　second　step。　　And　he　will　begin　to　　develop　the　latent　citizen　of　this　world…state　in　himself。　　He　will　　fall　in　with　the　idea　of　the　world…wide　sanities　of　this　new　order　　being　drawn　over　the　warring　outlines　of　the　present；　and　of　men　　falling　out　of　relationship　with　the　old　order　and　into　relationship　　with　the　new。　　Many　men　and　women　are　already　working　to…day　at　　tasks　that　belong　essentially　to　God's　kingdom；　tasks　that　would　be　　of　the　same　essential　nature　if　the　world　were　now　a　theocracy；　for　　example；　they　are　doing　or　sustaining　scientific　research　or　　education　or　creative　art；　they　are　making　roads　to　bring　men　　together；　they　are　doctors　working　for　the　world's　health；　they　are　　building　homes；　they　are　constructing　machinery　to　save　and　increase　　the　powers　of　men。　。　。　。　Such　men　and　women　need　only　to　change　their　orientation　as　men　will　　change　about　at　a　work…table　when　the　light　that　was　coming　in　a　　little　while　ago　from　the　southern　windows；　begins　presently　to　come　　in　chiefly　from　the　west；　to　become　open　and　confessed　servants　of　　God。　　This　work　that　they　were　doing　for　ambition；　or　the　love　of　　men　or　the　love　of　knowledge　or　what　seemed　the　inherent　impulse　to　　the　work　itself；　or