lecture19-第1章
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Lecture XIX
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS
We have wound our way back； after our excursion through mysticism
and philosophy； to where we were before： the uses of religion；
its uses to the individual who has it； and the uses of the
individual himself to the world； are the best arguments that
truth is in it。 We return to the empirical philosophy： the true
is what works well； even though the qualification 〃on the whole〃
may always have to be added。 In this lecture we must revert to
description again； and finish our picture of the religious
consciousness by a word about some of its other characteristic
elements。 Then； in a final lecture； we shall be free to make a
general review and draw our independent conclusions。
The first point I will speak of is the part which the aesthetic
life plays in determining one's choice of a religion。 Men； I
said awhile ago； involuntarily intellectualize their religious
experience。 They need formulas； just as they need fellowship in
worship。 I spoke； therefore； too contemptuously of the pragmatic
uselessness of the famous scholastic list of attributes of the
deity； for they have one use which I neglected to consider。 The
eloquent passage in which Newman enumerates them＇301＇ puts us on
the track of it。 Intoning them as he would intone a cathedral
service； he shows how high is their aesthetic value。 It enriches
our bare piety to carry these exalted and mysterious verbal
additions just as it enriches a church to have an organ and old
brasses； marbles and frescoes and stained windows。 Epithets lend
an atmosphere and overtones to our devotion。 They are like a
hymn of praise and service of glory； and may sound the more
sublime for being incomprehensible。 Minds like Newman's＇302＇
grow as jealous of their credit as heathen priests are of that of
the jewelry and ornaments that blaze upon their idols。
＇301＇ Idea of a University； Discourse III。 Section 7。
＇302＇ Newman's imagination so innately craved an ecclesiastical
system that he can write： 〃From the age of fifteen； dogma has
been the fundamental principle of my religion： I know no other
religion； I cannot enter into the idea of any other sort of
religion。〃 And again speaking of himself about the age of
thirty； he writes： 〃I loved to act as feeling myself in my
Bishop's sight； as if it were the sight of God。〃 Apologia； 1897；
pp。 48； 50。
Among the buildings…out of religion which the mind spontaneously
indulges in； the aesthetic motive must never be forgotten。 I
promised to say nothing of ecclesiastical systems in these
lectures。 I may be allowed； however； to put in a word at this
point on the way in which their satisfaction of certain aesthetic
needs contributes to their hold on human nature。 Although some
persons aim most at intellectual purity and simplification； for
others RICHNESS is the supreme imaginative requirement。＇303＇ When
one's mind is strongly of this type； an individual religion will
hardly serve the purpose。 The inner need is rather of something
institutional and complex； majestic in the hierarchic
interrelatedness of its parts； with authority descending from
stage to stage； and at every stage objects for adjectives of
mystery and splendor； derived in the last resort from the Godhead
who is the fountain and culmination of the system。 One feels
then as if in presence of some vast incrusted work of jewelry or
architecture； one hears the multitudinous liturgical appeal； one
gets the honorific vibration coming from every quarter。 Compared
with such a noble complexity； in which ascending and descending
movements seem in no way to jar upon stability； in which no
single item； however humble； is insignificant； because so many
august institutions hold it in its place； how flat does
evangelical Protestantism appear； how bare the atmosphere of
those isolated religious lives whose boast it is that 〃man in the
bush with God may meet。〃＇304＇ What a pulverization and leveling
of what a gloriously piled…up structure！ To an imagination used
to the perspectives of dignity and glory； the naked gospel scheme
seems to offer an almshouse for a palace。
＇303＇ The intellectual difference is quite on a par in practical
importance with the analogous difference in character。 We saw；
under the head of Saintliness； how some characters resent
confusion and must live in purity； consistency； simplicity
（above； p。 275 ff。）。 For others； on the contrary；
superabundance； over…pressure； stimulation； lots of superficial
relations； are indispensable。 There are men who would suffer a
very syncope if you should pay all their debts； bring it about
that their engagements had been kept； their letters answered
their perplexities relieved； and their duties fulfilled； down to
one which lay on a clean table under their eyes with nothing to
interfere with its immediate performance。 A day stripped so
staringly bare would be for them appalling。 So with ease；
elegance； tributes of affection； social recognitionssome of us
require amounts of these things which to others would appear a
mass of lying and sophistication。
＇304＇ In Newman's Lectures on Justification Lecture VIII。
Section 6； there is a splendid passage expressive of this
aesthetic way of feeling the Christian scheme。 It is
unfortunately too long to quote。
It is much like the patriotic sentiment of those brought up in
ancient empires。 How many emotions must be frustrated of their
object； when one gives up the titles of dignity； the crimson
lights and blare of brass； the gold embroidery； the plumed
troops； the fear and trembling； and puts up with a president in a
black coat who shakes hands with you； and comes； it may be； from
a 〃home〃 upon a veldt or prairie with one sitting…room and a
Bible on its centre…table。 It pauperizes the monarchical
imagination！
The strength of these aesthetic sentiments makes it rigorously
impossible； it seems to me； that Protestantism； however superior
in spiritual profundity it may be to Catholicism； should at the
present day succeed in making many converts from the more
venerable ecclesiasticism。 The latter offers a so much richer
pasturage and shade to the fancy； has so many cells with so many
different kinds of honey； is so indulgent in its multiform
appeals to human nature； that Protestantism will always show to
Catholic eyes the almshouse physiognomy。 The bitter negativity
of it is to the Catholic mind incomprehensible。 To intellectual
Catholics many of the antiquated beliefs and practices to which
the Church gives countenance are； if taken literally； as childish
as they are to Protestants。 But they are childish in the
pleasing sense of 〃childlike〃innocent and amiable； and worthy
to be smiled on in consideration of the undeveloped condition of
the dear people's intellects。 To the Protestant； on the
contrary； they are childish in the sense of being idiotic
falsehoods。 He must stamp out their delicate and lovable
redundancy； leaving the Catholic to shudder at his literalness。
He appears to the latter as morose as if he were some hard…eyed；
numb； monotonous kind of reptile。 The two will never understand
each othertheir centres of emotional energy are too different。
Rigorous truth and human nature's intricacies are always in need
of a mutual interpreter。＇305＇ So much for the aesthetic
diversities in the religious consciousness。
＇305＇ Compare the informality of Protestantism； where the 〃meek
lover of the good；〃 alone with his God； visits the sick； etc。；
for their own sakes； with the elaborate 〃business〃 that goes on
in Catholic devotion； and carries with it the social excitement
of all more complex businesses。 An essentially worldly…minded
Catholic woman can become a visitor of the sick on purely
coquettish principles； with her confessor and director； her
〃merit〃 storing up； her patron saints； her privileged relation to
the Almighty； drawing his attention as a professional devote； her
definite 〃exercises；〃 and her definitely recognized social pose
in the organization。
In most books on religion； three things are represented as its
most essential elements。 These are Sacrifice； Confession； and
Prayer。 I must say a word in turn of each of these elements；
though briefly。 First of Sacrifice。
Sacrifices to gods are omnipresent in primeval worship； but； as
cults have grown refined； burnt offerings and the blood of
he…goats have been superseded by sacrifices more spiritual in
their nature。 Judaism； Islam； and Buddhism get along without
ritual sacrifice； so does Christianity； save in so far as the
notion is preserved in transfigured form in the mystery of
Christ's atonement。 These religions substitute offerings of the
heart； renunciations of the inner self； for all those vain
oblations。 In the ascetic practices which Islam； Buddhism； and
the older Christianity encourage we see how indestructible is the
idea that sacrifice of some sort is a religious exercise。 In
lecturing on asceticism I spoke of its significance as symbolic
of the sacrifices which life； whenever it is taken strenuously；
calls for。＇306＇ But； as I said my say about those； and as these
lectures expressly avoid earlier religious usages and questions
of derivation； I will pass from the subject of Sacrifice
altogether and turn to that of Confession。
＇306＇ Above； p。 354 ff。
In regard to Confession I will also be most brief； saying my word
about it psychologically； not historically。 Not nearly as
widespread as sacrifice； it corresponds to a more inward and
moral stage of sentiment。 It is part of the general system of
purgation and cleansing which one feels one's self in need of； in
order to be in right relations to one's deity。 For him who
confesses； shams are over and realities have begun； he has
exteriorized his rottenness。 If he has not actually got rid of
it； he at least no longer smears it over with a hypocritical show
of virtuehe lives at least upon a basis of veracity。 The
complete decay of the practice of confession in Anglo…Saxon
communities is a little hard to account for。 Reactio
