lay morals-第8章

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egard　this　babble　and　chattering　of　other　　men　better　and　worse　than　we　are；　and　to　walk　straight　before　　us　by　what　light　we　have。　　They　may　be　right；　but　so；　before　　heaven；　are　we。　　They　may　know；　but　we　know　also；　and　by　that　　knowledge　we　must　stand　or　fall。　　There　is　such　a　thing　as　　loyalty　to　a　man's　own　better　self；　and　from　those　who　have　　not　that；　God　help　me；　how　am　I　to　look　for　loyalty　to　　others？　　The　most　dull；　the　most　imbecile；　at　a　certain　　moment　turn　round；　at　a　certain　point　will　hear　no　further　　argument；　but　stand　unflinching　by　their　own　dumb；　irrational　　sense　of　right。　　It　is　not　only　by　steel　or　fire；　but　through　　contempt　and　blame；　that　the　martyr　fulfils　the　calling　of　　his　dear　soul。　　Be　glad　if　you　are　not　tried　by　such　　extremities。　　But　although　all　the　world　ranged　themselves　in　　one　line　to　tell　you　'This　is　wrong；'　be　you　your　own　　faithful　vassal　and　the　ambassador　of　God　…　throw　down　the　　glove　and　answer　'This　is　right。'　　Do　you　think　you　are　only　　declaring　yourself？　　Perhaps　in　some　dim　way；　like　a　child　　who　delivers　a　message　not　fully　understood；　you　are　opening　　wider　the　straits　of　prejudice　and　preparing　mankind　for　some　　truer　and　more　spiritual　grasp　of　truth；　perhaps；　as　you　　stand　forth　for　your　own　judgment；　you　are　covering　a　　thousand　weak　ones　with　your　body；　perhaps；　by　this　　declaration　alone；　you　have　avoided　the　guilt　of　false　　witness　against　humanity　and　the　little　ones　unborn。　　It　is　　good；　I　believe；　to　be　respectable；　but　much　nobler　to　　respect　oneself　and　utter　the　voice　of　God。　　God；　if　there　be　　any　God；　speaks　daily　in　a　new　language　by　the　tongues　of　　men；　the　thoughts　and　habits　of　each　fresh　generation　and　　each　new…coined　spirit　throw　another　light　upon　the　universe　　and　contain　another　commentary　on　the　printed　Bibles；　every　　scruple；　every　true　dissent；　every　glimpse　of　something　new；　　is　a　letter　of　God's　alphabet；　and　though　there　is　a　grave　　responsibility　for　all　who　speak；　is　there　none　for　those　who　　unrighteously　keep　silence　and　conform？　　Is　not　that　also　to　　conceal　and　cloak　God's　counsel？　　And　how　should　we　regard　　the　man　of　science　who　suppressed　all　facts　that　would　not　　tally　with　the　orthodoxy　of　the　hour？

Wrong？　　You　are　as　surely　wrong　as　the　sun　rose　this　morning　　round　the　revolving　shoulder　of　the　world。　　Not　truth；　but　　truthfulness；　is　the　good　of　your　endeavour。　　For　when　will　　men　receive　that　first　part　and　prerequisite　of　truth；　that；　　by　the　order　of　things；　by　the　greatness　of　the　universe；　by　　the　darkness　and　partiality　of　man's　experience；　by　the　　inviolate　secrecy　of　God；　kept　close　in　His　most　open　　revelations；　every　man　is；　and　to　the　end　of　the　ages　must　　be；　wrong？　　Wrong　to　the　universe；　wrong　to　mankind；　wrong　to　　God。　　And　yet　in　another　sense；　and　that　plainer　and　nearer；　　every　man　of　men；　who　wishes　truly；　must　be　right。　　He　is　　right　to　himself；　and　in　the　measure　of　his　sagacity　and　　candour。　　That　let　him　do　in　all　sincerity　and　zeal；　not　　sparing　a　thought　for　contrary　opinions；　that；　for　what　it　is　　worth；　let　him　proclaim。　　Be　not　afraid；　although　he　be　　wrong；　so　also　is　the　dead；　stuffed　Dagon　he　insults。　　For　　the　voice　of　God；　whatever　it　is；　is　not　that　stammering；　　inept　tradition　which　the　people　holds。　　These　truths　survive　　in　travesty；　swamped　in　a　world　of　spiritual　darkness　and　　confusion；　and　what　a　few　comprehend　and　faithfully　hold；　the　　many；　in　their　dead　jargon；　repeat；　degrade；　and　　misinterpret。

So　far　of　Respectability；　what　the　Covenanters　used　to　call　　'rank　conformity'：　the　deadliest　gag　and　wet　blanket　that　can　　be　laid　on　men。　　And　now　of　Profit。　　And　this　doctrine　is　　perhaps　the　more　redoubtable；　because　it　harms　all　sorts　of　　men；　not　only　the　heroic　and　self…reliant；　but　the　obedient；　　cowlike　squadrons。　　A　man；　by　this　doctrine；　looks　to　　consequences　at　the　second；　or　third；　or　fiftieth　turn。　　He　　chooses　his　end；　and　for　that；　with　wily　turns　and　through　a　　great　sea　of　tedium；　steers　this　mortal　bark。　　There　may　be　　political　wisdom　in　such　a　view；　but　I　am　persuaded　there　can　　spring　no　great　moral　zeal。　　To　look　thus　obliquely　upon　life　　is　the　very　recipe　for　moral　slumber。　　Our　intention　and　　endeavour　should　be　directed；　not　on　some　vague　end　of　money　　or　applause；　which　shall　come　to　us　by　a　ricochet　in　a　month　　or　a　year；　or　twenty　years；　but　on　the　act　itself；　not　on　the　　approval　of　others；　but　on　the　rightness　of　that　act。　　At　　every　instant；　at　every　step　in　life；　the　point　has　to　be　　decided；　our　soul　has　to　be　saved；　heaven　has　to　be　gained　or　　lost。　　At　every　step　our　spirits　must　applaud；　at　every　step　　we　must　set　down　the　foot　and　sound　the　trumpet。　　'This　have　　I　done；'　we　must　say；　'right　or　wrong；　this　have　I　done；　in　　unfeigned　honour　of　intention；　as　to　myself　and　God。'　　The　　profit　of　every　act　should　be　this；　that　it　was　right　for　us　　to　do　it。　　Any　other　profit　than　that；　if　it　involved　a　　kingdom　or　the　woman　I　love；　ought；　if　I　were　God's　upright　　soldier；　to　leave　me　untempted。

It　is　the　mark　of　what　we　call　a　righteous　decision；　that　it　　is　made　directly　and　for　its　own　sake。　　The　whole　man；　mind　　and　body；　having　come　to　an　agreement；　tyrannically　dictates　　conduct。　　There　are　two　dispositions　eternally　opposed：　that　　in　which　we　recognise　that　one　thing　is　wrong　and　another　　right；　and　that　in　which；　not　seeing　any　clear　distinction；　　we　fall　back　on　the　consideration　of　consequences。　　The　truth　　is；　by　the　scope　of　our　present　teaching；　nothing　is　thought　　very　wrong　and　nothing　very　right；　except　a　few　actions　which　　have　the　disadvantage　of　being　disrespectable　when　found　out；　　the　more　serious　part　of　men　inclining　to　think　all　things　　RATHER　WRONG；　the　more　jovial　to　suppose　them　RIGHT　ENOUGH　　FOR　PRACTICAL　PURPOSES。　　I　will　engage　my　head；　they　do　not　　find　that　view　in　their　own　hearts；　they　have　taken　it　up　in　　a　dark　despair；　they　are　but　troubled　sleepers　talking　in　　their　sleep。　　The　soul；　or　my　soul　at　least；　thinks　very　　distinctly　upon　many　points　of　right　and　wrong；　and　often　　differs　flatly　with　what　is　held　out　as　the　thought　of　　corporate　humanity　in　the　code　of　society　or　the　code　of　law。　　　Am　I　to　suppose　myself　a　monster？　　I　have　only　to　read　books；　　the　Christian　Gospels　for　example；　to　think　myself　a　monster　　no　longer；　and　instead　I　think　the　mass　of　people　are　merely　　speaking　in　their　sleep。

It　is　a　commonplace；　enshrined；　if　I　mistake　not；　even　in　　school　copy…books；　that　honour　is　to　be　sought　and　not　fame。　　　I　ask　no　other　admission；　we　are　to　seek　honour；　upright　　walking　with　our　own　conscience　every　hour　of　the　day；　and　　not　fame；　the　consequence；　the　far…off　reverberation　of　our　　footsteps。　　The　walk；　not　the　rumour　of　the　walk；　is　what　　concerns　righteousness。　　Better　disrespectable　honour　than　　dishonourable　fame。　　Better　useless　or　seemingly　hurtful　　honour；　than　dishonour　ruling　empires　and　filling　the　mouths　　of　thousands。　　For　the　man　must　walk　by　what　he　sees；　and　　leave　the　issue　with　God　who　made　him　and　taught　him　by　the　　fortune　of　his　life。　　You　would　not　dishonour　yourself　for　　money；　which　is　at　least　tangible；　would　you　do　it；　then；　for　　a　doubtful　forecast　in　politics；　or　another　person's　theory　　in　morals？

So　intricate　is　the　scheme　of　our　affairs；　that　no　man　can　　calculate　the　bearing　of　his　own　behaviour　even　on　those　　immediately　around　him；　how　much　less　upon　the　world　at　large　　or　on　succeeding　generations！　　To　walk　by　external　prudence　　and　the　rule　of　consequences　would　require；　not　a　man；　but　　God。　　All　that　we　know　to　guide　us　in　this　changing　labyrinth　　is　our　soul　with　its　fixed　design　of　righteousness；　and　a　few　　old　precepts　which　commend　themselves　to　that。　　The　precepts　　are　vague　when　we　endeavour　to　apply　them；　consequences　are　　more　entangled　than　a　wisp　of　string；　and　their　confusion　is　　unrestingly　in　change；　we　must　hold　to　what　we　know　and　walk　　by　it。　　We　must　walk　by　faith；　indeed；　and　not　by　knowledge。

You　do　not　love　another　because　he　is　wealthy　or　wise　or　　eminently　respectable：　you　love　him　because　you　love　him；　　that　is　love；　and　any　other　only　a　derision　and　grimace。　　It　　should　be　the　same　with　all　our　actions。　　If　we　were　to　　conceive　a　perfect