the vital message(主信)-第22章
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all ways estimable outside the narrowness which limits the world to
Mother Church。 They were athletes； scholars； and gentlemen； nor can I
ever remember any examples of that casuistry with which they are
reproached。 Some of my best friends have been among the parochial
clergy of the Church of England； men of sweet and saintly character；
whose pecuniary straits were often a scandal and a reproach to the half…
hearted folk who accepted their spiritual guidance。 I have known； also；
splendid men among the Nonconformist clergy； who have often been the
champions of liberty； though their views upon that subject have sometimes
seemed to contract when one ventured upon their own domain of thought。
Each creed has brought out men who were an honour to the human race；
and Manning or Shrewsbury； Gordon or Dolling； Booth or Stopford
Brooke； are all equally admirable； however diverse the roots from which
they grow。 Among the great mass of the people； too； there are very many
thousands of beautiful souls who have been brought up on the old…
fashioned lines； and who never heard of spiritual communion or any other
of those matters which have been discussed in these essays； and yet have
reached a condition of pure spirituality such as all of us may envy。 Who
does not know the maiden aunt； the widowed mother； the mellowed
elderly man； who live upon the hilltops of unselfishness； shedding kindly
thoughts and deeds around them； but with their simple faith deeply； rooted
in anything or everything which has come to them in a hereditary fashion
with the sanction of some particular authority？ I had an aunt who was such
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an one； and can see her now； worn with austerity and charity； a small；
humble figure； creeping to church at all hours from a house which was to
her but a waiting…room between services； while she looked at me with sad；
wondering； grey eyes。 Such people have often reached by instinct； and in
spite of dogma； heights； to which no system of philosophy can ever raise
us。 But making full allowance for the high products of every creed； which
may be only； a proof of the innate goodness of civilised humanity； it is still
beyond all doubt that Christianity has broken down； and that this
breakdown has been brought home to everyone by the terrible catastrophe
which has befallen the world。 Can the most optimistic apologist contend
that this is a satisfactory； outcome from a religion which has had the
unopposed run of Europe for so many centuries？ Which has come out of it
worst； the Lutheran Prussian； the Catholic Bavarian； or the peoples who
have been nurtured by the Greek Church？ If we； of the West； have done
better； is it not rather an older and higher civilisation and freer political
institutions that have held us back from all the cruelties； excesses and
immoralities which have taken the world back to the dark ages？ It will not
do to say that they have occurred in spite of Christianity； and that
Christianity is； therefore； not to blame。 It is true that Christ's teaching is
not to blame； for it is often spoiled in the transmission。 But Christianity
has taken over control of the morals of Europe； and should have the
compelling force which would ensure that those morals would not go to
pieces upon the first strain。 It is on this point that Christianity must be
judged； and the judgment can only be that it has failed。 It has not been an
active controlling force upon the minds of men。 And why？ It can only be
because there is something essential which is wanting。 Men do not take it
seriously。 Men do not believe in it。 Lip service is the only service in
innumerable cases； and even lip service grows fainter。
Men； as distinct from women； have； both in the higher and lower
classes of life； ceased； in the greater number of cases； to show a living
interest in religion。 The churches lose their grip upon the peopleand lose
it rapidly。 Small inner circles； convocations； committees； assemblies； meet
and debate and pass resolutions of an ever narrower character。 But the
people go their way and religion is dead； save in so far as intellectual
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culture and good taste can take its place。 But when religion is dead；
materialism becomes active； and what active materialism may produce has
been seen in Germany。 Is it not time； then； for the religious bodies to
discourage their own bigots and sectarians； and to seriously consider； if
only for self…preservation； how they can get into line once more with that
general level of human thought which is now so far in front of them？ I say
that they can do more than get levelthey can lead。 But to do so they must；
on the one hand； have the firm courage to cut away from their own bodies
all that dead tissue which is but a disfigurement and an encumbrance。
They must face difficulties of reason； and adapt themselves to the
demands of the human intelligence which rejects； and is right in rejecting；
much which they offer。 Finally； they must gather fresh strength by drawing
in all the new truth and all the new power which are afforded by this new
wave of inspiration which has been sent into the world by God； and which
the human race； deluded and bemused by the would…be clever； has
received with such perverse and obstinate incredulity。 When they have
done all this； they will find not only that they are leading the world with an
obvious right to the leadership； but； in addition； that they have come round
once more to the very teaching of that Master whom they have so long
misrepresented。
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APPENDICES
A。 DOCTOR GELEY'S EXPERIMENTS
Nothing could be imagined more fantastic and grotesque than the
results of the recent experiments of Professor Geley； in France。 Before
such results the brain； even of the trained psychical student； is dazed；
while that of the orthodox man of science； who has given no heed to these
developments； is absolutely helpless。 In the account of the proceedings
which he read lately before the Institut General Psychologique in Paris； on
January of last year； Dr。 Geley says： 〃I do not merely say that there has
been no fraud； I say； ‘there has been no possibility of fraud。' In nearly
every case the materialisations were done under my； eyes； and I have
observed their whole genesis and development。〃 He adds that； in the
course of the experiments； more than a hundred experts； mostly doctors；
checked the results。 These results may be briefly stated thus。 A peculiar
whitish matter exuded from the subject； a girl named Eva； coming partly
through her skin； partly from her hands； partly from the orifices of her face；
especially her mouth。 This was photograp
