Theism Doctrinal and Practical, or, Didactic Religious Utterances. By Francis W. Newman |
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The Alternatives.
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The Alternatives.
Let us resume in mind the broad theories of the Infinite.
Pantheism may be inattentive to the facts of the human Conscience;
But Atheism shuts its eyes to the wide phenomena of the world,
And is untenable to general good-sense for a single moment,
While denying that a Higher Mind is visible in the universe.
Let us set this aside; then Pantheism and Theism remain.
Pantheism may be inattentive to the facts of the human Conscience;
But Atheism shuts its eyes to the wide phenomena of the world,
And is untenable to general good-sense for a single moment,
While denying that a Higher Mind is visible in the universe.
Let us set this aside; then Pantheism and Theism remain.
The Pantheist, discerning a Creative and Moulding Spirit,
Which animates and guides and perfects the universe,
May possibly yet doubt whether that Spirit is moral:
This is the baser and worse phase of Pantheism.
But others, while believing the Creative Spirit to be moral,
So as to design that man shall be perfected through Virtue;
Yet suppose him too great to pay attention to individuals,
Or to care for the destruction of any one man's virtue.
And manifest facts, they think, confirm this judgment;
Since we see how often the promise of virtue is blighted,
As buds by the east wind, piteously and fatally;
Yet new virtue sprouts up and blooms into flower and fruit,
Accomplishing the will of the Eternal, and glorifying man.
Thus, acting by general laws, for general perfection,
Remote from created minds abides the Infinite one,
Unapproachable by man's sorrow or desire or hope,
Negligent alike of our worship and of our prayer,
Nay, neither smiling on devotion nor frowning on sin,
But satisfied that, on the Average, virtue advances.
Thus his Government looks solely to the progress of a system,
Sacrificing individuals for the whole without regret,
As a captain of war devotes thousands to win a petty post,
And wades to his victory through the blood of his own bravest.
And as God is to the universe the source of life and health,
But also to individuals the source of disease and death;
So God is then to the universe the spring and centre of virtue,
But not the more a succour to the virtue of any one man,
Or a fit object of Trust to virtue in its struggles.
Thus Pantheism cuts the bond between virtue and religion,
And like Paganism, gravitates easily into the immoral,
Enervating or congealing the desolated soul.
The love of man to God becomes absurd and impossible,
And praise of God is but admiration of the Unlistening,
And stops short in chill wonder at inobservant Infinitude.
In short, to the Pantheist God is only outside the heart,
Nor can it be otherwise, while God in Conscience is overlooked.
Which animates and guides and perfects the universe,
May possibly yet doubt whether that Spirit is moral:
This is the baser and worse phase of Pantheism.
But others, while believing the Creative Spirit to be moral,
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Yet suppose him too great to pay attention to individuals,
Or to care for the destruction of any one man's virtue.
And manifest facts, they think, confirm this judgment;
Since we see how often the promise of virtue is blighted,
As buds by the east wind, piteously and fatally;
Yet new virtue sprouts up and blooms into flower and fruit,
Accomplishing the will of the Eternal, and glorifying man.
Thus, acting by general laws, for general perfection,
Remote from created minds abides the Infinite one,
Unapproachable by man's sorrow or desire or hope,
Negligent alike of our worship and of our prayer,
Nay, neither smiling on devotion nor frowning on sin,
But satisfied that, on the Average, virtue advances.
Thus his Government looks solely to the progress of a system,
Sacrificing individuals for the whole without regret,
As a captain of war devotes thousands to win a petty post,
And wades to his victory through the blood of his own bravest.
And as God is to the universe the source of life and health,
But also to individuals the source of disease and death;
So God is then to the universe the spring and centre of virtue,
But not the more a succour to the virtue of any one man,
Or a fit object of Trust to virtue in its struggles.
Thus Pantheism cuts the bond between virtue and religion,
And like Paganism, gravitates easily into the immoral,
Enervating or congealing the desolated soul.
The love of man to God becomes absurd and impossible,
And praise of God is but admiration of the Unlistening,
And stops short in chill wonder at inobservant Infinitude.
In short, to the Pantheist God is only outside the heart,
Nor can it be otherwise, while God in Conscience is overlooked.
But the Theist, finding God to speak in each Conscience separately,
Cannot believe that he is inobservant of individual conduct:
Here it is that he cardinally separates from the Pantheist.
Between these alternatives thoughtful men must take their choice.
And the question is not, which of two Religions is better.
But whether conscious religion is an intrinsic absurdity.
For where direct sympathy between God and each soul is severed,
As by the Pantheist,—there is speculation, admiration, awe,
But not faith, love, worship; and therefore no other religion,
Than that unconscious devotion which is possible even to an Atheist.
Cannot believe that he is inobservant of individual conduct:
Here it is that he cardinally separates from the Pantheist.
Between these alternatives thoughtful men must take their choice.
And the question is not, which of two Religions is better.
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For where direct sympathy between God and each soul is severed,
As by the Pantheist,—there is speculation, admiration, awe,
But not faith, love, worship; and therefore no other religion,
Than that unconscious devotion which is possible even to an Atheist.
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