simple rejection of the morality and institutions of the past. Ethics proposes to try to understand them; it asks whence they came and what they mean; it blinks no difficulty which the spirit of scepticism suggests, it ignores no claim which tradition puts forward. But it goes its own way regardless of both, with a deeper doubt than scepticism, because it doubts the conclusions of scepticism, and a deeper faith than traditionalism, because it believes in the reason which traditions embody, and which is the source of what power they still possess. Again, there is nothing in the regular services to indicate to the people the line of the upward evolution of religion from primitive nature-worship to reverence for the moral ideal. But a short statement like the following would indicate this trend : What The realisation of the ethical ideal on earth is the goal towards which religion always moves when allowed free development. Wrapt as it may be in ritual and dogma, steeped in superstition, entranced in mysticism, bent on comprehending the infinite, it yet tends inherently to divest itself of all else, and to become purely a system of social redemption by man through natural means. ever its starting-point, its destination is to become ethical and scientific. At first, energy is spent in propitiating personal agencies other than man, in seeking salvation for self alone, in preparing for another world, or in adoring the Creator. Gradually these interests become dimmer, while the ethical ideal slowly but steadily rises out of human experience, enveloping and transfiguring man and the universe with its own radiance. Devotion to the ethical ideal is the final outcome of the religions of the past. It is the beginning and will be the consummation of the religion of the future. We declare that nothing is holier, nothing higher, nothing more sublime, nothing more real than moral goodness in thought, word and deed. We acknowledge human virtue to be the chief factor in life. We accept as permissible that only which does not violate the ethical standard; whatever offends against that must be condemned and rejected. While appreciating other spheres of life, such as science, art and happiness, and while striving to take a sane and broad view, we single out for supreme reverence the Moral Ideal, as the regulative principle of life. It is also important that side by side with the "I believe" of the old Creeds should be presented occasionally a "we believe," wherein not the metaphysic but the concrete vision and ideal goal of moral effort should be indicated. Such a forward-looking gaze characterises this declaration of ethical faith: We believe in a Religion and in a Church based on moral science. We believe in the power of united human effort to transform this earth into a world where love, justice, health and happiness shall dwell. We believe that moral fellowship is life, and absence of it death. We believe in a creed of deed, which scorns vain thoughts and empty hours, and rejoices in translating love and wisdom into action. We believe in respecting men, women and children of every race. We believe in reverently studying the whole animate and the whole inanimate world, the past and the present, to the end that through the laws of life and of the universe we may mould the future of mankind into the likeness of the civic ideal. We believe in applying an ethical standard to the family, to one's profession, to social intercourse, to the city and to the State. We believe in granting women equal opportunities with men. We believe in championing the cause of the poor and the oppressed, and in removing every privilege not based on individual ability and not required by the welfare of the community. We believe in arbitration and federation, and we look upon war, even when righteous, as a necessary evil, destined to be abolished. We believe in testing every human interest by these questions: Will it serve the commonwealth? Is it true? Is it beautiful? Is it good? Nor do the Church services at present give expression to the scientific conception of the universe. The new knowledge of the uniformity of nature furnishes a basis for new hopes, bolder than ever before, for the sure and quick establishing of a kingdom of righteousness. Why then should not the priest be allowed occasionally to say in church : We have come to look upon the Present as the child of the Past and the parent of the Future; and as we have excluded chance from a place in the universe, so we ignore, even as a possibility, the notion of any interference with the order of nature. Whatever may be men's speculative doctrines, it is quite certain that every intelligent person guides his life and risks his fortune upon the belief that the order of nature is constant, and that the chain of natural causation is never broken. To bring on the triumph of intellect over mechanism, of responsible morality over irresponsible force, is our mission. If we think things cannot be different from what they are, we but add so much to the dead inertia of the world, which keeps them as they are; while if we will not succumb we may form part of the very forces that will help to make things different. We may win more and more all Might to the side of Right. Thus Morality ceases to be a private affair, and becomes cosmic. Morality may some day mean: the universe under the guidance of our unselfish love. Here is another statement of ethical faith and ethical prophecy which might prove helpful: We believe in finding our reward in doing what is right. We believe that social considerations should determine the limits beyond which natural propensities may not be exercised, and the conditions under which appetites may not be gratified. We believe in progress towards universal health, wealth, intelligence and goodness, and in not clinging to ancient institutions and ideas unless they can justify themselves in advancing the interests of all. We believe in a Democracy healthy, intelligent, temperate, courageous, and pledged to reform and perfect the State. We believe in thoroughly educating all the young, both for the higher life and for civic efficiency, and in continuing our own mental training throughout our lives. We believe in light, recreation, exercise, cleanliness, fresh air and beautiful surroundings for everybody. We believe in We believe in a life of simplicity and of usefulness. Perhaps to no other duty has the Church so signally failed to train the people as to intellectual honesty. This deficiency in her instruction might be remedied by some statement like the following, to be said once every month by the priest : The most original and one of the most profoundly moral sentiments of our age, is that by virtue of which every act of faith is considered as a serious thing, which should not be lightly undertaken; an engagement more solemn than any other human engagement into which we do not enter without deliberation. Belief, that sacred faculty which prompts the decisions of our will and knits into harmonious working all the compacted energies of our being, is ours not for ourselves but for humanity. It is rightly used on truths which have been established by long experience and waiting toil, and which have stood in the fierce light of free and fearless questioning. Then it helps to bind men together, and to strengthen and direct their common action. It is desecrated when given to unproved and unquestioned statements for the solace and private pleasure of the believer; to add a tinsel splendour to the plain, straight road of our life, and display a bright mirage beyond it; or even to drown the common sorrows of our kind by a selfdeception which allows them not only to cast down but also to degrade us. Nor ought the Church to lose an opportunity-or fail to make one for expressing the fine stoic spirit of the following: Men say we are born selfish, avaricious and lustful, and cannot be otherwise. We can be! And the first thing is to feel in our heart of hearts that we ought to be --and the iron weight of that obligation will transform us and give us its iron strength. Thou sayest: "But I feel that this appetite is natural to me, and therefore the gratification of it can be no sin." The inordinate, violent, unruly appetite is no otherwise natural to thee than a leprosy is to a leprous generation. And wilt thou love thy disease because it is natural? It is no otherwise natural than it is to be malicious or revengeful, and to disobey thy governors and abuse thy neighbours; and yet I think they will not judge thee innocent for rebellion or abuse because it is natural to thee. Though the appetite be natural, is not reason to rule thee as natural to thee? And is not the subjection of the appetite to reason natural ? If it be not, thou hast lost the nature of man and art metamorphosed into the nature of a beast. Let it not be in any man's power to say truly of thee that thou art not simple, or that thou art not good; but let him be a liar whoever shall think anything of this kind about thee; and this is altogether in thy power. For who is he that shall hinder thee from being good and simple? Wipe out thy vain fancies by often saying to thyself: "Now it is in my power to let no badness be in this soul, nor desire, nor any perturbation at all!" Remember this power which thou hast from nature. The faith born of ethics is that man can do the right. The imperative itself brings the power to meet it. There is no duty if I cannot perform it. And as duty exists and binds and charms me, I know I can do it. The Church has also in another way inadvertently failed as a moral inspirer and guide. Although she has not intended a shifting of the responsibility for the redemption of the world from the shoulders of living men and women, |