lay morals-第6部分

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and　events　conspire　to　leave　us　free；　　that　we　enjoy　communion　with　our　soul。　　At　the　worst；　we　are　　so　fallen　and　passive　that　we　may　say　shortly　we　have　none。　　　An　arctic　torpor　seizes　upon　men。　　Although　built　of　nerves；　　and　set　adrift　in　a　stimulating　world；　they　develop　a　　tendency　to　go　bodily　to　sleep；　consciousness　becomes　　engrossed　among　the　reflex　and　mechanical　parts　of　life；　and　　soon　loses　both　the　will　and　power　to　look　higher　　considerations　in　the　face。　　This　is　ruin；　this　is　the　last　　failure　in　life；　this　is　temporal　damnation；　damnation　on　the　　spot　and　without　the　form　of　judgment。　　'What　shall　it　profit　　a　man　if　he　gain　the　whole　world　and　LOSE　HIMSELF？'

It　is　to　keep　a　man　awake；　to　keep　him　alive　to　his　own　soul　　and　its　fixed　design　of　righteousness；　that　the　better　part　　of　moral　and　religious　education　is　directed；　not　only　that　　of　words　and　doctors；　but　the　sharp　ferule　of　calamity　under　　which　we　are　all　God's　scholars　till　we　die。　　If；　as　　teachers；　we　are　to　say　anything　to　the　purpose；　we　must　say　　what　will　remind　the　pupil　of　his　soul；　we　must　speak　that　　soul's　dialect；　we　must　talk　of　life　and　conduct　as　his　soul　　would　have　him　think　of　them。　　If；　from　some　conformity　　between　us　and　the　pupil；　or　perhaps　among　all　men；　we　do　in　　truth　speak　in　such　a　dialect　and　express　such　views；　beyond　　question　we　shall　touch　in　him　a　spring；　beyond　question　he　　will　recognise　the　dialect　as　one　that　he　himself　has　spoken　　in　his　better　hours；　beyond　question　he　will　cry；　'I　had　　forgotten；　but　now　I　remember；　I　too　have　eyes；　and　I　had　　forgot　to　use　them！　　I　too　have　a　soul　of　my　own；　arrogantly　　upright；　and　to　that　I　will　listen　and　conform。'　　In　short；　　say　to　him　anything　that　he　has　once　thought；　or　been　upon　　the　point　of　thinking；　or　show　him　any　view　of　life　that　he　　has　once　clearly　seen；　or　been　upon　the　point　of　clearly　　seeing；　and　you　have　done　your　part　and　may　leave　him　to　　complete　the　education　for　himself。

Now；　the　view　taught　at　the　present　time　seems　to　me　to　want　　greatness；　and　the　dialect　in　which　alone　it　can　be　　intelligibly　uttered　is　not　the　dialect　of　my　soul。　　It　is　a　　sort　of　postponement　of　life；　nothing　quite　is；　but　something　　different　is　to　be；　we　are　to　keep　our　eyes　upon　the　indirect　　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave。　　We　are　to　regulate　our　conduct　　not　by　desire；　but　by　a　politic　eye　upon　the　future；　and　to　　value　acts　as　they　will　bring　us　money　or　good　opinion；　as　　they　will　bring　us；　in　one　word；　PROFIT。　　We　must　be　what　is　　called　respectable；　and　offend　no　one　by　our　carriage；　it　　will　not　do　to　make　oneself　conspicuous　…　who　knows？　even　in　　virtue？　says　the　Christian　parent！　　And　we　must　be　what　is　　called　prudent　and　make　money；　not　only　because　it　is　　pleasant　to　have　money；　but　because　that　also　is　a　part　of　　respectability；　and　we　cannot　hope　to　be　received　in　society　　without　decent　possessions。　　Received　in　society！　as　if　that　　were　the　kingdom　of　heaven！　　There　is　dear　Mr。　So…and…so；　…　　look　at　him！　…　so　much　respected　…　so　much　looked　up　to　…　　quite　the　Christian　merchant！　　And　we　must　cut　our　conduct　as　　strictly　as　possible　after　the　pattern　of　Mr。　So…and…so；　and　　lay　our　whole　lives　to　make　money　and　be　strictly　decent。　　　Besides　these　holy　injunctions；　which　form　by　far　the　greater　　part　of　a　youth's　training　in　our　Christian　homes；　there　are　　at　least　two　other　doctrines。　　We　are　to　live　just　now　as　　well　as　we　can；　but　scrape　at　last　into　heaven；　where　we　　shall　be　good。　　We　are　to　worry　through　the　week　in　a　lay；　　disreputable　way；　but；　to　make　matters　square；　live　a　　different　life　on　Sunday。

The　train　of　thought　we　have　been　following　gives　us　a　key　to　　all　these　positions；　without　stepping　aside　to　justify　them　　on　their　own　ground。　　It　is　because　we　have　been　disgusted　　fifty　times　with　physical　squalls；　and　fifty　times　torn　　between　conflicting　impulses；　that　we　teach　people　this　　indirect　and　tactical　procedure　in　life；　and　to　judge　by　　remote　consequences　instead　of　the　immediate　face　of　things。　　　The　very　desire　to　act　as　our　own　souls　would　have　us；　　coupled　with　a　pathetic　disbelief　in　ourselves；　moves　us　to　　follow　the　example　of　others；　perhaps；　who　knows？　they　may　be　　on　the　right　track；　and　the　more　our　patterns　are　in　number；　　the　better　seems　the　chance；　until；　if　we　be　acting　in　　concert　with　a　whole　civilised　nation；　there　are　surely　a　　majority　of　chances　that　we　must　be　acting　right。　　And　again；　　how　true　it　is　that　we　can　never　behave　as　we　wish　in　this　　tormented　sphere；　and　can　only　aspire　to　different　and　more　　favourable　circumstances；　in　order　to　stand　out　and　be　　ourselves　wholly　and　rightly！　　And　yet　once　more；　if　in　the　　hurry　and　pressure　of　affairs　and　passions　you　tend　to　nod　　and　become　drowsy；　here　are　twenty…four　hours　of　Sunday　set　　apart　for　you　to　hold　counsel　with　your　soul　and　look　around　　you　on　the　possibilities　of　life。

This　is　not；　of　course；　all　that　is　to　be；　or　even　should　be；　　said　for　these　doctrines。　　Only；　in　the　course　of　this　　chapter；　the　reader　and　I　have　agreed　upon　a　few　catchwords；　　and　been　looking　at　morals　on　a　certain　system；　it　was　a　pity　　to　lose　an　opportunity　of　testing　the　catchwords；　and　seeing　　whether；　by　this　system　as　well　as　by　others；　current　　doctrines　could　show　any　probable　justification。　　If　the　　doctrines　had　come　too　badly　out　of　the　trial；　it　would　have　　condemned　the　system。　　Our　sight　of　the　world　is　very　narrow；　　the　mind　but　a　pedestrian　instrument；　there's　nothing　new　　under　the　sun；　as　Solomon　says；　except　the　man　himself；　and　　though　that　changes　the　aspect　of　everything　else；　yet　he　　must　see　the　same　things　as　other　people；　only　from　a　　different　side。

And　now；　having　admitted　so　much；　let　us　turn　to　criticism。

If　you　teach　a　man　to　keep　his　eyes　upon　what　others　think　of　　him；　unthinkingly　to　lead　the　life　and　hold　the　principles　of　　the　majority　of　his　contemporaries；　you　must　discredit　in　his　　eyes　the　one　authoritative　voice　of　his　own　soul。　　He　may　be　　a　docile　citizen；　he　will　never　be　a　man。　　It　is　ours；　on　the　　other　hand；　to　disregard　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　re