pagan and christian creeds-第51部分

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The　problem　is　obviously　a　serious　one。　So　urgent　is　it　that　I　think　one　may　safely　say　the　amount　of　insanity　due　to　the　pressure　of　daily　life　is　increasing；　nursing…homes　have　sprung　up　for　the　special　purpose　of　treating　such　cases；　and　doctors　are　starting　special　courses　of　tuition　in　the　artnow　becoming　very　importantof　systematically　doing　nothing！　And　yet　it　is　difficult　to　see　the　outcome　of　it　all。　The　clock　of　what　is　called　Progress　is　not　easily　turned　backward。　We　should　not　very　readily　agree　nowadays　to　the　abolition　of　telegrams　or　to　a　regulation　compelling　express　trains　to　stop　at　every　station！　We　can't　ALL　go　to　Nursing　Homes；　or　afford　to　enjoy　a　winter's　rest…cure　in　Egypt。　And；　if　not；　is　the　speeding…up　process　to　go　on　indefinitely；　incapable　of　being　checked；　and　destined　ultimately　to　land　civilization　in　the　mad…house？

It　is；　I　say；　a　serious　and　an　urgent　problem。　And　it　is；　I　think；　forcing　a　certain　answer　on　uswhich　I　will　now　endeavor　to　explain。

If　we　cannot　turn　back　and　reverse　this　fatal　onrush　of　modern　life　（and　it　is　evident　that　we　cannot　do　so　in　any　very　brief　timethough　of　course　ultimately　we　might　succeed）　then　I　think　there　are　clearly　only　two　alternatives　lefteither　to　go　forward　to　general　dislocation　and　madness；　orto　learn　to　rest　even　in　the　very　midst　of　the　hurry　and　the　scurry。

To　explain　what　I　mean；　let　me　use　an　illustration。　The　typhoons　and　cyclones　of　the　China　Seas　are　some　of　the　most　formidable　storms　that　ships　can　encounter。　Their　paths　in　the　past　have　been　strewn　with　wrecks　and　disaster。　But　now　with　increased　knowledge　much　of　their　danger　has　been　averted。　It　is　known　that　they　are　CIRCULAR　in　character；　and　that　though　the　wind　on　their　outskirts　often　reaches　a　speed　of　100　miles　an　hour；　in　the　centre　of　the　storm　there　is　a　space　of　complete　calmnot　a　calm　of　the　SEA　certainly；　but　a　complete　absence　of　wind。　The　skilled　navigator；　if　he　cannot　escape　the　storm；　steers　right　into　the　heart　of　it；　and　rests　there。　Even　in　the　midst　of　the　clatter　he　finds　a　place　of　quiet　where　he　can　trim　his　sails　and　adjust　his　future　course。　He　knows　too　from　his　position　in　what　direction　at　every　point　around　him　the　wind　is　moving　and　where　it　will　strike　him　when　at　last　his　ship　emerges　from　the　charmed　circle。

Is　it　not　possible；　we　may　ask；　that　in　the　very　midst　of　the　cyclone　of　daily　life　we　may　find　a　similar　resting…place？　If　we　can；　our　case　is　by　no　means　hopeless。　If　we　cannot；　then　indeed　there　is　danger。

Looking　back　in　History　we　seem　to　see　that　in　old　times　people　took　life　much　more　leisurely　than　they　do　now。　The　elder　generations　gave　more　scope　in　their　customs　and　their　religions　for　contentment　and　peace　of　mind。　We　associate　a　certain　quietism　and　passivity　with　the　thought　of　the　Eastern　peoples。　But　as　civilization　traveled　Westward　external　activity　and　the　pace　of　life　increasedless　and　less　time　was　left　for　meditation　and　reposetill　with　the　rise　of　Western　Europe　and　America；　the　dominant　note　of　life　seems　to　have　simply　become　one　of　feverish　and　ceaseless　activityof　activity　merely　for　the　sake　of　activity；　without　any　clear　idea　of　its　own　purpose　or　object。

Such　a　prospect　does　not　at　first　seem　very　hopeful；　but　on　second　thoughts　we　see　that　we　are　not　forced　to　draw　any　very　pessimistic　conclusion　from　it。　The　direction　of　human　evolution　need　not　remain　always　the　same。　The　movement；　in　fact；　of　civilization　from　East　to　West　has　now　clearly　completed　itself。　The　globe　has　been　circled；　and　we　cannot　go　any　FARTHER　to　the　West　without　coming　round　to　the　East　again。　It　is　a　commonplace　to　say　that　our　psychology；　our　philosophy　and　our　religious　sense　are　already　taking　on　an　Eastern　color；　nor　is　it　difficult　to　imagine　that　with　the　end　of　the　present　dispensation　a　new　era　may　perfectly　naturally　arrive　in　which　the　St。　Vitus'　dance　of　money…making　and　ambition　will　cease　to　be　the　chief　end　of　existence。

In　the　history　of　nations　as　in　the　history　of　individuals　there　are　periods　when　the　formative　ideals　of　life　（through　some　hidden　influence）　change；　and　the　mode　of　life　and　evolution　in　consequence　changes　also。　I　remember　when　I　was　a　boy　wishinglike　many　other　boysto　go　to　sea。　I　wanted　to　join　the　Navy。　It　was　not；　I　am　sure；　that　I　was　so　very　anxious　to　defend　my　country。　No；　there　was　a　much　simpler　and　more　prosaic　motive　than　that。　The　ships　of　those　days　with　their　complex　rigging　suggested　a　perfect　paradise　of　CLIMBING；　and　I　know　that　it　was　the　thought　of　THAT　which　influenced　me。　To　be　able　to　climb　indefinitely　among　those　ropes　and　spars！　How　delightful！　Of　course　I　knew　perfectly　well　that　I　should　not　always　have　free　access　to　the　rigging；　but　thensome　day；　no　doubt；　I　should　be　an　Admiral；　and　who　then　could　prevent　me？　I　remember　seeing　myself　in　my　mind's　eye；　with　cocked　hat　on　my　head　and　spy…glass　under　my　arm；　roaming　at　my　own　sweet　will　up　aloft；　regardless　of　the　remonstrances　which　might　reach　me　from　below！　Such　was　my　childish　ideal。　But　a　time　cameneedless　to　saywhen　I　conceived　a　different　idea　of　the　object　of　life。

It　is　said　that　John　Tyndall；　whose　lectures　on　Science　were　so　much　sought　after　in　their　time；　being　on　one　occasion　in　New　York　was　accosted　after　his　discourse　by　a　very　successful　American　business　man；　who　urged　him　to　devote　his　scientific　knowledge　and　ability　to　commercial　pursuits；　promising　that　if　he　did　so；　he；　Tyndall；　would　easily　make　〃a　big　pile。〃　Tyndall　very　calmly　replied；　〃Well；　I　myself　thought　of　that　once；　but　I　soon　abandoned　the　idea；　having　come　to　the　conclusion　that　I　had　NO　TIME　TO　WASTE　IN　MAKING　MONEY。〃　The　man　of　dollars　nearly　sank　into　the　ground。　Such　a　conception　of　life　had　never　entered　his　head　before。　But　to　Tyndall　no　doubt　it　was　obvious　that　if　he　chained　himself　to　the　commercial　ideal　all　the　joy　and　glory　of　his　days　would　be　gone。

We　sometimes　hear　of　the　awful　doom　of　some　of　the　Russian　convicts　in　the　quarries　and　mines　of　Siberia；　who　are　（or　were）　chained　permanently　to　their　wheelbarrows。　It　is　difficult　to　imagine　a　more　dreadful　fate：　the　despair；　the　disgust；　the　deadly　loathing　of　the　accursed　thing　from　which　there　is　no　escape　day　or　nightwhich　is　the　companion　not　only　of　the　prisoner's　work　but　of　his　hours　of　restwith　which　he　has　to　sleep；　to　feed；　to　take　his　recreation　if　he　has　any；　and　to　fulfil　all　the　offices　of　nature。　Could　anything　be　more　crushing？　And　yet；　and　yet　。　。　。　is　it　not　true　that　we；　most　of　us；　in　our　various　ways　are　chained　to　our　wheelbarrowsis　it　not　too　often　true　that　to　these　beggarly　things　we　have　for　the　most　part　chained　OURSELVES？

Let　me　be　understood。　Of　course　we　all　have　（or　ought　to　have）　our　work　to　do。　We　have　our　living　to　get；　our　families　to　support；　our　trade；　our　art；　our　profession　to　pursue。　In　that　sense　no　doubt　we　are　tied；　but　I　take　it　that　these　things　are　like　the　wheelbarrow　which　a　man　uses　while　he　is　at　work。　It　may　irk　him　at　times；　but　he　sticks　to　it　with　a　good　heart；　and　with　a　certain　joy　because　it　is　the　instrument　of　a　noble　purpose。　That　is　all　right。　But　to　be　chained　to　it；　not　to　be　able　to　leave　it　when　the　work　of　the　day　is　donethat　is　indeed　an　ignoble　slavery。　I　would　say；　then；　take　care　that　even　with　these　things；　these　necessary　arts　of　life；　you　preserve　your　independence；　that　even　if　to　some　degree　they　may　confine　your　body　they　do　not　enslave　your　mind。

For　it　is　the　freedom　of　the　mind　which　counts。　We　are　all　no　doubt　caught　in　the　toils　of　the　earth…life。　One　man　is　largely　dominated　by　sensual　indulgence；　another　by　ambition；　another　by　the　pursuit　of　money。　Well；　these　things　are　all　right　in　themselves。　Without　the　pleasures　of　the　senses　we　should　be　dull　mokes　indeed；　without　ambition　much　of　the　zest　and　enterprise　of　life　would　be　gone；　gold；　in　the　present　order　of　affairs；　is　a　very　useful　servant。　These　things　are　right　enoughbut　to　be　CHAINED　to　them；　to　be　unable　to　think　of　anything　elsewhat　a　fate！　The　subject　reminds　one　of　a　not　uncommon　spectacle。　It　is　a　glorious　day；　the　sun　is　bright；　small　white　clouds　float　in　the　transparent　bluea　day　when　you　linger　perforce　on　the　road　to　enjoy　the　sence。　But　suddenly　here　comes　a　man　painfully　running　all　hot　and　dusty　and　mopping　his　head；　and　with　no　eye；　clearly；　for　anything　around　him。　What　is　the　matter？　He　is　absorbed　by　one　idea。　He　is　running　to　catch　a　train！　And　one　cannot　help　wondering　what　EXCEEDINGLY　important　business　it　must　be　for　which　all　this　glory　and　beauty　is　sacrificed；　and　passed　by　as　if　it　did　not　exist。

Further　we　must　remember　that　in　our　foolishness　we　very　commonly　chain　ourselves；　not　only　to　things　like　sense…　pleasures　and　ambitions　which　are　on　the　edge；　so　to　speak；　of　being　vices；　but　also　to　other　things　which　are　accounted　virtues；　and　which　as　far　as　I　can　see　are　just　as　bad；　if　we　once　become　enslaved　to　them。　I　have　known　people　who　were　so　exceedingly　'spiritual'　and　'good'　that　one　really　felt　quite　depressed　in　their　company；　I　have　known　others　whose　sense　of　duty；　dear　things；　was　so　strong　that　they　seemed　quite　unable　to　REST；　or　even　to　allow　their　friends　to　rest；　and　I　have　wondered　whether；　after　all；　worriting　about　one's　duty　might　not　be　as　badas　deteriorating　to　oneself；　as　distressing　to　one's　friendsas　sinning　a　good　solid　sin。　No；　in　this　respect　virtues　MAY　be　no　better　than　vices；　and　to　be　chained　to　a　wheelbarrow　made　of　alabaster　is　no　way　preferable　to　being　chained　to　one　of　wood。　To　sacrifice　the　immortal　freedom　of　the　mind　in　order　to　become　a　prey　to　self…regarding　cares　and　anxieties；　self…estimating　virtues　and　vices；　self…chaining　duties　and　indulgences；　is　a　mistake。　And　I　warn　you；　it　is　quite　useless。　For　the　destiny　of　Freedom　is　ultimately　upon　every　one；　and　if　refusing　it　for　a　time　you　heap　your　life　persistently　upon　one　objecthowever　blameless　in　itself　that　object　may　beBeware！　For　one　dayand　when　you　least　expect　itthe　gods　will　send　a　thunderbolt　upon　you。　One　day　the　thing　for　which　you　have　toiled　and　spent　laborious　days　and　sleepless　nights　will　lie　broken　before　youyour　reputation　will　be　ruined；　your　ambition　will　be　dashed；　your　savings　of　year