300 ESSAYS OF A BIOLOGIST 



for it to perform. On the other hand a religion is 

 essentially in one aspect social, and not only does 

 the unity of nature demand a unity of religion, but 

 such unity of religion would be of the highest im- 

 portance as a bond of civilization and a guarantee of 

 the federalist as against the solely nationalist ideal. 

 Moreover, to many types of mind, and to almost all 

 men in certain circumstances, the partaking in a 

 public religious ceremony in common with others 

 is of real importance. It is safe to say, therefore, 

 that these ceremonies will continue, however much 

 modified, and that for them a mediator or priest, even 

 if but temporarily acting as such, will be needed. 

 The problem is largely that of combining in public 

 worship the religious effectiveness of the simple, the 

 hallowed, and the universally familiar — such as in- 

 heres in many of the prayers, psalms, and hymns of 

 the Church to-day — with the spontaneity and imme- 

 diacy which, for instance, are to be found at a devo- 

 tional meeting of the Society of Friends. 



In any case, the new intellectual premisses once 

 granted, the limitations imposed on human mind once 

 understood, the important thing is to give a greater 

 vigour and reality to religious experience itself, 

 whether personal and private or social and public. 

 It is just here that Science may help, where knowl- 

 edge may be power. Atonement, conversion, sense 

 of grace, ecstasy, prayer, sacrifice — the meaning and 

 value of these and of other religious acts and ex- 

 periences can be put on a proper psychological basis, 



