IN LATER YEARS 1856-1905 569 



finite and finite minds; that helpful inspiration may be 

 thus obtained, greater power, clearer vision, higher 

 aims. 



As to the question between worship by man as an indi 

 vidual being, face to face with the Divine Power, and 

 worship by human beings in common, as brethren moved 

 to express common ideas, needs, hopes, efforts, aspira 

 tions, I attribute vast value to both. 



As to the first. Each individual of us has perhaps an 

 even more inadequate conception of i i the God and father 

 of us all&quot; than a plant has of a man; and yet the univer 

 sal consciousness of our race obliges a human being under 

 normal conditions to feel the need of betterment, of help, 

 of thankfulness. It would seem best for every man to 

 cultivate the thoughts, relations, and practices which he 

 finds most accordant with such feelings and most satisfy 

 ing to such needs. 



As to the second. The universal normal consciousness 

 of humanity seems to demand some form of worship in 

 common with one s fellow-men. All forms adopted by 

 men under normal conditions, whether in cathedrals, 

 temples, mosques, or conventicles, clearly have uses and 

 beauties of their own. 



If it be said that all forms of belief or ceremonial ob 

 scure that worship, &quot;in spirit and in truth,&quot; which aids 

 high aspiration, my answer is that the incorporation, in 

 beliefs and forms of worship, of what man needs for his 

 spiritual sustenance seems to me analogous to the incor 

 poration in his daily material food of what he needs for 

 his physical sustenance. As a rule, the truths necessary 

 for the sustenance and development of his higher nature 

 would seem better assimilated when incorporated in forms 

 of belief and worship, public or private, even though 

 these beliefs and forms have imperfections or inade 

 quacies. We do not support material life by consuming 

 pure carbon, or nitrogen, or hydrogen : we take these in 

 such admixtures as our experience shows to be best for 



