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 

 w^orship 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, 



