RELIGION AND SCIENCE 301 



same way as the Protestant found that he could 

 read his Bible and eat the holy bread and wine for 

 himself as well or better than the priest could do it 

 for him. 



Whatever we may say or like, it is an obvious fact 

 that much of what is essential in religious experience, 

 which in a simpler society was only attainable in 

 prayer and sacrifice, communal ceremony or ritual 

 worship, is now attainable to an increasing degree 

 through literature, music, drama, art, and is, again, 

 as a matter of fact, so attained by an increasing number 

 of people who do not profess a creed or belong to a 

 church. So that, as regards the personal, individual 

 side of religion, many of the functions of Churches 

 will inevitably be better performed through direct 

 contact between the individual and the mediator — 

 philosopher, poet, artist, or whatever he be — who 

 provides the experience. 



There remains public worship and community- 

 religion. It is clear that whereas a Church in the 

 Middle Ages was not only Church but also Museum 

 of curiosities. Art-gallery and Theatre, and in large 

 measure also took the place of our press and public 

 libraries, now it is none of these things. There is 

 now less reason for public worship, fewer functions 

 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 import- 



