IV. 



WHAT IS RELIGION? 



WE have now arrived at the most momentous question, 

 " What is Eeligion ? " The answer comes clear : we 

 do not know. " The difficulty of framing a correct 

 definition of religion is very great." ' 



Mr. Kidd quotes the following as a few of the 



Current definitions of Religion. 2 



" Seneca. To know God and imitate Him. 



Kant. Religion consists in our recognising all our 



duties as Divine commands. 

 RusJcin. Our national religion is the performance of 



Church ceremonies, and preaching of soporific 



truths (or untruths) to keep the mob quietly at 



work while we amuse ourselves. 

 Matthew Arnold. Religion is morality touched by 



emotion. 



Comte. The "Worship of Humanity. 

 Alexander Sain. The religious sentiment is constituted 



by the Tender Emotion, together with Fear, and 



the sentiment of the Sublime. 



1 " Chambers's Encyclopaedia," 1891, article "Religion." 



2 " Social Evolution," Benjamin Kidd, 1895, p. 96. 



