RATIONAL LIFE 321 



the world s thought. They express it confusedly, when 

 knowledge is small, and intelligence travels back and 

 forward on narrow arid short tracks. They express 

 it more adequately, when thought, having cleared itself 

 from superstition, has reached a better and fuller 

 knowledge of the laws of existence, so attaining to 

 the possibility of reasoning from the common course 

 of Nature/ They express it more purely, when the 

 dominion of rational law, higher than physical, has 

 been more fully recognised; when the claims of 

 humanity are more clearly and steadily owned ; when 

 the sweep of moral sentiment supplies quick and 

 warm support for well-doing. None of these Religions 

 expresses the grand and noble truth otherwise than 

 inadequately. Human intelligence cannot outstretch 

 its own bounds. Yet this is a most striking testi 

 mony to its vast power, that it knows that the First 

 Cause exceeds all human representation of His essential 

 greatness. Spirits the clearest, the purest, the noblest 

 on earth, know this inadequacy of expression of re 

 ligious truth, whether clothed in feeble language, or 

 illustrated bravely in deeds of noble consecration, or 

 formally represented in creeds and organisations. Even 

 the dullest and the worst of men perceive when the 

 representation is worthy, and when unworthy. The 

 world is getting to know that all Religions at heart 

 are one, and are to be so regarded and treated. In 

 all of them, man is feeling after the resting-place of 

 a rational belief; seeking after the Supreme; doing 

 homage to the Eternal; knowing and feeling the 

 inadequacy of all that is known and done ; yet antici 

 pating a destiny exalted above all that is known. In 

 these investigations, we are chiefly attracted and 



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