190 Outlook to Nature 



his investigations or affairs and expending his 

 energies in them, may be little aware of the 

 progressive attitude of the church as a whole, 

 of its full acceptance of the results of scientific 

 research, its growing spirit of freedom from 

 the non-essentials on which men differ, the new 

 leadership that it has acquired, and the great 

 share that it is contributing to the constructive 

 movements of the time. The tendency is for 

 men to determine where they agree rather than 

 where they differ, and to cooperate in a large 

 way for the public good. 



We are less and less interested in theories of 

 religion as guides to action. Every heresy 

 trial seems to emphasize the importance that 

 is attached to "beliefs " rather than to essentials. 

 The world cares less for what a man passively 

 "believes" than for what he is and what he 

 accomplishes. 



The world needs fine, bold, constructive, 

 spiritual work, something that appeals to 

 the forceful, creative energies of able, active 

 men. This, in fact, is the very tendency 

 in spiritual work to-day ; and it is for this 



