RIGHT RELATION OF REASON TO RELIGION 243 



that subtle spiritual sense which Jesus communi- 

 cated to the world, possessed. 



Now, that the very fountain and vitalising heart 

 of this spiritual sense is a new insight into what 

 really constitutes the nature of God, and into the 

 real relation of men and all souls to God, it will be 

 possible here to show, I believe, without too much 

 taxing your time ; and when it is shown, we shall 

 have the plain proof that this essential and central 

 doctrine of Christ puts a logical end to the Method 

 of Authority, demands for its proper expression the 

 Method of Conviction, and cannot be satisfied with 

 anything else. 



The cultivated world has now for some years been 

 familiar with the phrase " the secret of Jesus," iter- 

 ated with such adroit rhetoric by the brilliant author 

 of Literature and Dogma. Very likely, in common 

 with most of his many readers, you are little satis- 

 fied with Arnold's explanation of what that "secret" 

 was ; and I will frankly say that I shall not be sorry 

 if you arc : your state of mind will better open the 

 way for a new endeavour to answer the question. 

 For at the point our discussion has now reached, 

 we have really to ask what the "secret of Jesus" 

 was ; and we shall agree, I hope, that it lay in a 

 new Doctrine and a new Temper : a new doctrine 

 concerning the nature of God and the nature of 

 the religious relation of men to God and to each 



