Essays on Life 



as whether the Virgin was white or black are 

 of very little importance in comparison with 

 the basing of ethics on a story that shall ap- 

 peal to black races as well as to white ones. 



If so, it is time we were made to understand 

 this more clearly. If the Church, whether 

 of Rome or England, would lean to some 

 such view as this tainted though it be 

 with mysticism if we could see either great 

 branch of the Church make a frank, authori- 

 tative attempt to bring its teaching into 

 greater harmony with the educated under- 

 standing and conscience of the time, instead 

 of trying to fetter that understanding with 

 bonds that gall it daily more and more pro- 

 foundly ; then I, for one, in view of the 

 difficulty and graciousness of the task, and 

 in view of the great importance of historical 

 continuity, would gladly sink much of my 

 own private opinion as to the value of the 

 Christian ideal, and would gratefully help 

 either Church or both, according to the best 

 of my very feeble ability. On these terms, 

 indeed, I could swallow not a few camels 



myself cheerfully enough. 



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