376 IMMORTALITY 



tlons on either side of meaningless or ambiguous 

 sophisms — for anything, in fact, rather than for calm 

 consideration and dispassionate inquiry. Nothing, 

 indeed, presents a more curious study in human 

 psychology than the reckless violence with which 

 both the adherents and the opponents of traditional 

 doctrines concerning man's future have resented any 

 attempts to approach the subject in the serious 

 spirit of scientific philosophy. In times now happily 

 past orthodoxy has been equally severe upon those 

 who believed too little and too much, and burnt all 

 misbelievers, whether atheists or magicians, at the 

 same stake. In the future it seems possible that 

 the lunatic asylums will be charged with the function 

 of preventing inquiry into this question. But just 

 at present the conflicting orthodoxies of science and 

 religion are, by a rare felicity of the times, so nearly 

 balanced that a philosophical investigation seems 

 comparatively safe. And the first point such an 

 investigation would have to consider is the reason 

 for such an irrational attitude of men. Half the 

 world profess to believe in a highly sensational and 

 stimulating account of their future life. But its 

 effect upon their conduct is disproportionately small. 

 Insanity due to the fear of Hell contributes only a 

 comparatively small quota to our madhouses. The 

 hope of Heaven does not inspire to superhuman 

 virtue. Of most cultivated Christians it may be 

 safely said that their belief in Hell Is practically a 

 very faint and unimportant factor in their life, and 

 that in Heaven fainter still. And they shrink with 

 genuine reluctance, not fully accounted for by their 

 latent consciousness of the difficulties of their beliefs, 

 from all reasoning calculated to make them realize 

 them. 



