12 RELIGION AFTER THE WAR 



parent, and would almost certainly not recognize itself. 

 Futile to attempt to sketch even vaguely the possible shape 

 of its first form, though one might safely predict that it would 

 at the start include elements of mysticism, as indeed does 

 Comtism ! The mysticism, however, would be ornamental, 

 not basic. But whatever form any new popular " religion " 

 may take, one may be absolutely sure that the last adherents 

 of Christianity will denounce its advent as the end of all 

 things and the final catastrophe of the human race. And by 

 that sign, and by the persecution and ignominy which will 

 pursue it, it may be known for its authentic self. 



[ Believing that the European upheaval will, among other 

 things, transform religious thought, the Editor of this ANNUAL 

 invited expressions of opinion as to the prospective outlook from 

 some of the leading representatives of the Humanist gospel. 

 Without presuming to dictate in any way, he suggested the 

 following points as deserving of consideration : 



1 i ) Is it reasonable to assume that the traditional belief 

 in Providence governing the universe can endure in the light 

 of the great World War? 



(2) Will not the religion of the future, as a result of the 

 unforgettable revelations of this supreme tragedy, be humanist 

 rather than theological ? 



(jj Must not the training of coming generations be based 

 on science and reason rather than on speculative beliefs ? 



The following contributions are in response to the Editor's 

 invitation. ] 



