A HINT TKOM FKANKLIN 175 



Our doctors of divinity talk glibly of the growth 

 of religious thought, but seem to lose sight of the 

 fact that growth of religious thought means more 

 or less a decay of old beliefs. There is no growth 

 in anything without a casting off and a leaving of 

 something behind. Growth in science is to a great 

 extent the discovery of new facts and principles, 

 which render the old theories and conclusions unten- 

 able. See how much we have had to unlearn and 

 leave behind us by reason of Darwin's labors ; and 

 further advances already lessen the significance of 

 some of his principles. 



But it may be said that religion has not to do with 

 outward facts and laws like science, but with inward 

 spiritual conditions. Then why seek to embody its 

 final truths in formal propositions as if they were 

 matters of exact demonstration like science ? The 

 creeds treat religion as objective fact, something to 

 be proved to the understanding and to be lodged in 

 a system of belief, like any of the teachings of phy- 

 sical science. Regarded as such, it is always exposed 

 to the inquiry. Is it true ? Is it final ? If it is 

 a subjective condition, if the kingdom of heaven 

 is really within, as Christ taught, then the expres- 

 sion of it in outward forms of belief and creed 

 must change as much as any other philosophy or 

 metaphysics change. A noble sentiment mankind 

 will doubtless always admire ; a heroic act, self- 

 sacrifice, magnanimity, courage, enthusiasm, patri- 

 otism, will always awaken a quick response ; so 

 will religion as devotion, or piety, or love, or as 



