what we may call comparative spiritual anatomy； we cannot begin to
deal with the alleged extra…human elements without blundering into
all imaginable puerilities。 If you think for one moment that there
is not a single religion in the world which does not come to us
through the medium of a preexisting language； and if you remember
that this language embodies absolutely nothing but human conceptions
and human passions； you will see at once that every religion
presupposes its own elements as already existing in those to whom it
is addressed。 I once went to a church in London and heard the famous
Edward Irving preach； and heard some of his congregation speak in the
strange words characteristic of their miraculous gift of tongues。 I
had a respect for the logical basis of this singular phenomenon。 I
have always thought it was natural that any celestial message should
demand a language of its own； only to be understood by divine
illumination。 All human words tend； of course； to stop short in
human meaning。 And the more I hear the most sacred terms employed；
the more I am satisfied that they have entirely and radically
different meanings in the minds of those who use them。 Yet they deal
with them as if they were as definite as mathematical quantities or
geometrical figures。 What would become of arithmetic if the figure 2
meant three for one man and five for another and twenty for a third；
and all the other numerals were in the same way variable quantities？
Mighty intelligent correspondence business men would have with each
other！ But how is this any worse than the difference of opinion
which led a famous clergyman to say to a brother theologian； 〃Oh； I
see； my dear sir； your God is my Devil。〃
Man has been studied proudly； contemptuously； rather； from the point
of view supposed to be authoritatively settled。 The self…sufficiency
of egotistic natures was never more fully shown than in the
expositions of the worthlessness and wretchedness of their fellow…
creatures given by the dogmatists who have 〃gone back；〃 as the vulgar
phrase is； on their race； their own flesh and blood。 Did you ever
read what Mr。 Bancroft says about Calvin in his article on Jonathan
Edwards？ and mighty well said it is too； in my judgment。 Let me
remind you of it； whether you have read it or not。 〃Setting himself
up over against the privileged classes； he； with a loftier pride than
theirs； revealed the power of a yet higher order of nobility； not of
a registered ancestry of fifteen generations； but one absolutely
spotless in its escutcheon； preordained in the council chamber of
eternity。〃 I think you'll find I have got that sentence right； word
for word； and there 's a great deal more in it than many good folks
who call themselves after the reformer seem to be aware of。 The Pope
put his foot on the neck of kings； but Calvin and his cohort crushed
the whole human race under their heels in the name of the Lord of
Hosts。 Now； you see； the point that people don't understand is the
absolute and utter humility of science； in opposition to this
doctrinal self…sufficiency。 I don't doubt this may sound a little
paradoxical at first； but I think you will find it is all right。 You
remember the courtier and the monarch；Louis the Fourteenth； wasn't
it？ never mind； give the poor fellows that live by setting you
right a chance。 〃What o'clock is it？〃 says the king。 〃Just whatever
o'clock your Majesty pleases；〃 says the courtier。 I venture to say
the monarch was a great deal more humble than the follower； who
pretended that his master was superior to such trifling facts as the
revolution of the planet。 It was the same thing； you remember； with
King Canute and the tide on the sea…shore。 The king accepted the
scientific fact of the tide's rising。 The loyal hangers…on； who
believed in divine right； were too proud of the company they found
themselves in to make any such humiliating admission。 But there are
people； and plenty of them； to…day； who will dispute facts just as
clear to those who have taken the pains to learn what is known about
them； as that of the tide's rising。 They don't like to admit these
facts； because they throw doubt upon some of their cherished
opinions。 We are getting on towards the last part of this nineteenth
century。 What we have gained is not so much in positive knowledge；
though that is a good deal； as it is in the freedom of discussion of
every subject that comes within the range of observation and
inference。 How long is it since Mrs。 Piozzi wrote；〃Let me hope
that you will not pursue geology till it leads you into doubts
destructive of all comfort in this world and all happiness in the
next〃？
The Master paused and I remained silent； for I was thinking things I
could not say。
It is well always to have a woman near by when one is talking on
this class of subjects。 Whether there will be three or four women to
one man in heaven is a question which I must leave to those who talk
as if they knew all about the future condition of the race to answer。
But very certainly there is much more of hearty faith； much more of
spiritual life； among women than among men； in this world。 They need
faith to support them more than men do； for they have a great deal
less to call them out of themselves； and it comes easier to them； for
their habitual state of dependence teaches them to trust in others。
When they become voters； if they ever do； it may be feared that the
pews will lose what the ward…rooms gain。 Relax a woman's hold on
man； and her knee…joints will soon begin to stiffen。 Self…assertion
brings out many fine qualities； but it does not promote devotional
habits。
I remember some such thoughts as this were passing through my mind
while the Master was talking。 I noticed that the Lady was listening
to the conversation with a look of more than usual interest。 We men
have the talk mostly to ourselves at this table； the Master； as you
have found out； is fond of monologues； and I myselfwell； I suppose
I must own to a certain love for the reverberated music of my own
accents； at any rate； the Master and I do most of the talking。 But
others help us do the listening。 I think I can show that they listen
to some purpose。 I am going to surprise my reader with a letter
which I received very shortly after the conversation took place which
I have just reported。 It is of course by a special license； such as
belongs to the supreme prerogative of an author； that I am enabled to
present it to him。 He need ask no questions： it is not his affair
how I obtained the right to give publicity to a private
communication。 I have become somewhat more intimately acquainted
with the writer of it than in the earlier period of my connection
with this establishment； and I think I may say have gained her
confidence to a very considerable degree。
MY DEAR SIR： The conversations I have had with you； limited as they
have been； have convinced me that I am quite safe in addressing you
with freedom on a subject which interests me； and others more than
myself。 We at our end of the table have been listening； more or less
intelligently； to the discussions going on between two or three of
you gentlemen on matters of solemn import to us all。 This is nothing
very new to me。 I have been used； from an early period of my life；
to hear the discussion of grave questions； both in politics and
religion。 I have seen gentlemen at my father's table get as warm
over a theological point of dispute as in talking over their
political differences。 I rather think it has always been very much
so； in bad as well as in good company； for you remember how Milton's
fallen angels amused themselves with disputing on 〃providence；
foreknowledge； will； and fate；〃 and it was the same thing in that
club Goldsmith writes so pleasantly about。 Indeed； why should not
people very often come； in the course of conversation； to the one
subject which lies beneath all else about which our thoughts are
occupied？ And what more natural than that one should be inquiring
about what another has accepted and ceased to have any doubts
concerning？ It seems to me all right that at the proper time； in the
proper place； those who are less easily convinced than their
neighbors should have the fullest liberty of calling to account all
the opinions which others receive without question。 Somebody must
stand sentry at the outposts of belief； and it is a sentry's
business； I believe； to challenge every one who comes near him；
friend or foe。
I want you to understand fully that I am not one of those poor
nervous creatures who are frightened out of their wits when any
question is started that implies the disturbance of their old
beliefs。 I manage to see some of the periodicals； and now and then
dip a little way into a new book which deals with these curious
questions you were talking about； and others like them。 You know
they find their way almost everywhere。 They do not worry me in the
least。 When I was a little girl； they used to say that if you put a
horsehair into a tub of water it would turn into a snake in the
course of a few days。 That did not seem to me so very much stranger