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ance； moreover； is the beginning and essential of the religious life； and organisations （acting through their secretaries and officials） never repent。 God deals only with the individual for the individual's surrender。 He takes no cognisance of committees。 Those who are most alive to the realities of living religion are most mistrustful of this congregating tendency。 To gather together is to purchase a benefit at the price of a greater loss； to strengthen one's sense of brotherhood by excluding the majority of mankind。 Before you know where you are you will have exchanged the spirit of God for ESPRIT DE CORPS。 You will have reinvented the SYMBOL； you will have begun to keep anniversaries and establish sacramental ceremonies。 The disposition to form cliques and exclude and conspire against unlike people is all too strong in humanity； to permit of its formal encouragement。 Even such organisation as is implied by a creed is to be avoided； for all living faith coagulates as you phrase it。 In this book I have not given so much as a definite name to the faith of the true God。 Organisation for worship and collective exaltation also； it may be urged； is of little manifest good。 You cannot appoint beforehand a time and place for God to irradiate your soul。 All these are very valid objections to the church…forming disposition。
4。 ORGANISATIONS UNDER GOD
Yet still this leaves many dissatisfied。 They want to shout out about God。 They want to share this great thing with all mankind。 Why should they not shout and share？ Let them express all that they desire to express in their own fashion by themselves or grouped with their friends as they will。 Let them shout chorally if they are so disposed。 Let them work in a gang if so they can work the better。 But let them guard themselves against the idea that they can have God particularly or exclusively with them in any such undertaking。 Or that so they can express God rather than themselves。 That I think states the attitude of the modern spirit towards the idea of a church。 Mankind passes for ever out of the idolatry of altars； away from the obscene rites of circumcision and symbolical cannibalism； beyond the sway of the ceremonial priest。 But if the modern spirit holds that religion cannot be organised or any intermediary thrust between God and man； that does not preclude infinite possibilities of organisation and collective action UNDER God and within the compass of religion。 There is no reason why religious men should not band themselves the better to attain specific ends。 To borrow a term from British politics； there is no objection to AD HOC organisations。 The objection lies not against subsidiary organisations for service but against organisations that may claim to be comprehensive。 For example there is no reason why one should notand in many cases there are good reasons why one shouldorganise or join associations for the criticism of religious ideas； an employment that may pass very readily into propaganda。 Many people feel the need of prayer to resist the evil in themselves and to keep them in mind of divine emotion。 And many want not merely prayer but formal prayer and the support of others； praying in unison。 The writer does not understand this desire or need for collective prayer very well； but there are people who appear to do so and there is no reason why they should not assemble for that purpose。 And there is no doubt that divine poetry； divine maxims； religious thought finely expressed； may be heard； rehearsed； collected； published； and distributed by associations。 The desire for expression implies a sort of assembly； a hearer at least as well as a speaker。 And expression has many forms。 People with a strong artistic impulse will necessarily want to express themselves by art when religion touches them； and many arts； architecture and the drama for example； are collective undertakings。 I do not see why there should not be； under God； associations for building cathedrals and suchlike great still places urgent with beauty； into which men and women may go to rest from the clamour of the day's confusions； I do not see why men should not make great shrines and pictures expressing their sense of divine things； and why they should not combine in such enterprises rather than work to fill heterogeneous and chaotic art galleries。 A wave of religious revival and religious clarification； such as I foresee； will most certainly bring with it a great revival of art； religious art； music； songs； and writings of all sorts； drama； the making of shrines； praying places； tempies and retreats； the creation of pictures and sculptures。 It is not necessary to have priestcraft and an organised church for such ends。 Such enrichments of feeling and thought are part of the service of God。 And again； under God； there may be associations and fraternities for research in pure science； associations for the teaching and simplification of languages； associations for promoting and watching education； associations for the discussion of political problems and the determination of right policies。 In all these ways men may multiply their use by union。 Only when associations seek to control things of belief； to dictate formulae； restrict religious activities or the freedom of religious thought and teaching； when they tend to subdivide those who believe and to set up jealousies or exclusions； do they become antagonistic to the spirit of modern religion。
5。 THE STATE IS GOD'S INSTRUMENT
Because religion cannot be organised； because God is everywhere and immediately accessible to every human being； it does not follow that religion cannot organise every other human affair。 It is indeed essential to the idea that God is the Invisible King of this round world and all mankind； that we should see in every government； great and small； from the council of the world…state that is presently coming； down to the village assembly； the instrument of God's practical control。 Religion which is free； speaking freely through whom it will； subject to a perpetual unlimited criticism； will be the life and driving power of the whole organised world。 So that if you prefer not to say that there will be no church； if you choose rather to declare that the world…state is God's church； you may have it so if you will。 Provided that you leave conscience and speech and writing and teaching about divine things absolutely free； and that you try to set no nets about God。 The world is God's and he takes it。 But he himself remains freedom； and we find our freedom in him。
THE ENVOY
So I end this compact statement of the renascent religion which I believe to be crystallising out of the intellectual； social； and spiritual confusions of this time。 It is an account rendered。 It is a statement and record； not a theory。 There is nothing in all this that has been invented or constructed by the writer； I have been but scribe to the spirit of my generation； I have at most assembled and put together things and thoughts that I have come upon； have transferred the statements of 〃science〃 into religious terminology； rejected obsolescent definitions； and re…coordinated propositions that had drifted into opposition。 Thus； I see； ideas are developing； and thus have I written them down。 It is a secondary matter that I am convinced that this trend of intelligent opinion is a discovery of truth。 The reader is told of my own belief merely to avoid an affectation of impartiality and aloofness。 The theogony here set forth is ancient； one can trace it appearing and disappearing and recurring in the mutilated records of many different schools of speculation； the conception of God as finite is one that has been discussed very illuminatingly in recent years in the work of one I am happy to write of as my friend and master； that very great American； the late William James。 It was an idea that became increasingly important to him towards the end of his life。 And it is the most releasing idea in the system。 Only in the most general terms can I trace the other origins of these present views。 I do not think modern religion owe