小说园

第64部分（第5页）

intimacy　with　her　mistress。　Winifred　had　had　a　scientific

education。　She　had　known　many　clever　people。　She　wanted　to　bring

Ursula　to　her　own　position　of　thought。

They　took　religion　and　rid　it　of　its　dogmas；　its　falsehoods。

Winifred　humanized　it　all。　Gradually　it　dawned　upon　Ursula　that

all　the　religion　she　knew　was　but　a　particular　clothing　to　a

human　aspiration。　The　aspiration　was　the　real　thing；……the

clothing　was　a　matter　almost　of　national　taste　or　need。　The

Greeks　had　a　naked　Apollo；　the　Christians　a　white…robed　Christ；

the　Buddhists　a　royal　prince；　the　Egyptians　their　Osiris。

Religions　were　local　and　religion　was　universal。　Christianity

was　a　local　branch。　There　was　as　yet　no　assimilation　of　local

religions　into　universal　religion。

In　religion　there　were　the　two　great　motives　of　fear　and

love。　The　motive　of　fear　was　as　great　as　the　motive　of　love。

Christianity　accepted　crucifixion　to　escape　from　fear；　〃Do　your

worst　to　me；　that　I　may　have　no　more　fear　of　the　worst。〃　But

that　which　was　feared　was　not　necessarily　all　evil；　and　that

which　was　loved　not　necessarily　all　good。　Fear　shall　bee

reverence；　and　reverence　is　submission　in　identification；　love

shall　bee　triumph；　and　triumph　is　delight　in

identification。

So　much　she　talked　of　religion；　getting　the　gist　of　many

writings。　In　philosophy　she　was　brought　to　the　conclusion　that

the　human　desire　is　the　criterion　of　all　truth　and　all　good。

Truth　does　not　lie　beyond　humanity；　but　is　one　of　the　products

of　the　human　mind　and　feeling。　There　is　really　nothing　to　fear。

The　motive　of　fear　in　religion　is　base；　and　must　be　left　to　the

ancient　worshippers　of　power；　worship　of　Moloch。

We　do　not　worship　power；　in　our　enlightened　souls。　Power　is

degenerated　to　money　and　Napoleonic　stupidity。

Ursula　could　not　help　dreaming　of　Moloch。　Her　God　was　not

mild　and　gentle；　neither　Lamb　nor　Dove。　He　was　the　lion　and　the

eagle。　Not　because　the　lion　and　the　eagle　had　power；　but　because

they　were　proud　and　strong；　they　were　themselves；　they　were　not