Butinallthesemattersofsentimentonemusthave“beenthere“
one’sselfinordertounderstandthem。NoAmericancaneverattaintounderstandingtheloyaltyofaBritontowardshisking，ofaGermantowardshisemperor；norcanaBritonorGermaneverunderstandthepeaceofheartofanAmericaninhavingnoking，noKaiser，nospuriousnonsense，betweenhimandthecommonGodofall。Ifsentimentsassimpleasthesearemysterieswhichonemustreceiveasgiftsofbirth，howmuchmoreisthisthecasewiththosesubtlerreligioussentimentswhichwehavebeenconsidering！Onecanneverfathomanemotionordivineitsdictatesbystandingoutsideofit。Intheglowinghourofexcitement，however，allincomprehensibilitiesaresolved，andwhatwassoenigmaticalfromwithoutbecomestransparentlyobvious。Eachemotionobeysalogicofitsown，andmakesdeductionswhichnootherlogiccandraw。Pietyandcharityliveinadifferentuniversefromworldlylustsandfears，andformanothercentreofenergyaltogether。Asinasupremesorrowlesservexationsmaybecomeaconsolation；asasupremelovemayturnminorsacrificesintogain；soasupremetrustmayrendercommonsafeguardsodious，andincertainglowsofgenerousexcitementitmayappearunspeakablymeantoretainone’sholdofpersonalpossessions。Theonlysoundplan，ifweareourselvesoutsidethepaleofsuchemotions，istoobserveaswellasweareablethosewhofeelthem，andtorecordfaithfullywhatweobserve；andthis，Ineedhardlysay，iswhatIhavestriventodointheselasttwodescriptivelectures，whichInowhopewillhavecoveredthegroundsufficientlyforourpresentneeds。
Wehavenowpassedinreviewthemoreimportantofthephenomenawhichareregardedasfruitsofgenuinereligionandcharacteristicsofmenwhoaredevout。Todaywehavetochangeourattitudefromthatofdescriptiontothatofappreciation；wehavetoaskwhetherthefruitsinquestioncanhelpustojudgetheabsolutevalueofwhatreligionaddstohumanlife。WereI
toparodyKant，Ishouldsaythata“CritiqueofpureSaintliness“mustbeourtheme。
If，inturningtothistheme，wecoulddescenduponoursubjectfromabovelikeCatholictheologians，withourfixeddefinitionsofmanandman’sperfectionandourpositivedogmasaboutGod，weshouldhaveaneasytimeofit。Man’sperfectionwouldbethefulfillmentofhisend；andhisendwouldbeunionwithhisMaker。Thatunioncouldbepursuedbyhimalongthreepaths，active，purgative，andcontemplative，respectively；andprogressalongeitherpathwouldbeasimplemattertomeasurebytheapplicationofalimitednumberoftheologicalandmoralconceptionsanddefinitions。Theabsolutesignificanceandvalueofanybitofreligiousexperiencewemighthearofwouldthusbegivenalmostmathematicallyintoourhands。
Ifconveniencewereeverything，weoughtnowtogrieveatfindingourselvescutofffromsoadmirablyconvenientamethodasthis。
Butwedidcutourselvesofffromitdeliberatelyinthoseremarkswhichyourememberwemade，inourfirstlecture，abouttheempiricalmethod；anditmustbeconfessedthatafterthatactofrenunciationwecanneverhopeforclean-cutandscholasticresults。WEcannotdividemansharplyintoananimalandarationalpart。WEcannotdistinguishnaturalfromsupernaturaleffects；noramongthelatterknowwhicharefavorsofGod，andwhicharecounterfeitoperationsofthedemon。WE
havemerelytocollectthingstogetherwithoutanyspecialaprioritheologicalsystem，andoutofanaggregateofpiecemealjudgmentsastothevalueofthisandthatexperience——judgmentsinwhichourgeneralphilosophicprejudices，ourinstincts，andourcommonsenseareouronlyguides——decidethatONTHEWHOLE
onetypeofreligionisapprovedbyitsfruits，andanothertypecondemned。“Onthewhole“——Ifearweshallneverescapecomplicitywiththatqualification，sodeartoyourpracticalman，sorepugnanttoyoursystematizer！
IalsofearthatasImakethisfrankconfession，Imayseemtosomeofyoutothrowourcompassoverboard，andtoadoptcapriceasourpilot。Skepticismorwaywardchoice，youmaythink，canbetheonlyresultsofsuchaformlessmethodasIhavetakenup。
Afewremarksindeprecationofsuchanopinion，andinfartherexplanationoftheempiricistprincipleswhichIprofess，maythereforeappearatthispointtobeinplace。
Abstractly，itwouldseemillogicaltotrytomeasuretheworthofareligion’sfruitsinmerelyhumantermsofvalue。HowCAN
youmeasuretheirworthwithoutconsideringwhethertheGodreallyexistswhoissupposedtoinspirethem？Ifhereallyexists，thenalltheconductinstitutedbymentomeethiswantsmustnecessarilybeareasonablefruitofhisreligion——itwouldbeunreasonableonlyincasehedidnotexist。If，forinstance，youweretocondemnareligionofhumanoranimalsacrificesbyvirtueofyoursubjectivesentiments，andifallthewhileadeitywerereallytheredemandingsuchsacrifices，youwouldbemakingatheoreticalmistakebytacitlyassumingthatthedeitymustbenon-existent；youwouldbesettingupatheologyofyourownasmuchasifyouwereascholasticphilosopher。
Tothisextent，totheextentofdisbelievingperemptorilyincertaintypesofdeity，Ifranklyconfessthatwemustbetheologians。Ifdisbeliefscanbesaidtoconstituteatheology，thentheprejudices，instincts，andcommonsensewhichIchoseasourguidesmaketheologicalpartisansofuswhenevertheymakecertainbeliefsabhorrent。
Butsuchcommon-senseprejudicesandinstinctsarethemselvesthefruitofanempiricalevolution。Nothingismorestrikingthanthesecularalterationthatgoesoninthemoralandreligioustoneofmen，astheirinsightintonatureandtheirsocialarrangementsprogressivelydevelop。Afteranintervalofafewgenerationsthementalclimateprovesunfavorabletonotionsofthedeitywhichatanearlierdatewereperfectlysatisfactory：
theoldergodshavefallenbelowthecommonsecularlevel，andcannolongerbebelievedin。Todayadeitywhoshouldrequirebleedingsacrificestoplacatehimwouldbetoosanguinarytobetakenseriously。Evenifpowerfulhistoricalcredentialswereputforwardinhisfavor，wewouldnotlookatthem。Once，onthecontrary，hiscruelappetiteswereofthemselvescredentials。
Theypositivelyrecommendedhimtomen’simaginationsinageswhensuchcoarsesignsofpowerwererespectedandnootherscouldbeunderstood。Suchdeitiesthenwereworshipedbecausesuchfruitswererelished。
Doubtlesshistoricaccidentsalwaysplayedsomelaterpart，buttheoriginalfactorinfixingthefigureofthegodsmustalwayshavebeenpsychological。Thedeitytowhomtheprophets，seers，anddevoteeswhofoundedtheparticularcultborewitnesswasworthsomethingtothempersonally。Theycouldusehim。Heguidedtheirimagination，warrantedtheirhopes，andcontrolledtheirwill——orelsetheyrequiredhimasasafeguardagainstthedemonandacurberofotherpeople’scrimes。Inanycase，theychosehimforthevalueofthefruitsheseemedtothemtoyield。
Sosoonasthefruitsbegantoseemquiteworthless；sosoonastheyconflictedwithindispensablehumanideals，orthwartedtooextensivelyothervalues；sosoonastheyappearedchildish，contemptible，orimmoralwhenreflectedon，thedeitygrewdiscredited，andwaserelongneglectedandforgotten。ItwasinthiswaythattheGreekandRomangodsceasedtobebelievedinbyeducatedpagans；itisthusthatweourselvesjudgeoftheHindu，Buddhist，andMohammedantheologies；ProtestantshavesodealtwiththeCatholicnotionsofdeity，andliberalProtestantswitholderProtestantnotions；itisthusthatChinamenjudgeofus，andthatallofusnowlivingwillbejudgedbyourdescendants。Whenweceasetoadmireorapprovewhatthedefinitionofadeityimplies，weendbydeemingthatdeityincredible。
Fewhistoricchangesaremorecuriousthanthesemutationsoftheologicalopinion。Themonarchicaltypeofsovereigntywas，forexample，soineradicablyplantedinthemindofourownforefathersthatadoseofcrueltyandarbitrarinessintheirdeityseemspositivelytohavebeenrequiredbytheirimagination。Theycalledthecruelty“retributivejustice。”andaGodwithoutitwouldcertainlyhavestruckthemasnot“sovereign“enough。Buttodayweabhortheverynotionofeternalsufferinginflicted；andthatarbitrarydealing-outofsalvationanddamnationtoselectedindividuals，ofwhichJonathanEdwardscouldpersuadehimselfthathehadnotonlyaconviction，buta“delightfulconviction。”asofadoctrine“exceedingpleasant，bright，andsweet。”appearstous，ifsovereignlyanything，sovereignlyirrationalandmean。Notonlythecruelty，butthepaltrinessofcharacterofthegodsbelievedinbyearliercenturiesalsostrikeslatercenturieswithsurprise。WeshallseeexamplesofitfromtheannalsofCatholicsaintshipwhichmakesusrubourProtestanteyes。
Ritualworshipingeneralappearstothemoderntranscendentalist，aswellastotheultra-puritanictypeofmind，asifaddressedtoadeityofanalmostabsurdlychildishcharacter，takingdelightintoy-shopfurniture，tapersandtinsel，costumeandmumblingandmummery，andfindinghis“glory“
incomprehensiblyenhancedthereby：——justasontheotherhandtheformlessspaciousnessofpantheismappearsquiteemptytoritualisticnatures，andthegaunttheismofevangelicalsectsseemsintolerablybaldandchalkyandbleak。
Luther，saysEmerson，wouldhavecutoffhisrighthandratherthannailhisthesestothedooratWittenberg，ifhehadsupposedthattheyweredestinedtoleadtothepalenegationsofBostonUnitarianism。
Sofar，then，althoughwearecompelled，whatevermaybeourpretensionstoempiricism，toemploysomesortofastandardoftheologicalprobabilityofourownwheneverweassumetoestimatethefruitsofothermen’sreligion，yetthisverystandardhasbeenbegottenoutofthedriftofcommonlife。Itisthevoiceofhumanexperiencewithinus，judgingandcondemningallgodsthatstandathwartthepathwayalongwhichitfeelsitselftobeadvancing。Experience，ifwetakeitinthelargestsense，isthustheparentofthosedisbeliefswhich，itwascharged，wereinconsistentwiththeexperientialmethod。Theinconsistency，yousee，isimmaterial，andthechargemaybeneglected。
Ifwepassfromdisbeliefstopositivebeliefs，itseemstomethatthereisnotevenaformalinconsistencytobelaidagainstourmethod。Thegodswestandbyarethegodsweneedandcanuse，thegodswhosedemandsonusarereinforcementsofourdemandsonourselvesandononeanother。WhatIthenproposetodois，brieflystated，totestsaintlinessbycommonsense，tousehumanstandardstohelpusdecidehowfarthereligiouslifecommendsitselfasanidealkindofhumanactivity。Ifitcommendsitself，thenanytheologicalbeliefsthatmayinspireit，insofarforthwillstandaccredited。Ifnot，thentheywillbediscredited，andallwithoutreferencetoanythingbuthumanworkingprinciples。Itisbuttheeliminationofthehumanlyunfit，andthesurvivalofthehumanlyfittest，appliedtoreligiousbeliefs；andifwelookathistorycandidlyandwithoutprejudice，wehavetoadmitthatnoreligionhaseverinthelongrunestablishedorproveditselfinanyotherway。
ReligionshaveAPPROVEDthemselves；theyhaveministeredtosundryvitalneedswhichtheyfoundreigning。Whentheyviolatedotherneedstoostrongly，orwhenotherfaithscamewhichservedthesameneedsbetter，thefirstreligionsweresupplanted。
Theneedswerealwaysmany，andthetestswereneversharp。Sothereproachofvaguenessandsubjectivityand“onthewhole“-ness，whichcanwithperfectlegitimacybeaddressedtotheempiricalmethodasweareforcedtouseit，isafterallareproachtowhichtheentirelifeofmanindealingwiththesemattersisobnoxious。Noreligionhaseveryetoweditsprevalenceto“apodicticcertainty。”InalaterlectureIwillaskwhetherobjectivecertaintycaneverbeaddedbytheologicalreasoningtoareligionthatalreadyempiricallyprevails。
Oneword，also，aboutthereproachthatinfollowingthissortofanempiricalmethodwearehandingourselvesovertosystematicskepticism。
Sinceitisimpossibletodenysecularalterationsinoursentimentsandneeds，itwouldbeabsurdtoaffirmthatone’sownageoftheworldcanbebeyondcorrectionbythenextage。
Skepticismcannot，therefore，beruledoutbyanysetofthinkersasapossibilityagainstwhichtheirconclusionsaresecure；andnoempiricistoughttoclaimexemptionfromthisuniversalliability。Buttoadmitone’sliabilitytocorrectionisonething，andtoembarkuponaseaofwantondoubtisanother。Ofwillfullyplayingintothehandsofskepticismwecannotbeaccused。Hewhoacknowledgestheimperfectnessofhisinstrument，andmakesallowanceforitindiscussinghisobservations，isinamuchbetterpositionforgainingtruththanifheclaimedhisinstrumenttobeinfallible。Orisdogmaticorscholastictheologylessdoubtedinpointoffactforclaiming，asitdoes，tobeinpointofrightundoubtable？Andifnot，whatcommandovertruthwouldthiskindoftheologyreallyloseif，insteadofabsolutecertainty，sheonlyclaimedreasonableprobabilityforherconclusions？IfWEclaimonlyreasonableprobability，itwillbeasmuchasmenwholovethetruthcaneveratanygivenmomenthopetohavewithintheirgrasp。Prettysurelyitwillbemorethanwecouldhavehad，ifwewereunconsciousofourliabilitytoerr。
Nevertheless，dogmatismwilldoubtlesscontinuetocondemnusforthisconfession。Themereoutwardformofinalterablecertaintyissoprecioustosomemindsthattorenounceitexplicitlyisforthemoutofthequestion。Theywillclaimitevenwherethefactsmostpatentlypronounceitsfolly。Butthesafethingissurelytorecognizethatalltheinsightsofcreaturesofadaylikeourselvesmustbeprovisional。Thewisestofcriticsisanalteringbeing，subjecttothebetterinsightofthemorrow，andrightatanymoment，only“uptodate“and“onthewhole。”
Whenlargerrangesoftruthopen，itissurelybesttobeabletoopenourselvestotheirreception，unfetteredbyourpreviouspretensions。“Heartilyknow，whenhalf-godsgo，thegodsarrive。”
Thefactofdiversejudgmentsaboutreligiousphenomenaisthereforeentirelyunescapable，whatevermaybeone’sowndesiretoattaintheirreversible。Butapartfromthatfact，amorefundamentalquestionawaitsus，thequestionwhethermen’sopinionsoughttobeexpectedtobeabsolutelyuniforminthisfield。Oughtallmentohavethesamereligion？Oughttheytoapprovethesamefruitsandfollowthesameleadings？Aretheysolikeintheirinnerneedsthat，forhardandsoft，forproudandhumble，forstrenuousandlazy，forhealthy-mindedanddespairing，exactlythesamereligiousincentivesarerequired？