Page:Religion of a Sceptic (IA religionofscepti00powy).djvu/25

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
THE RELIGION OF A SCEPTIC

For the very reason that our attitude to these solemn- offices is disinterested we find a beauty in them which resembles the beauty of certain objects in Nature; objects which do not ask that we should do anything more than just accept them and pass on.

It almost seems as if a person's mind has to follow four stages of development before it apprehends the true secret of religion.

The first stage might be called emotional belief. The second might be called metaphysical belief. The third, absolute disillusionment. The fourth, æsthetic understanding.

And this last stage implies a recognition that it is by means of the poetry of these slowly accumulated traditions that the existence of man upon the earth is heightened and the confusion of what he undergoes reduced to an endurable pattern.

With regard to the word "æsthetic" in this connection it must not be supposed that what is meant by this expression is a sensuous response to coloured windows, to the smell of incense, to fine singing, to gorgeous vestments, to dramatic gestures, to gracious architecture. A response to these things is quite as likely to disturb and interrupt the mental attitude I have been describing as to encourage or sustain it.

In fact what one really requires, in order to get

[15]

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.