The Study of Religions (Classic Reprint)

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Excerpt from The Study of ReligionsHere, then, were telling examples of activity, admirable in certain particulars, and of temporary value, but dangerous for their tendency to thwart other individual efforts. And the examination of the vicissitudes and principles of these intellectual systems proved exceedingly fruitful for the understanding of the principles that really make for progress. Moreover, in addition to the group of facts presented by certain departments of the world of thought, other impressive evidence was furnished by the sincere and well-meant efforts, in the world of life, to reform people according to the ideas and ideals of the reformers. But a little re¿exion shows, however, that the progress of mankind does not seem to have been due to what all would-be reformers - whether saints, states men, socialists, or scholars - have tried to impose, but upon what the average thought could assimilate. Men can be raised to a higher plane, they cannot be driven or forced there. There must be a feeling of autonomy, participa tion, and responsibility. The factors in progress - still incompletely known - cannot be severed, either from the principles that Should actuate those who desire to benefit their fellows, or from our conceptions of God. In a word, the study of the factors in the progress of thought and in social and political life, is inextricably interwoven with our theories and convictions of God's work in the Universe. No one need doubt that all reformers and reforming aims in all departments of life and thought - political, social, and intellectual - are sincere and well-meant. From their own point of view they are doubtless noble, inspiring, and benevolent. But they are relatively specialistic and individualistic, and the point of view of those-to-be reformed demands attention, the more especially in an age of democratic aspirations.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.