MR. ALCOTT. When a little infant opens its eyes upon this world, and
sees things out of itself, and has the feeling of admiration, is there
in that feeling the beginning to worship?
JOSIAH. No, Mr. Alcott; a little baby does not worship. It opens its
eyes on the outward world, and sees things, and perhaps wonders what
they are; but it don't know anything about them or itself. It don't
know the uses of anything; there is no worship in it.
MR. ALCOTT. But in this feeling of wonder and admiration which it has,
is there not the beginning of worship that will at last find its object?
JOSIAH. No; there is not even the beginning of worship. It must have
some temptation, I think, before it can know the thing to worship.
MR. ALCOTT. But is there not a feeling that comes up from within, to
answer to the things that come to the eyes and ears?
JOSIAH. But feeling is not worship, Mr. Alcott.
MR. ALCOTT. Can there be worship without feeling?
JOSIAH. No; but there can be feeling without worship. For instance, if
I prick my hand with a pin, I feel, to be sure, but I do not worship.
MR. ALCOTT. That is bodily feeling. But may not the little infant find
its power to worship in the feeling which is first only admiration of
what is without.
JOSIAH. No, no; I know what surprise is, and I know what admiration
is; and perhaps the little creature feels that. But she does not know
enough to know that she has conscience, or that there is temptation.
My little sister feels, and she knows some things; but she does not
worship.
MR. ALCOTT. Now I wish you all to think. What have we been talking
about to-day?
CHARLES. Spiritual Worship.[7]
[Footnote 7: Here I was obliged to pause, as I was altogether fatigued
with keeping my pen in long and uncommonly constant requisition. I was
enabled to preserve the words better than usual, because Josiah had so
much of the conversation, whose enunciation is slow, and whose fine
choice of language and steadiness of mind, makes him easy to follow and
remember.--_Recorder._]
PLUTARCH'S LETTER TO HIS WIFE.
SUNDAY, 30.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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