only a fragment of the universe we do not see? The very retention of the
phrase "Material Universe," we are told, is the confession of our
unbelief and ignorance; since "matter is the less important half of the
material of the physical universe."[84]
The thing to be aimed at is not an organism self-contained and
self-sufficient, however high in the scale of being, but an organism
complete in the whole Environment. It is open to any one to aim at a
self-sufficient Life, but he will find no encouragement in Nature. The
Life of the body may complete itself in the physical world; that is its
legitimate Environment. The Life of the senses, high and low, may
perfect itself in Nature. Even the Life of thought may find a large
complement in surrounding things. But the higher thought, and the
conscience, and the religious Life, can only perfect themselves in God.
To make the influence of Environment stop with the natural world is to
doom the spiritual nature to death. For the soul, like the body, can
never perfect itself in isolation. The law for both is to be complete in
the appropriate Environment. And the perfection to be sought in the
spiritual world is a perfection of relation, a perfect adjustment of
that which is becoming perfect to that which is perfect.
The third problem, now simplified to a point, finally presents itself.
Where do organism and Environment meet? How does that which is becoming
perfect avail itself of its perfecting Environment? And the answer is,
just as in Nature. The condition is simple receptivity. And yet this is
perhaps the least simple of all conditions. It is so simple that we will
not act upon it. But there is no other condition. Christ has condensed
the whole truth into one memorable sentence, "As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye
abide in Me." And on the positive side, "He that abideth in Me the same
bringeth forth much fruit."
FOOTNOTES:
[81] _Vide_ Karl Semper's "The Natural Conditions of Existence as they
affect Animal Life;" Wallace's "Tropical Nature;" Weismann's "Studies in
the Theory of Descent;" Darwin's "Animals and Plants under
Domestication."
[82] "Principles of Biology," p. 57.
[83] Ps. cxlii. 4, 5.
[84] The "Unseen Universe," 6th Ed., p. 100.
CONFORMITY TO TYPE.
"'So careful of the type?' but no.
From scarpèd cliff and quarried stone
She cries, 'A thousand types are gone:
I care for nothing, all shall go.
'Thou makest thine appeal to me;
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean thy breath:
I know no more.' And he, shall he,
Man, her last work, who seem'd so fair,
Such splendid purpose in his eyes,
Who roll'd the psalm to wintry skies,
Who built him fanes of fruitless prayer,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account