Year: 1878

LECTURE BY PROFESSOR FELIX ADLER ON THE


MISSION OF RELIGION"


The mission of religion is to contend against ego
tism, said Professor Adler, yesterday morning In
attempting to do this should be careful to avoid
two dangers-that Of asking too much and that of
asking too little. There is legitimate regard for
own interests we have duties toward ourselves, and
those who invegh against this fall into contempt
and their influence is speedily paraiyzed. But we
must not ask too little, either; there are
some who say that even when we perform some act
unseGshness it iswith reference personal salts
faction. am gratifed to feel that it is who am
capable of such selfsacrifce. Now, it is true that
there must be consciousness Of my personality as
the starting point of the virtuous action otherwise
it would float in air and blow nowhere but be-
this is true II does not always follow that
therefore, the objective end of the action. To the
fact Of egotism an inherent element Of human
nature must be opposed the other fact Of
sympathy as equally native in our hearts
others or fellow feeling with others I pain; both
spontaneous impulses. II is incomprchensible
why persons should desire to dispute what is the
source OF much that is beautiful and noble in le
the higher animals capable of unselfsh feel
ings. Darwin relates the story Of baboon which
to the of younger animal Of the troupe
which was surrounded By the dogs, though he risked
his own safety in so doing. There calculating
selfinterest in the mind Of this brute; only strong





distress. DO they credit us with less natural unself
ishness than baboons?


THE AIM OF RELIGION


If the mission Of religion is to subdue egotism,
sympathy is it's ally and instrument. All the great
reformers have understood that this is they ap-
pealed to the social sympahes powerfully than
had before been done in their age and people, and the
social sympathies Of the masses led them to triumph.
Buddha brought the message of equal rights
to the lowest orders Of the Hndoo system of
caste; Jesus announced to the fishermen
he laaa hat
last and least to become as the greatest. Savonarola
in modern times. recommended his system OF re-
gous reforms by practically attempting the polti-
ca enfranchisement Of the citizens Of Florence. We
also must base our social sympathies il we would
until the majority are ncliectnaly ripe tor what is
called free thought should have to wait too long,
but we can make them morally ripe: can teach
them to appropriate with their sympathies what they
fail to grasp with their understandings.


Professor Adler then went 70 show at some
length the insuficicncy OF sympathy as priv
and capricous and arbitrary there is 10 pro Drtion
between the degree of our compassion the actual
deserts OF the sufferer. In the second place ~ Inp-
thy fails q safeguard In cases where wronedoing
is connected with JOY instead of pain. Whom
doas nat atara sa aasr passions sympasny
but rather leads the evil currents in
them, because they give JOY even while they sin
ming. Our morality is too much based ON sentiment
This will not suffice; principles alone avail to
make the senses serve the soul. Lastly. sympathy
fails because 1t often leads to the very opposite of
what is desirable. Men dread the sight of pain and
fee from it. because of the exquisiteness of
their sympathies. II Is remarkable indeed
that the philosophy which makes SYM
pathy the basis Of ethics. and the two
religions which are prominently founded on
sympathy unite in advising escape the ills Of
the world by flight The philosophy is that Of scho-
benhauer. The two religions are Buddhism and
christianity. All thrce declare The world is bad
abandon the world" The religion of conscience adj
and says likewise, "the world is bad" but
IL adds. Thou man, shalt make IL better. It's lam
guage ia hopeful; It breaches larger duties the
salvation OF mankind and righteousness the light
nf the ate -