Faith In The Heart

Transcript

[Page 1] As the faith was alive in the hearts of Abraham and of Paul, so I would have it in mine. I want a religion not recorded in a book, but flowing from all things." From Emerson's Sermon No. 158, cited in McGiffert, young Emerson Speaks, XXXV [35]. Now there is some virtue in these two statements. I feel that it is certainly legitimate and even necessary to revolt against bondage to tradition and to base religion in present experience." But to "need no Scripture" and to insist on a religion "not recorded in a book" is to cut off the present over [Page 2] from the past, to refuse to learn from the experience of the race and to begin afresh at the level of naive ignorance and untutored instinct. It is like Rousseau's revolt against civilization." See Brightman, Phi[Philosophy] of Rel. [Religion] p[g] 420