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resemblances and differences。 Nothing could be more unlike the
methods of dogmatic theology than those of this new logic。 Let
me quote in illustration some passages from the Scottish
transcendentalist whom I have already named。
〃How are we to conceive；〃 Principal Caird writes； 〃of the reality
in which all intelligence rests？〃 He replies： 〃Two things may
without difficulty be proved； viz。； that this reality is an
absolute Spirit； and conversely that it is only in communion with
this absolute Spirit or Intelligence that the finite Spirit can
realize itself。 It is absolute； for the faintest movement of
human intelligence would be arrested； if it did not presuppose
the absolute reality of intelligence； of thought itself。 Doubt
or denial themselves presuppose and indirectly affirm it。 When I
pronounce anything to be true； I pronounce it； indeed； to be
relative to thought； but not to be relative to my thought； or to
the thought of any other individual mind。 From the existence of
all individual minds as such I can abstract； I can think them
away。 But that which I cannot think away is thought or
self…consciousness itself； in its independence and absoluteness；
or； in other words； an Absolute Thought or Self…Consciousness。〃
Here； you see； Principal Caird makes the transition which Kant
did not make： he converts the omnipresence of consciousness in
general as a condition of 〃truth〃 being anywhere possible； into
an omnipresent universal consciousness； which he identifies with
God in his concreteness。 He next proceeds to use the principle
that to acknowledge your limits is in essence to be beyond them；
and makes the transition to the religious experience of
individuals in the following words：
〃If ＇Man＇ were only a creature of transient sensations and
impulses； of an ever coming and going succession of intuitions；
fancies； feelings； then nothing could ever have for him the
character of objective truth or reality。 But it is the
prerogative of man's spiritual nature that he can yield himself
up to a thought and will that are infinitely larger than his own。
As a thinking self…conscious being； indeed； he may be said； by
his very nature； to live in the atmosphere of the Universal Life。
As a thinking being； it is possible for me to suppress and quell
in my consciousness every movement of self…assertion； every
notion and opinion that is merely mine； every desire that belongs
to me as this particular Self； and to become the pure medium of a
thought that is universalin one word； to live no more my own
life； but let my consciousness be possessed and suffused by the
Infinite and Eternal life of spirit。 And yet it is just in this
renunciation of self that I truly gain myself； or realize the
highest possibilities of my own nature。 For whilst in one sense
we give up self to live the universal and absolute life of
reason； yet that to which we thus surrender ourselves is in
reality our truer self。 The life of absolute reason is not a
life that is foreign to us。〃
Nevertheless； Principal Caird goes on to say； so far as we are
able outwardly to realize this doctrine； the balm it offers
remains incomplete。 Whatever we may be in posse； the very best
of us in actu falls very short of being absolutely divine。 Social
morality； love； and self…sacrifice even； merge our Self only in
some other finite self or selves。 They do not quite identify it
with the Infinite。 Man's ideal destiny； infinite in abstract
logic； might thus seem in practice forever unrealizable。
〃Is there； then；〃 our author continues； 〃no solution of the
contradiction between the ideal and the actual？ We answer； There
is such a solution； but in order to reach it we are carried
beyond the sphere of morality into that of religion。 It may be
said to be the essential characteristic of religion as contrasted
with morality； that it changes aspiration into fruition；
anticipation into realization； that instead of leaving man in the
interminable pursuit of a vanishing ideal； it makes him the
actual partaker of a divine or infinite life。 Whether we view
religion from the human side or the divineas the surrender of
the soul to God； or as the life of God in the soulin either
aspect it is of its very essence that the Infinite has ceased to
be a far…off vision； and has become a present reality。 The very
first pulsation of the spiritual life； when we rightly apprehend
its significance； is the indication that the division between the
Spirit and its object has vanished； that the ideal has become
real； that the finite has reached its goal and become suffused
with the presence and life of the Infinite。
〃Oneness of mind and will with the divine mind and will is not
the future hope and aim of religion； but its very beginning and
birth in the soul。 To enter on the religious life is to
terminate the struggle。 In that act which constitutes the
beginning of the religious lifecall it faith； or trust； or
self…surrender； or by whatever name you willthere is involved
the identification of the finite with a life which is eternally
realized。 It is true indeed that the religious life is
progressive； but understood in the light of the foregoing idea；
religious progress is not progress TOWARDS； but WITHIN the sphere
of the Infinite。 It is not the vain attempt by endless finite
additions or increments to become possessed of infinite wealth；
but it is the endeavor； by the constant exercise of spiritual
activity； to appropriate that infinite inheritance of which we
are already in possession。 The whole future of the religious
life is given in its beginning； but it is given implicitly。 The
position of the man who has entered on the religious life is that
evil； error； imperfection； do not really belong to him： they are
excrescences which have no organic relation to his true nature：
they are already virtually； as they will be actually； suppressed
and annulled； and in the very process of being annulled they
become the means of spiritual progress。 Though he is not exempt
from temptation and conflict； ＇yet＇ in that inner sphere in which
his true life lies； the struggle is over； the victory already
achieved。 It is not a finite but an infinite life which the
spirit lives。 Every pulse…beat of its ＇existence＇ is the
expression and realization of the life of God。〃＇299＇
＇299＇ John Caird： An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
London and New York； 1880； pp。 243…250； and 291…299； much
abridged。
You will readily admit that no description of the phenomena of
the religious consciousness could be better than these words of
your lamented preacher and philosopher。 They reproduce the very
rapture of those crises of conversion of which we have been
hearing； they utter what the mystic felt but was unable to
communicate； and the saint； in hearing them； recognizes his own
experience。 It is indeed gratifying to find the content of
religion reported so unanimously。 But when all is said and done；
has Principal Cairdand I only use him as an example of that
whole mode of thinkingtranscended the sphere of feeling and of
the direct experience of the individual； and laid the foundations
of religion in impartial reason？ Has he made religion universal
by coercive reasoning； transformed it from a private faith into a
public certainty？ Has he rescued its affirmations from obscurity
and mystery？
I believe that he has done nothing of the kind； but that he has
simply reaffirmed the individual's experiences in a more
generalized vocabulary。 And again； I can be excused from proving
technically that the transcendentalist reasonings fail to make
religion universal； for I can point to the plain fact that a
majority of scholars； even religiously disposed ones； stubbornly
refuse to treat them as convincing。 The whole of Germany； one
may say； has positively rejected the Hegelian argumentation。 As
for Scotland； I need only mention Professor Fraser's and
Professor Pringle…Pattison's memorable criticisms； with which so
many of you are familiar。＇300＇ Once more； I ask； if
transcendental idealism were as objectively and absolutely
rational as it pretends to be； could it possibly fail so
egregiously to be persuasive？
＇300＇ A。 C。 Fraser： Philosophy of Theism； second edition；
Edinburgh and London； 1899； especially pa