UP CHAPTER IV. V STATICS. to this point we have seen that the Material and Social Conditions of the world are the immediate and determining factors in progress and civilization, and must be equalized, before, at any given stage, a further advance is possible. But as the object of this section of the work is to show, not the part played by one factor only, but by all the leading factors, I shall now return and endeavour to trace the separate influence of each, in order the better to see how they work in combination. And, in doing this, I shall merely summarize the results arrived at in preceding chapters, referring the reader to the chapters themselves for a more detailed exposition. Broadly speaking, then, the factors in Civilization may be classed under four great heads, which, for the sake of clearness, I have arranged in the following order :— 1. Religion. 2. Material and Social Conditions. 3. Religion in its character as Philosophy. 4. Science Physical and Mental. And first, as to the effect of Religion. In a former chapter we saw that the true sphere of Religion was to harmonize the mind of man, by giving satisfaction to the cravings of the intellect, heart, and imagination, at every stage of his advancement. We saw that it satisfied the longing of the intellect to solve the problem of human existence and destiny, by giving to each nation or people, according to its stage of culture, a satisfactory answer as to the Cause of the world, and its relation to that Cause. We saw that it gave satisfaction to the moral and emotional nature, by holding out an ideal world, here or elsewhere, in which every impulse and longing, every aspiration of the heart and soul, should have full and complete realization. To the longing for life and dread of annihilation, it held out a personal immortality; to the desire for sensuous gratification, a heaven of rich and various joys-of gardens and fruits, music and maidens, feasting, poetry, and song; to the pure in heart, a world of high and sweet converse with the good and the blest, and the spirits of the just; and, lastly, to the downtrodden and oppressed of all ages, it opened up an ideal world of justice and freedom, where there should be no whips, not slaves, no masters, no war, no misery, no want, no subserviency -that ideal world of justice, goodness, love, peace, elevation and expansion of mind and heart, on which the mind loves to dwell for consolation and rest amidst the hardships of the actual world. We saw, also, that it enabled men to work, by giving them a sense of security and reliance-the sense that they were in the hands of a Power who would lead them in the right path, in a world where, as little was known, all things must wear a hostile or threatening aspect. And thus it is that Religion, like a father fitting out his son for school and college, equips man with those necessities of his spiritual nature, without which he would be unable to confront the tough world, and do the work to which he is appointed. It furnishes him with a philosophy of things, at a time when, from imperfect knowledge, it would be impossible for him to see through them for himself; it gives a complete and full prospective satisfaction to those longings and aspirations which can find but incomplete satisfaction in this world; and, in the midst of the dangers by which he is surrounded, and the thin tenure by which he holds this mortal life, gives him faith, and security, and rest. In a word, it satisfies the higher necessities of man's nature, and so leaves him free to cope with those enterprises and labours which confront him in his passage through Time. The second great factor in Civilization is what we have called the Material and Social Conditions. We have a seen that these conditions are the controlling factors in cition; and that, until they are equalized, the civilization re at any given point cannot further advance. I have now to remark (what indeed has been already so abundantly sho that these conditions are the immediate causes of those m relationships existing between man and man, which are finest criteria, perhaps, of the stage which civilization reached in any given country. The material conditions give rise to the political; the material and political, to the social; the material, political, and social, to the moral. Climate, soil population, and race, are the material conditions which give r se to the earliest inequalities between tribe and tribe, and people and people. The antagonism of these tribes, and the necessities of aggrandizement or self-defence, give rise to the earliest material and political inequalities within the tribe-the division of function and power between the chief and his followers. Conquest, and the incorporation of subjugated tribes, give rise to still further material and political inequalities; as shown in the hierarchy of emperors, kings, nobility, burgesses, menials, and slaves. These inequalities of material and political power give rise directly to those inequalities of social power embodied in such categories and distinctions as high and low born, cultured and uncultured, educated and illiterate, refined and vulgar. And out of these Social inequalities, in turn, have arisen, as we have seen in a former chapter, those moral inequalities of rights, privileges, duties, and obligations, which it is the end of civilization to remove. But besides being the immediate causes of those moral relationships that exist between man and man, the material and social conditions give rise to those ideals of excellence which so distinguish nations at different stages of their progress. These conditions, as we have seen, directly determine whether glory, patriotism, liberty, loyalty, luxury, wealth, or learning, shall be the supreme object of ambition or desire; and whether personal prowess, lee military heroism, rank, birth, business sagacity, or the purer fth and higher forms of mental activity, shall be the qualities and attributes most emulated, esteemed, and admired. We come now to the third great factor in Civilzation, viz., Religion, in its character as Philosophy. The true sphere and function of Religion is not, as we have seen, to affect men's actions, but to give rest and harmony to their minds. But the religions of the Past have all contained within them philosophies of the world around; and it is these philosophies which have incited men to action, and played a definite part in civilization. I have already pointed out, that one of the great mental laws on which all religions are constructed is the law that, when natural causes are unknown, fevents are and must be ascribed to the agency of wills like our own; and further, that it is this law which has not only necessitated the passage of the religions of the Past through the successive stages of Animism, Fetishism, Polytheism, and Monotheism, but which still necessitates that the world as a whole (if not the relations of the parts, which Science claims as her own exclusive field) shall be referred to some Supreme Intelligence-however difficult, or even impossible, it may be to realise the idea in thought. I have now still further to remark, that this same law not only offered an explanation of the world in general, but also of those particular events and occurrences in the world around, which Science was unable at the time to explain. In a word, it was this law that necessitated that when the scientific cause of a phenomenon or event was not forthcoming, it must be ascribed to some will or deity; that is to say, to a religious cause. In this way it happened that Religion came to include within itself a Philosophy, and set itself up not only to harmonize the minds, but to guide the actions of men. Suppose, for example, that some calamity—as a pestilence, a famine, or an earthquake-falls unexpectedly on a community not sufficiently advanced in scientific culture to be able to discover its natural cause. By the law of the human mind above referred to, it must be ascribed to the agency of some will like their own; and, most naturally, to the anger or malevolence of some offended deity. And, as that anger can only be figured as arising either from the neglect of some of the ordinances instituted to do him honour; from jealousy of rival gods who have stolen the people's worship; or from the devil having been allowed to have too much his own way; it is evident that the only way of removing the effect, viz., the calamity, was by operating on the cause-viz., the offended deity. The most natural way of doing this was precisely what we know was done, viz., to appease and propitiate the deity by more liberal offerings, prayers, sacrifices, expiations, by more frequent attendance on the ordinances of religion, by making war on the peoples worshipping rival gods, and by the more active harrying of the devil in the persons of old witches,. sorcerers, and the like. And thus it was, that Religion, in its temporary character as Philosophy, gave rise to those religious wars and heresy-huntings, those witch-burnings and Inquisitions, which have stained the religions of the Past and disgraced the civilization of the world. A little reflection, however, will convince us that Religion must cease in the future to contain within itself a Philosophy of the world of phenomena; and, in consequence, must cease to produce those unfortunate and lamentable results which have flowed from it in the Past. For as religious causes were only wanted to eke out scientific causes not yet discovered, it is clear that when science shall cover the whole field of phenomena with its own explanations, religious causes will no longer be required; and the actions which we saw to have formerly flowed from the belief in these causes must cease. That part of Religion which was formerly Philosophy will pass over to Science as its proper domain, and so leave to Religion only her true and perennial function of harmonizing the mind. Such have been the incidental and deplorable (but nevertheless strictly logical) effects of Religion in its character of |