Americans do not, for aught I know, "believe" as much as or more
than Europeans; but they appear neither to believe nor to disbelieve
religiously. That, I admit, is true almost everywhere of the mass of the
people. But even in Europe--and far more in India--there has always
been, and still is, a minority who open windows to the stars; and
through these windows, in passing, the plain man sometimes looks. The
impression America makes on me is that the windows are blocked up. It
has become incredible that this continent was colonised by the Pilgrim
Fathers. That intense, narrow, unlovely but genuine spiritual life has
been transformed into industrial energy; and this energy, in its new
form, the churches, oddly enough, are endeavouring to recapture and use
to drive their machines. Religion is becoming a department of practical
business. The Churches--orthodox and unorthodox, old and new, Christian,
Christian-Scientific, theosophic, higher-thinking--vie with one another
in advertising goods which are all material benefits: "Follow me, and
you will get rich," "Follow me, and you will get well," "Follow me, and
you will be cheerful, prosperous, successful." Religion in America is
nothing if not practical. It does not concern itself with a life beyond;
it gives you here and now what you want. "What _do_ you want? Money?
Come along!--Success? This is the shop!--Health? Here you are! Better
than patent medicines!" The only part of the Gospels one would suppose
that interests the modern American is the miracles; for the miracles
really did _do_ something. As for the Sermon on the Mount--well, no
Westerner ever took that seriously.

This conversion of religion into business is interesting enough. But
even more striking is what looks like a conversion of business into
religion. Business is so serious that it sometimes assumes the shrill
tone of a revivalist propaganda. There has recently been brought to my
attention a circular addressed to the agents of an insurance society,
urging them to rally round the firm, with a special effort, in what I
can only call a "mission-month." I quote--with apologies to the unknown
author--part of this production:

THE CALL TO ACTION.

"How about these beautiful spring days for hustling? Everything
is on the move. New life and force is apparent everywhere. The
man who can stand still when all creation is on the move is
literally and hopelessly a dead one.

"These are ide