ence or a
philosopher feel more intensely his deficiency, and his need of having
his paths lighted by the perfectly free while reverent inquiry, to pray
for which has been the object of these letters.

August 11th, 1907.

VII.

IS THERE TO BE A REVOLUTION IN ETHICS?

A revolution in theology and in our conception of the government of the
universe such as we are undergoing is sure to draw with it a
revolutionary movement in ethics. There lies before me a review
article giving an account of a number of books on ethics which are
widely at variance, it appears, with the ethics of Christianity. The
general tendency of the authors seems to be to reject altogether the
Christian type of character as artificial and weak, and to aim at
substituting for it something more robust and, it is assumed, more in
accordance with nature. One theorist is represented as regarding
humanity in its present form only as transient material out of which is
to be wrought the "Superman." In what respect, so far as our
conceptions extend, has Christian ethic failed? It has given birth to
the patriot as well as to the martyr, to the virtues of the softer as
well as to those of the stronger sex. Communities which have kept its
rules, as well as individuals, have been happy.

The Christian ideal of character and life went essentially unchanged
through the violence of the Middle Ages and the vices of the Papacy.
It was somewhat perverted by asceticism; but it was radically the same
character in Anselm or in St. Louis, as it is in their counterparts
now. Nor does it seem to lose by renunciation of theological dogma.
The moral principles and aspirations of good free thinkers or
Positivists remain still essentially Christian.

The ethical ideal which is now being set up against the Christian
apparently, is that of the Greeks. In literature and art Greece, or
rather Athens, or, to speak still more correctly, a limited number of
free citizens in Athens, was pre-eminent: but its pre-eminence, if we
may trust its own moralists, hardly extended to morals.

May 3rd, 1908.

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