ched. What the ascetic has done is to fear
overmuch. It must not be overlooked that this continual battle with
the primary force of life is necessarily futile in accomplishing its
own aim. For the woman or man who, for the religious or any other
ideal, wishes to overcome the sex-needs must keep the subject always
before her, or his, consciousness. Thus it comes about that the
ascetic is always more occupied with sex than the normal individual.
It seems to me that this is a truth few women have learnt to face.

I am not for a moment denying that the potential energy of the sexual
impulse may be transformed with benefit into productive spiritual
activities, finding its vent in religion, as also in poetry, in art,
and in all creative work. Plato must have had this in his mind when he
speaks of "thought as a sublimated sexual impulse." Schopenhauer, and
many other thinkers, lay stress on the connection between the work of
productive genius and the modification of the sexual impulse. This may
be illustrated--if examples are needed in proof--by the power that has
been exercised so conspicuously by women throughout the world in
religious movements. Two of the greater festivals of the Catholic
Church, for instance, owe their origin to the illumination of women;
the mystic writings of Santa Teresa of Avila give classic expression
to the highest powers of the spirit. Take again the part played by
women as religious leaders of the convents in the early Middle Ages.
In them women of spirit and capacity found a wide and satisfying
career, many of them showing great administrative ability and a quite
remarkable power for government. In recent times mention may be made
of the Theosophists, the most important modern religious movement
established in this country and led by women; and of Christian
Science, which, under the able guidance of Mrs. Eddy, has sprung up
and flourished. It is instructive to note that both these religions
are connected with, and largely established on, magical faith and
esoteric doctrines and practices. In almost all the religions founded
by women we may trace a similar relation with hypnotic phenomena which
must be regarded as closely dependent on sexual sources. The proof is
wider even than these particular instances. It is without doubt the
transformation of suppressed sexual instincts that has made women the
chief supporters of all religions.

It may be said that the religious impulse has to a large extent