按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Power； and the things which must be done or not done because of it。 It
was not hard to trace our human imagery of the Divine Force up through
successive stages of bloodthirsty； sensual； proud； and cruel gods of early
times to the conception of a Common Father with its corollary of a
Common Brotherhood。
This pleased her very much； and when I expatiated on the
Omniscience； Omnipotence； Omnipresence； and so on； of our God； and of
the loving kindness taught by his Son； she was much impressed。
The story of the Virgin birth naturally did not astonish her； but
she was greatly puzzled by the Sacrifice； and still more by the Devil； and
the theory of Damnation。
116
… Page 117…
HERLAND
When in an inadvertent moment I said that certain sects had
believed in infant damnationand explained itshe sat very still indeed。
〃They believed that God was Loveand Wisdomand Power？〃
〃Yesall of that。〃
Her eyes grew large； her face ghastly pale。
〃And yet that such a God could put little new babies to burn
for eternity？〃 She fell into a sudden shuddering and left me； running
swiftly to the nearest temple。
Every smallest village had its temple； and in those gracious
retreats sat wise and noble women； quietly busy at some work of their own
until they were wanted； always ready to give comfort； light； or help； to any
applicant。
Ellador told me afterward how easily this grief of hers was
assuaged； and seemed ashamed of not having helped herself out of it。
〃You see； we are not accustomed to horrible ideas；〃 she said；
coming back to me rather apologetically。 〃We haven't any。 And when
we get a thing like that into our minds it's likeoh； like red pepper in your
eyes。 So I just ran to her； blinded and almost screaming； and she took it
out so quicklyso easily！〃
〃How？〃 I asked； very curious。
〃‘Why； you blessed child；' she said； ‘you've got the wrong idea
altogether。 You do not have to think that there ever was such a Godfor
there wasn't。 Or such a happeningfor there wasn't。 Nor even that this
hideous false idea was believed by anybody。 But only thisthat people
who are utterly ignorant will believe anythingwhich you certainly knew
before。'〃
〃Anyhow；〃 pursued Ellador； 〃she turned pale for a minute when
I first said it。〃
This was a lesson to me。 No wonder this whole nation of
women was peaceful and sweet in expressionthey had no horrible ideas。
〃Surely you had some when you began；〃 I suggested。
〃Oh； yes； no doubt。 But as soon as our religion grew to any
height at all we left them out； of course。〃
From this； as from many other things； I grew to see what I
117
… Page 118…
HERLAND
finally put in words。
〃Have you no respect for the past？ For what was thought and
believed by your foremothers？〃
〃Why； no；〃 she said。 〃Why should we？ They are all gone。
They knew less than we do。 If we are not beyond them； we are unworthy
of themand unworthy of the children who must go beyond us。〃
This set me thinking in good earnest。 I had always imagined
simply from hearing it said； I supposethat women were by nature
conservative。 Yet these women； quite unassisted by any masculine spirit
of enterprise； had ignored their past and built daringly for the future。
Ellador watched me think。 She seemed to know pretty much
what was going on in my mind。
〃It's because we began in a new way； I suppose。 All our folks
were swept away at once； and then； after that time of despair； came those
wonder childrenthe first。 And then the whole breathless hope of us was
for THEIR childrenif they should have them。 And they did！ Then
there was the period of pride and triumph till we grew too numerous； and
after that； when it all came down to one child apiece； we began to really
workto make better ones。〃
〃But how does this account for such a radical difference in your
religion？〃 I persisted。
She said she couldn't talk about the difference very intelligently；
not being familiar with other religions； but that theirs seemed simple
enough。 Their great Mother Spirit was to them what their own
motherhood wasonly magnified beyond human limits。 That meant that
they felt beneath and behind them an upholding； unfailing； serviceable
loveperhaps it was really the accumulated mother…love of the race they
feltbut it was a Power。
〃Just what is your theory of worship？〃 I asked her。
〃Worship？ What is that？〃
I found it singularly difficult to explain。 This Divine Love
which they felt so strongly did not seem to ask anything of them 〃any
more than our mothers do；〃 she said。
〃But surely your mothers expect honor； reverence； obedience；
118
… Page 119…
HERLAND
from you。 You have to do things for your mothers； surely？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 she insisted； smiling； shaking her soft brown hair。 〃We
do things FROM our mothersnot FOR them。 We don't have to do
things FOR themthey don't need it； you know。 But we have to live on
splendidlybecause of them； and that's the way we feel about God。〃
I meditated again。 I thought of that God of Battles of ours； that
Jealous God； that Vengeance…is…mine God。 I thought of our world…
nightmareHell。
〃You have no theory of eternal punishment then； I take it？〃
Ellador laughed。 Her eyes were as bright as stars； and there
were tears in them； too。 She was so sorry for me。
〃How could we？〃 she asked； fairly enough。 〃We have no
punishments in life； you see； so we don't imagine them after death。〃
〃Have you NO punishments？ Neither for children nor
criminals such mild criminals as you have？〃 I urged。
〃Do you punish a person for a broken leg or a fever？ We have
preventive measures； and cures； sometimes we have to ‘send the patient to
bed；' as it were； but that's not a punishmentit's only part of the
treatment；〃 she explained。
Then studying my point of view more closely； she added： 〃You
see； we recognize； in our human motherhood； a great tender limitless
uplifting forcepatience and wisdom and all subtlety of delicate method。
We credit Godour idea of Godwith all that and more。 Our mothers are
not angry with uswhy should God be？〃
〃Does God mean a person to you？〃
This she thought over a little。 〃Whyin trying to get close to it
in our minds we personify the idea； naturally； but we certainly do not
assume a Big Woman somewhere； who is God。 What we call God is a
Pervading Power； you know； an Indwelling Spirit； something inside of us
that we want more of。 Is your God a Big Man？〃 she asked innocently。
〃Whyyes； to most of us； I think。 Of course we call it an
Indwelling Spirit just as you do； but we insist that it is Him； a Person； and
a Manwith whiskers。〃
〃Whiskers？ Oh yesbecause you have them！ Or do you
119
… Page 120…
HERLAND
wear them because He does？〃
〃On the contrary； we shave them offbecause it seems cleaner
and more comfortable。〃
〃Does He wear clothesin your idea； I mean？〃
I was thinking over the pictures of God I had seenrash
advances of the devout mind of man； representing his Omnipotent Deity as
an old man in a flowing robe； flowing hair； flowing beard； and in the light
of her perfectly frank and innocent