To be near unto God - pagina 588

phenomena appear, and consequently in mutual relation. Whether in the evening the sky shows itself bright or dull red, depends upon the greater or lesser density with which mists or vapours place themselves between our eye and the red glow of the setting sun. And so in the world of spirits, an entirely distinct constellation ordinary

their

exhibits itself, according as the cloud of religion pervades life with full weight or remains sus-* pended, light and extremely transparent, over the waters of life. The difference in this respect between age and age is evident. In the age of the Reformation the vast plea of religion filled almost all of life. In the court room, in the cabinet of princes, in public opinion, in the pulpit, in the market place and especially in the family, religion was more than anything else the decisive factor. From every side it appeared in the heavens clear, fiery red. Now compare with, this the eighteenth century. How dull its red was then. All its brightness had waned, all warmth of religion was withdrawn to a single mystical group, and in public life religion was debased to trivial reasoning, to ignorant self-conceit, laughter and scorn. Then came the nineteenth century, brought to higher seriousness by revolution and Napoleonic wars, and in the religious domain it furnished us three 1, in the Christian domain and in a very signs: limited circle the Reveille; 2, as a new find the quickly exhausted modern theology, and 3, by the side and on account of this, in the broad domain of science, endless doubt and proud materialism, and among the upper classes, cold unbelief, a break with all religion. 684

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