At the present time all finality in religious formulas is discredited philosophically by the idea of evolution and of the consequent relativity of all higher truth， while， practically， free discussion has so accustomed people to conflicting views that the exclusive and intolerant advocacy of dogma is scarcely possible to the intelligent.It is true， of course， that philosophical breadth and free discussion have flourished before， only to be swept under by the forces making for authority； but they were never so rooted in general conditions梠f communication and personal freedom梐s they are now.It seems fairly certain that the formulas of religion will henceforward be held with at least a subconsciousness of their provisional character.
The creeds of the future are likely， also， to be simple.
In all institutions there is nowadays a tendency to exchange formulas for principles， as being more flexible and so more enduring.The nearer you can get to universal human nature without abandoning concreteness the better.There is coming to be a clearer distinction of functions between metaphysics and worship， which may enable each to be enjoyed to the utmost without being unnecessarily mixed with the other.
The less intellectual a religious symbol is the better， because it less confines the mind.Personality is the best symbol of all；and after that music， art， poetry， festivity and ceremony are more enduring and less perilous symbols than formulas of belief.Sentiments change like ideas， but not so much and not so evidently； and the essential exercises of religion for the mass of men are those which awaken higher sentiment， especially those good works， in which， chiefly， the founder of Christianity and his real followers have expressed their religious impulse.These also are symbols， and the most potent and least illusive of all.
It is indeed a general truth that sentiment is nearer to the core of life than definable thought.As the rim of a wheel whirls about its centre， so ideas and institutions whirl about the pivotal sentiments of human nature.To define a thing is to institutionize it， to draw it forth from the pregnant obscurity of the soul and show just how it appears in the transient color of our particular way of thinking.Definitions are， in their nature， short-lived.
We need religion， probably， as much as any age can have needed it.The prevalent confusion， "the tumult of the time disconsolate，"is felt in every mind not wholly inert as a greater or less distraction of thought， feeling and will； and we need to be taught how to live with joy and calm in the presence of inevitable perplexities.A certain natural phlegm is a great advantage in these days， and better still， if we could get it， would be religious assurance.Never was it more urgent or more difficult to justify the ways of God to men.Our material betterment is a great thing， and our comparative freedom a greater， but these rather increase than diminish the need of a higher discipline in the mind that is to use them profitably：
the more opportunities the more problems.Social betterment is like the advance of science in that each achievement opens up new requirements.
There is no prospect that the world will ever satisfy us， and the structure of life is forever incomplete without something to satisfy the need of the spirit for ideas and sentiments that transcend and reconcile all particular aims whatsoever.Mediaeval religion is too unworldly， no doubt， for our use， but all real religion has its unworldly side， and Thomas a Kempis and the rest were right in holding that no sort of tangible achievement can long assuage the human soul.
Still more evident is the need of religion in the form of " social salvation，" of the moral awakening and leadership of the public mind.Society is in want of this， and the agency that supplies the want will have the power that goes with function梚f not the church， then some secular and perhaps hostile agency， like socialism， which is already a rival to the church for the allegiance of the religious spirit.
Perhaps， also， there was never an age in which there was.more vital， hopeful religious aspiration and endeavor than the present梟otwithstanding that so many are astray.It is， of course， a great advantage of the decline of forms that what survives is the more likely to be real.The church is being transformed in the persons of its younger and more adaptive members， and the outcome can be nothing else than a gradual readjustment of the tradition to the real spiritual needs of the time.It is notable that the severest critics of the institution are reformers within its own body， and their zeal overlooks nothing in the way of apathy or decadence.
As a matter of historical comparison the irreligion of our time is often exaggerated.Any reader of history may perceive that formalism， materialism and infidelity have flourished in all epochs， and as regards America we are assured by Mr.Bryce that Christianity influences conduct more here than in any other modern country， and far more than in the so-called ages of faith.In fact it is just because this age is Christian in its aspirations that we hear so much of the inadequacy of the church.People are taking religion seriously and demanding true function in its instruments.
The church is possibly moving toward a differentiated unity， in which the common element will be mainly sentiment梥uch sentiments as justice， kindness， liberty and service.These are sufficient for good-will and cooperation， and leave room for all the differentiation of ideas and methods that the diversity of life requires.
With whatever faults the church is one of the great achievements of civilization.Like the body of science or our system of transportation and manufacture， it is the cumulative outcome of human invention and endeavor， and is probably in no more danger of perishing than these are.If certain parts of it break up we shall no doubt find that their sound materials are incorporated into new structures.
EndnotesConfessions， book i， chap.16.See his life by H.F.Brown， passim.J.R.Lowell， The Cathedral.Ibid The American Commonwealth， chap.80.Charles Horton Cooley：