god the invisible king-第15章

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exact　an　appearance　of　〃practical〃　results。　　Or　he　may　be　obliged　to　　lecture　or　conduct　classes。　　He　may　be　able　to　give　but　half　his　　possible　gift　to　the　work　of　his　real　aptitude；　and　that　at　a　　sacrifice　of　money　and　reputation　among　short…sighted　but　　influential　contemporaries。　　Well；　if　he　is　by　nature　an　　investigator　he　will　know　that　the　research　is　what　God　needs　of　　him。　　He　cannot　continue　it　at　all　if　he　leaves　his　position；　and　so　　he　must　needs　waste　something　of　his　gift　to　save　the　rest。　　But　　should　a　poorer　or　a　humbler　post　offer　him　better　opportunity；　　there　lies　his　work　for　God。　　There　one　has　a　very　common　and　simple　　type　of　the　problems　that　will　arise　in　the　lives　of　men　when　they　　are　lit　by　sudden　realisation　of　the　immediacy　of　God。　Akin　to　that　case　is　the　perplexity　of　any　successful　physician　　between　the　increase　of　knowledge　and　the　public　welfare　on　the　one　　hand；　and　the　lucrative　possibilities　of　his　practice　among　wealthy　　people　on　the　other。　　He　belongs　to　a　profession　that　is　crippled　by　　a　mediaeval　code；　a　profession　which　was　blind　to　the　common　　interest　of　the　Public　Health　and　regarded　its　members　merely　as　　skilled　practitioners　employed　to　〃cure〃　individual　ailments。　　Very　　slowly　and　tortuously　do　the　methods　of　the　profession　adapt　　themselves　to　the　modern　conception　of　an　army　of　devoted　men　　working　as　a　whole　under　God　for　the　health　of　mankind　as　a　whole；　　broadening　out　from　the　frowsy　den　of　the　〃leech；〃　with　its　　crocodile　and　bottles　and　hieroglyphic　prescriptions；　to　a　skilled　　and　illuminating　co…operation　with　those　who　deal　with　the　food　and　　housing　and　economic　life　of　the　community。　And　again　quite　parallel　with　these　personal　problems　is　the　trouble　　of　the　artist　between　the　market　and　vulgar　fame　on　the　one　hand　and　　his　divine　impulse　on　the　other。　The　presence　of　God　will　be　a　continual　light　and　help　in　every　　decision　that　must　be　made　by　men　and　women　in　these　more　or　less　　vitiated；　but　still　fundamentally　useful　and　righteous；　positions。　The　trouble　becomes　more　marked　and　more　difficult　in　the　case　of　a　　man　who　is　a　manufacturer　or　a　trader；　the　financier　of　business　　enterprise　or　the　proprietor　of　great　estates。　　The　world　is　in　need　　of　manufactures　and　that　goods　should　be　distributed；　land　must　be　　administered　and　new　economic　possibilities　developed。　　The　drift　of　　things　is　in　the　direction　of　state　ownership　and　control；　but　in　a　　great　number　of　cases　the　state　is　not　ripe　for　such　undertakings；　　it　commands　neither　sufficient　integrity　nor　sufficient　ability；　and　　the　proprietor　of　factory；　store；　credit　or　land；　must　continue　in　　possession；　holding　as　a　trustee　for　God　and；　so　far　as　lies　in　his　　power；　preparing　for　his　supersession　by　some　more　public　　administration。　　Modern　religion　admits　of　no　facile　flights　from　　responsibility。　　It　permits　no　headlong　resort　to　the　wilderness　and　　sterile　virtue。　　It　counts　the　recluse　who　fasts　among　scorpions　in　　a　cave　as　no　better　than　a　deserter　in　hiding。　　It　unhesitatingly　　forbids　any　rich　young　man　to　sell　all　that　he　has　and　give　to　the　　poor。　　Himself　and　all　that　he　has　must　be　alike　dedicated　to　God。　The　plain　duty　that　will　be　understood　by　the　proprietor　of　land　and　　of　every　sort　of　general　need　and　service；　so　soon　as　he　becomes　　aware　of　God；　is　so　to　administer　his　possessions　as　to　achieve　the　　maximum　of　possible　efficiency；　the　most　generous　output；　and　the　　least　private　profit。　　He　may　set　aside　a　salary　for　his　　maintenance；　the　rest　he　must　deal　with　like　a　zealous　public　　official。　　And　if　he　perceives　that　the　affair　could　be　better　　administered　by　other　hands　than　his　own；　then　it　is　his　business　to　　get　it　into　those　hands　with　the　smallest　delay　and　the　least　profit　　to　himself。　。　。　。　The　rights　and　wrongs　of　human　equity　are　very　different　from　right　　and　wrong　in　the　sight　of　God。　　In　the　sight　of　God　no　landlord　has　　a　RIGHT　to　his　rent；　no　usurer　has　a　RIGHT　to　his　interest。　　A　man　　is　not　justified　in　drawing　the　profits　from　an　advantageous　　agreement　nor　free　to　spend　the　profits　of　a　speculation　as　he　will。　　　God　takes　no　heed　of　savings　nor　of　abstinence。　　He　recognises　no　　right　to　the　〃rewards　of　abstinence；〃　no　right　to　any　rewards。　　　Those　profits　and　comforts　and　consolations　are　the　inducements　that　　dangle　before　the　eyes　of　the　spiritually　blind。　　Wealth　is　an　　embarrassment　to　the　religious；　for　God　calls　them　to　account　for　　it。　　The　servant　of　God　has　no　business　with　wealth　or　power　except　　to　use　them　immediately　in　the　service　of　God。　　Finding　these　things　　in　his　hands　he　is　bound　to　administer　them　in　the　service　of　God。　The　tendency　of　modern　religion　goes　far　beyond　the　alleged　　communism　of　the　early　Christians；　and　far　beyond　the　tithes　of　the　　scribes　and　Pharisees。　　God　takes　all。　　He　takes　you；　blood　and　　bones　and　house　and　acres；　he　takes　skill　and　influence　and　　expectations。　　For　all　the　rest　of　your　life　you　are　nothing　but　　God's　agent。　　If　you　are　not　prepared　for　so　complete　a　surrender；　　then　you　are　infinitely　remote　from　God。　　You　must　go　your　way。　　　Here　you　are　merely　a　curious　interloper。　　Perhaps　you　have　been　　desiring　God　as　an　experience；　or　covetmg　him　as　a　possession。　　You　　have　not　begun　to　understand。　　This　that　we　are　discussing　in　this　　book　is　as　yet　nothing　for　you。

7。　ADJUSTING　LIFE

This　picturing　of　a　human　world　more　to　the　mind　of　God　than　this　　present　world　and　the　discovery　and　realisation　of　one's　own　place　　and　work　in　and　for　that　kingdom　of　God；　is　the　natural　next　phase　　in　the　development　of　the　believer。　　He　will　set　about　revising　and　　adjusting　his　scheme　of　life；　his　ways　of　living；　his　habits　and　his　　relationships　in　the　light　of　his　new　convictions。　Most　men　and　women　who　come　to　God　will　have　already　a　certain　　righteousness　in　their　lives；　these　things　happen　like　a　thunderclap　　only　in　strange　exceptional　cases；　and　the　same　movements　of　the　　mind　that　have　brought　them　to　God　will　already　have　brought　their　　lives　into　a　certain　rightness　of　direction　and　conduct。　　Yet　　occasionally　there　will　be　someone　to　whom　the　self…examination　that　　follows　conversion　will　reveal　an　entirely　wrong　and　evil　way　of　　living。　　It　may　be　that　the　light　has　come　to　some　rich　idler　doing　　nothing　but　follow　a　pleasurable　routine。　　Or　to　someone　following　　some　highly　profitable　and　amusing；　but　socially　useless　or　socially　　mischievous　occupation。　　One　may　be　an　advocate　at　the　disposal　of　　any　man's　purpose；　or　an　actor　or　actress　ready　to　fall　in　with　any　　theatrical　enterprise。　　Or　a　woman　may　find　herself　a　prostitute　or　　a　pet　wife；　a　mere　kept　instrument　of　indulgence。　　These　are　lives　　of　prey；　these　are　lives　of　futility；　the　light　of　God　will　not　　tolerate　such　lives。　　Here　religion　can　bring　nothing　but　a　　severance　from　the　old　way　of　life　altogether；　a　break　and　a　　struggle　towards　use　and　service　and　dignity。　But　even　here　it　does　not　follow　that　because　a　life　has　been　wrong　　the　new　life　that　begins　must　be　far　as　the　poles　asunder　from　the　　old。　　Every　sort　of　experience　that　has　ever　come　to　a　human　being　　is　in　the　self　that　he　brings　to　God；　and　there　is　no　reason　why　a　　knowledge　of　evil　ways　should　not　determine　the　path　of　duty。　　No　　one　can　better　devise　protections　against　vices　than　those　who　have　　practised　them；　none　know　temptations　better　than　those　who　have　　fallen。　　If　a　man　has　followed　an　evil　trade；　it　becomes　him　to　use　　his　knowledge　of　the　tricks　of　that　trade　to　help　end　it。　　He　knows　　the　charities　it　may　claim　and　the　remedies　it　needs。　。　。　。　A　very　interesting　case　to　discuss　in　relation　to　this　question　of　　adjustment　is　that　of　the　barrister。　　A　practising　barrister　under　　contemporary　conditions　does　indeed　give　most　typically　the　　opportunity　for　examining　the　relation　of　an　ordinary　self…　respecting　wordly　life；　to　life　under　the　dispensation　of　God　　discovered。　　A　barrister　is　usually　a　man　of　some　energy　and　　ambition；　his　honour　is　moulded　by　the　traditions　of　an　ancient　and　　antiquated　profession；　instinctively　self…preserving　and　yet　with　a　　real　desire　for　consistency　and　respect。　　As　a　profession　it　has　　been　greedy　and　defensively　conservative；　but　it　has　never　been　　shameless　nor　has　it　ever　broken　faith　with　its　own　large　and　　selfish；　but　quite　definite；　propositions。　　It　has　never　for　　instance　had　the　shamelessness　of　such　a　traditionless　and　　undisciplined　class　as　the　early　factory　organisers。　　It　has　never　　had　the　dull　incoherent　wickedness　of　the　sort　of　men　who　exploit　　drunkenness　and　the　turf。　　It　offends　within　limits。　　Barristers　can　　be；　and　are；　disbarred。　　But　it　is　now　a　profession　extraordinarily　　out　of　date；　its　code　of　honour　derives　from　a　time　of　cruder　and　　lower　conceptions　of　human　relationship。　　It　apprehends　the　State　as　　a　mere　〃ring〃　kept　about　private　disputations；　it　has　not　begun　to　　move　towards　the　modern　conception　of　the　collective　enterprise　as　　the　determining　criterion　of　human　conduct。　　It　sees　its　business　as　　a　mere　play　upon　the　rules　of　a　game　between　man　and　man；　or　between　　men　and　men。　　They　haggle；　they　dispute；　they　inflict　and　suffer　　wrongs；　they　evade　dues；　and　are　liable　or　entitled　to　penalties　and　　compensations。　　The　primary　business　of　the　law　is　held　to　be　　decision　in　these　wrangles；　and　as　wrangling　is　subject　to　artistic　　elaboration；　the　business　of　the　barrister　is　the　business　of　a　　professional　wrangler；　he　is　a　bravo　in　wig　and　gown　who　fights　the　　duels　of　ordinary　men　because　they　are　incapable；　very　largely　on　　account　of　the　complexities　of　legal　procedure；　of　fighting　for　　themselves。　　His　business　is　never　to　explore　any　fundamental　right　　in　the　matter。　　His　business　is　to　say　all　that　can　be　said　for　his　　client；　and　to　conceal　or　minimise　whatever　can　be　said　against　his　　client。　　The　successful　promoted　advocate；　who　in　Britain　and　the　　United　States　of　America　is　the　judge；　and　whose　habits　and　　interests　all　incline　him　to　disregard　the　realities　of　the　case　in　　favour　of　the　points　in　the　forensic　game；　then　adjudicates　upon　the　　contest。　。　。　。　Now　this　condition　of　things　is　clearly　incompatible　with　the　modern　　conception　of　the　world　as　becoming　a　divine　kingdom。　　When　the　　world　is　openly　and　confessedly　the　kingdom　of　God；　the　law　court　　will　exist　only　to　adjust　the　differing　views　of　men　as　to　the　　manner　of　their　service　to　God；　the　only　right　of　action　one　man　　will　have　against　another　will　be　that　he　has　been　prevented　or　　hampered　or　distressed　by　the　other　in　serving　God。　　The　idea　of　the　　law　court　will　have　changed　entirely　from　a　place　of　dispute；　　exaction　and　vengeance；　to　a　place　of　adjustment。　　The　individual　or　　some　state　organisation　will　plead　ON　BEHALF　OF　THE　COMMON　GOOD　　either　against　some　state　official　or　state　regulation；　or　against　　the　actions　or　inaction　of　another　individual。　　This　is　the　only　　sort　of　legal　proceedings　compatible　with　the　broad　beliefs　of　the　　new　faith。　。　。　。　　Every　religion　that　becomes　ascendant；　in　so　far　　as　it　is　not　otherworldly；　must　necessarily　set　its　stamp　upon　the　　methods　and　administration　of　the　law。　　That　this　was　not　the　case　　with　Christianity　is　one　of　the　many　contributory　aspects　that　lead　　one　to　the　conv