Page:Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion volume 1.djvu/321

 of this kind. They are forces or powers, individual or elemental great objects, which seem to man to confront him in a wholly independent way. If in this sphere natural consciousness still adheres to the standpoint of individual passion, it has, properly speaking, no relation to these objects as parts of universal nature; it has not as yet a perception of their universality, and has to do with units alone. Their course, what they produce, is uniform, their mode of action is constant. The consciousness, however, which still adheres to the standpoint of natural unity, and for which what is constant possesses no interest, puts itself in relation with them in accordance with its contingent wishes, needs, interests only, or in so far as their action appears as contingent. From this point of view the sun and moon interest man only in so far as they undergo eclipse, and the earth only when there are earthquakes. The Universal does not exist for him, does not excite his desires, is without interest for him. A river only interests him when he wishes to cross it. Theoretical interest has no existence here, but only the practical relation due to accidental wants. Thinking man, with his higher culture, does not reverence these objects in their aspect as spiritual universalities, nor does he look upon them as representing what is essential. Man does not reverence them in that first sphere either, because he has not in any way come as yet to the consciousness of the Universal which is in these objects. At this last standpoint he has not yet arrived at the universality of all that exists; at the former point of view natural existence has no longer any validity for him. But it is in the midst of these two points of view that the powers of nature make their appearance as a Universal, and consequently as having the ruling power in relation to the particular, empirical consciousness. Such a man may be afraid of them in earthquakes, floods, or eclipses, and may address prayers or entreaties to them; here they appear for the first time as power; for the rest,