Page:Psychology and preaching.djvu/118

 IOO PSYCHOLOGY AND PREACHING

a demand for an exaggerated respect on the part of others, egotism ; or when blended with admiration for self, pride or vanity. One s love for his father, or mother, or wife, or child, or friend, considered as a feeling-disposition in and by itself, is worthy of approval ; but is elevated by being blended with the abstract sentiment of regard for personality as such ; and if uncontrolled by the general sentiments of love of truth, justice, etc., may even lead to wrong moral conduct in our relations with other persons. Likewise one s love for his country is in itself a worthy feeling ; but it is lifted to a higher level when blended with the abstract sentiment of respect for the dignity of nationality, for this involves a corresponding respect for other national groups ; and unless the sentiment of patriotism is modified and held in restraint by supreme devotion to justice and humanity, it may lead to the perpetration of outrageous international wrongs. One s love for God, based upon the conviction that God has favoured or blessed or saved him, is good; but it is better when to it has been added reverence for the divine charac ter as the embodiment of perfect truth, justice and love. This analysis might be pursued indefinitely, but enough has been said to indicate that our attachments to individual persons, groups or institutions are given a higher moral worth by combination with the loftier abstract sentiments.

Now, surely if it is true of the sentiments which attach us to persons or groups, or institutions, that they should be controlled by the abstract or universal sentiments, it is far more true of the sentiments included in the generic attitude of hatred. The sentiments of repulsion, if per mitted to run riot without such restraint, are thoroughly anti-social and would lead to the dissolution of society ; but when thoroughly subjected to the higher sentiments which are organized around universal principles of conduct, they become powerful motives to truly ethical conduct ; for then individual persons, groups and institutions are hated only as they are the embodiments of unethical principles of con-

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