Page:Psychology and preaching.djvu/328

 3IO PSYCHOLOGY AND PREACHING

reality, so to speak, which other things can not in the nature of the case have. This is a well accepted principle of the science of education; and it has far-reaching implications. This is why the supersensible world of ideas and systems of ideas is so real and engaging to the philosopher and not so to other men. This is why God and the spiritual world are so vitally real to the saint and such shadowy realities to most other men. But we need not multiply illustrations of a prin ciple so nearly self-evident. Apply it to the case in hand. Is it not manifest that to the labourer, engaged as we have indicated, matter must have a reality which less obvious things of life and mind can not possibly have? Is not the tendency toward materialism of the crudest type inevitably inherent in the very nature and conditions of his work? This is an aspect of our &quot; social problem &quot; which is worthy of the attention of every thoughtful man. And above all other men it should be chiefly interesting to the preacher.

(c) Relatively speaking, the labouring man works in a social vacuum. The occupations vary greatly as to the number and value of the social contacts involved in their pursuit. Some kinds of work require an isolation almost total while the workers are engaged in them ; others require frequent and varied contacts with men. And this is of the greatest importance in determining the value of an occu pation as a means of personal development. When we re member that personality develops chiefly, if not exclusively, in and by means of social contacts, the reaction of persons upon one another, it becomes obvious that the work which involves social isolation is of the least value in this respect. Being insulated from his fellows, the workingman is de prived of all that stimulation which comes from the meet ing of men, and from which is derived so much of the quickening of the human mind. Of course, his isolation is not absolute. In some of these occupations the men work in companies, or &quot; gangs,&quot; and the mere presence of one s fellows has some value, because, first, it prevents loneli ness, and, second, renders possible concerted habitual move-

�� �