Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Discourse volume 1.djvu/140

Rh and Ignatius stares at men in the street. It can only bay in the distance; it dares not bite. Poor, craven Fanaticism! fallen like Lucifer, never to hope again. Like Pope and Pagan in the story, he sits chained by the wayside to grin and gibber, and howl and snarl, as the Pilgrim goes by, singing the song of the fearless and free, on the highway to Heaven, with his girdle about him and white robe on. Poor Fanaticism, who was drunk with the blood of the saints, and in his debauch lifted his horn and pushed at the Almighty, and slew the children of God,—he shall revel but in the dreamy remembrance of his ancient crime; his teeth shall be fleshed no more in the limbs of the living.

These two morbid states just past over, represent the most hideous forms of human degradation; where the foulest passions are at their foulest work; where Malice, which a Devil might envy, and which might make Hell darker with its frown; where Hate and Rancour build up their organizations and ply their arts. In man there is a mixture of good and evil. “A being darkly wise and poorly great,” he has in him somewhat of the Angel and something of the Devil. In Fanaticism, the Angel sleeps and the Devil drives. But let us leave the hateful theme.

The legitimate and perfect action of the Religious Element takes place when it exists in harmonious combination with Reason, Conscience, and Affection. Then it is not Hatred, and not Fear, but. It produces the most beautiful development of human nature; the golden age, the fairest Eden of life, the kingdom of Heaven. Its Deity is the God of Infinite Power, Wisdom, Justice, Love, and Holiness—Fidelity to Himself,—within whose encircling arms it is beautiful to be. The demands it makes are to keep the Law He has written in the heart,