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8 so far a religion, for it does the essential work of a religion; whereas whatever theory or practice does not enable us to realise it may be a very fine or exalted or ingenious thought or custom, but is not, I think, in the strict sense, a matter of religion at all. Every man, in the end, must judge for himself, and I am not preaching any particular form of religion, nor intentionally criticising any, I am only trying to help people to get the full good, the point and spirit, of the religion which they profess, or which I am sure they really have, whether they profess one or not.

The situation which this expression embodies is simple, though fundamental, the knot or centre, as we said, in which the open secret of all human nature is bound up. We cannot be “saved” as we are ; we cannot cease to be what we are; we can only be saved by giving ourselves to something in which we