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lassic drama。
Such a man can have had but little in common with a preacher like Theodore Parker； or with a writer like M。 Fontanes； whose whole book is a noble specimen of lofty Christian eloquence。 His attribute was light； not warmth。 He scrutinized； but did not attack or defend。 He recognized the transcendent merits of the Christian faith； but made no attempt to reinstate it where it had seemed to suffer shock。 It was therefore with the surest of instincts； with that same instinct of self…preservation which had once led the Church to anathematize Galileo； that Goetze。 proclaimed Lessing a more dangerous foe to orthodoxy than the deists who had preceded him。 Controversy； he doubtless thought； may be kept up indefinitely； and blows given and returned forever； but before the steady gaze of that scrutinizing eye which one of us shall find himself able to stand erect？ It has become fashionable to heap blame and ridicule upon those who violently defend an antiquated order of things； and Goetze has received at the hands of posterity his full share of abuse。 His wrath contrasted unfavourably with Lessing's calmness； and it was his misfortune to have taken up arms against an opponent who always knew how to keep the laugh upon his own side。 For my own part I am constrained to admire the militant pastor； as Lessing himself admired him。 From an artistic point of view he is not an uninteresting figure to contemplate。 And although his attempts to awaken persecution were reprehensible； yet his ardour in defending what he believed to be vital truth is none the less to be respected。 He had the acuteness to see that Lessing's refutation of deism did not make him a Christian； while the new views proposed as a substitute for those of Reimarus were such as Goetze and his age could in no wise comprehend。
Lessing's own views of dogmatic religion are to be found in his work entitled； 〃The Education of the Human Race。〃 These views have since so far become the veriest commonplaces of criticism； that one can hardly realize that； only ninety years ago； they should have been regarded as dangerous paradoxes。 They may be summed up in the statement that all great religions are good in their time and place； that； 〃as there is a soul of goodness in things evil； so also there is a soul of truth in things erroneous。〃 According to Lessing； the successive phases of religious belief constitute epochs in the mental evolution of the human race。 So that the crudest forms of theology； even fetishism； now to all appearance so utterly revolting； and polytheism； so completely inadequate； have once been the best； the natural and inevitable results of man's reasoning powers and appliances for attaining truth。 The mere fact that a system of religious thought has received the willing allegiance of large masses of men shows that it must have supplied some consciously felt want； some moral or intellectual craving。 And the mere fact that knowledge and morality are progressive implies that each successive system may in due course of time be essentially modified or finally supplanted。 The absence of any reference to a future state of retribution； in the Pentateuch and generally in the sacred writings of the Jews； and the continual appeal to hopes and fears of a worldly character； have been pronounced by deists an irremediable defect in the Jewish religion。 It is precisely this； however； says Lessing； which constitutes one of its signal excellences。 〃That thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee；〃 was an appeal which the uncivilized Jew could understand； and which could arouse him to action； while the need of a future world； to rectify the injustices of this； not yet being felt； the doctrine would have been of but little service。 But in later Hebrew literature； many magnificent passages revealed the despair felt by prophet and thinker over the insoluble problem presented by the evil fate of the good and the triumphant success of the wicked； and a solution was sought in the doctrine of a Messianic kingdom； until Christianity with its proclamation of a future life set the question entirely aside。 By its appeal to what has been aptly termed 〃other…worldliness；〃 Christianity immeasurably intensified human responsibility； besides rendering clearer its nature and limits。 But according to Lessing； yet another step remains to be taken； and here we come upon the gulf which separates him from men of the stamp of Theodore Parker。 For； says Lessing； the appeal to unearthly rewards and punishments is after all an appeal to our lower feelings； other…worldliness is but a refined selfishness； and we are to cherish virtue for its own sake not because it will lead us to heaven。 Here is the grand principle of Stoicism。 Lessing believed； with Mr。 Mill； that the less we think about getting rewarded either on earth or in heaven the better。 He was cast in the same heroic mould as Muhamad Efendi； who when led to the stake exclaimed： 〃Though I have no hope of recompense hereafter； yet the love of truth constraineth me to die in its defence！〃
With the truth or completeness of these views of Lessing we are not here concerned； our business being not to expound our own opinions； but to indicate as clearly as possible Lessing's position。 Those who are familiar with the general philosophical spirit of the present age； as represented by writers otherwise so different as Littre and Sainte…Beuve； will best appreciate the power and originality of these speculations。 Coming in the last century； amid the crudities of deism； they made a well…defined epoch。 They inaugurated the historical method of criticism； and they robbed the spirit of intolerance of its only philosophical excuse for existing。 Hitherto the orthodox had been intolerant toward the philosophers because they considered them heretics； and the philosophers had been intolerant toward the orthodox because they considered them fools。 To Voltaire it naturally seemed that a man who could believe in the reality of miracles must be what in French is expressively termed a sot。 But henceforth； to the disciple of Lessing； men of all shade of opinion were but the representatives and exponents of different phases in the general evolution of human intelligence； not necessarily to be disliked or despised if they did not happen to represent the maturest phase。
Religion； therefore； from this point of view； becomes clearly demarcated from theology。 It consists no longer in the mental assent to certain prescribed formulas； but in the moral obedience to the great rule of life； the great commandment laid down and illustrated by the Founder of the Christian religion； and concerning which the profoundest modern philosophy informs us that the extent to which a society has learned to conform to it is the test and gauge of the progress in civilization which that society has achieved。 The command 〃to love one another；〃 to check the barbarous impulses inherited from the pre…social state； while giving free play to the beneficent impulses needful for the ultimate attainment of social equilibrium；or as Tennyson phrases it； to 〃move upward； working out the beast； and letting the ape and tiger die；〃was； in Lessing's view； the task set before us by religion。 The true religious feeling was thus； in his opinion； what the author of 〃Ecce Homo〃 has finely termed 〃the enthusiasm of humanity。〃 And we shall find no better language than that of the writer just mentioned； in which to describe Lessing's conception of faith：
〃He who； when goodness is impressively put before him； exhibits an instinctive loyalty to it； starts forward to take its side； trusts himself to it； such a man has faith； and the root of the matter is in such a man。 He may have habits of vice； but the loyal and faithful instinct in him will place him above many that practice virtue。 He may be rude in thought and character； but he will unconsciously gravitate toward what is right。 Other virtues can scarcely thrive without a fine natural organization and a happy training。 But the most neglected and ungifted of men may make a beginning with faith。 Other virtues want civilization； a certain amount of knowledge； a few books； but in half…brutal countenances faith will light up a glimmer of nobleness。 The savage； who can do little else； can wonder and worship and enthusiastically obey。 He who cannot know what is right can know that some one else knows； he who has no law may still have a master； he who is incapable of justice may be capable of fidelity； he who understands little may have his sins forgiven because he loves much。〃
Such was Lessing's religion； so far as it can be ascertained from the fragmentary writings which he has left on the subject。 Undoubtedly it lacked completeness。 The opinions which we have here set down； though constituting something more than a mere theory of morality； certainly do not constitute a complete theory of religion。 Our valiant knight has examined but one side of the shield；the bright side； turned toward us； whose marvellous inscriptions the human reason can by dint of unwearied effort decipher。 But the dark side； looking out upon infinity； and covered with hieroglyphics the meaning of which we can never know； he has quite forgotten to consider。 Yet it is this side wh