The conclusion arrived at in my previous Lecture, was first, that, scientifically speaking, Calvinism means the completed evolution of Protestantism, resulting in a both higher and richer stage of human development. Further, that the world-view of Modernism, with its starting-point in the French Revolution, can claim no higher privilege than that of presenting an atheistic imitation of the brilliant ideal proclaimed by Calvinism, therefore being unqualified for the honour of leading us higher on. And, lastly, that whosoever rejects atheism as his fundamental thought, is bound to go back to Calvinism, not to restore its worn-out form, but once more to catch hold of the Calvinistic principles, in order to embody them in such a form as, suiting the requirements of our own century, may restore the needed unity to Protestant thought and the lacking energy to Protestant practical life.
In my present Lecture, therefore, treating of Cal-wimisin and Religion, first of all I will try to illustrate the dominant position occupied by Calvinism in the central domain of our worship of the Most High. The fact that, in the religious domain, Calvinism has occupied from the first a peculiar and impressive position, nobody will deny. As if by one magical stroke, it created its own Confession, its own Theology, its own Church Or-ganisation, its own Church Discipline, its own Cultus, and its own Moral Praxis. And continued historical - investigation proves with increasing certainty that all these new Calvinistic forms for our religious life were the logical product of its own fundamental thought and the embodiment of one and the same principle. Measure the energy which Calvinism here displayed by the utter incapability Modernism evinced in the same domain by the absolute fruitlessness of its endeavours. Ever since it entered its “mystical” period, Modernism also, both in Europe and in America, has acknowledged the necessity of carving out a new form for the religious life of our time. Hardly a century after the once glittering tinsel of Rationalism, now that Materialism is sounding its retreat in the ranks of science, a kind of hollow piety is again exercising its enticing charms, and every day it is becoming more fashionable to take a plunge into the warm stream of mysticism. With an almost sensual delight this modern mysticism quaffs its intoxicating draught from the nectar-cup of some intangible infinite. It was even purposed that, on the ruins of the once so stately Puritanic building, a new religion, with a new ritual should be inaugurated, as a higher evolution of religious life, Already, for more than a quarter of a century, the dedication and solemn opening of this new sanctuary has been promised us. And yet it has all led to nothing. No tangible effect has been produced. No formative principle has emerged from the imbroglio of hypotheses. Not even the beginning of an associative movement is as yet perceptible, and the long looked for plant has not even lifted its head above the barren soil.—Now, in contraposition to this, look at the giant spirit of Calvin, who, in the sixteenth century, with one master-stroke, placed before the gaze of the astonished world an entire religious edifice, erected in the purest Scriptural style. So rapidly was the whole building completed that most of the spectators forgot to pay attention to the wonderful structure of the foundations. In all that the religious modern thought has, I will not say created, as with a master hand, but heaped together, like an unsuccessful amateur,—not one nation, not one family, hardly one solitary soul has (to use Augustine’s words), ever found the requiescat for his “broken hearty while the Reformer of Geneva,by his mighty spiritual energy, unto five nations at once, both then, and after the lapse of three centuries, has afforded cguidance in life, the uplifting of the heart unto the Father of Spirits, and holy peace, for ever. This naturally leads to the question—what was the secret of this wonderful energy? Allow me to present the answer to this question,—first in Religion as suck, next in religion as manifested in the Life of the Churck, and lastly in the fruit of Religion for Practical Life.
First, then, we must consider Religion as such.
Here four mutually dependent fundamental questions arise;—1I. Does Religion exist for the sake of God, or for Man? 2. Must it operate directly or mediately? 3. Can it remain partial in its operations or has it to embrace the whole of our personal being and existence? and, 4. Can it bear a normal, or must it reveal an abnormal, i. e., a soteriological character? To these four questions Calvinism answers: 1. Man’s religion ought to be not egotistical, and for man, but ideal, for the sake of God. 2. It has to operate not mediately, by human interposition, but directly, from the heart. 3, It may not remain partial, as running alongside of life, but must lay hold upon our whole existence. And 4. Its character should be soteriological, 7. e., it should spring, not from our fallen nature, but from the new man, restored by palingenesis to his original standard. Allow me then successively to elucidate each of these four points.