Preface

This book would never have been written had I not been honored with an appointment as Gifford Lecturer on Natural Religion at the University of Edinburgh. In casting about me for subjects of the two courses of ten lectures each for which I thus became responsible, it seemed to me that the first course might well be a descriptive one on “Man's Religious Appetites,” and the second a metaphysical one on “Their Satisfaction through Philosophy.” But the unexpected growth of the psychological matter as I came to write it out has resulted in the second subject being postponed entirely, and the description of man's religious constitution now fills the twenty lectures. In Lecture XX I have suggested rather than stated my own philosophic conclusions, and the reader who desires immediately to know them should turn to pages 511-519, and to the “Postscript” of the book. I hope to be able at some later day to express them in more explicit form.

This book would never have been written if I had not been honored with an appointment as Gifford Lecturer on Natural Religion at the University of Edinburgh. The appointment made me responsible for two courses of ten lectures each. As I considered subjects for them, I thought the first course might describe “Man's Religious Appetites.” The second might examine “Their Satisfaction through Philosophy” from a metaphysical perspective. But as I wrote, the material on psychology grew more than I expected. As a result, I have postponed the second subject entirely. The description of man's religious constitution now fills all twenty lectures. In Lecture XX, I have suggested rather than stated my own philosophical conclusions. Readers who want to know them immediately should turn to pages 511 to 519 and the book's “Postscript.” I hope to express them more explicitly at some later date.

In my belief that a large acquaintance with particulars often makes us wiser than the possession of abstract formulas, however deep, I have loaded the lectures with concrete examples, and I have chosen these among the extremer expressions of the religious temperament. To some readers I may consequently seem, before they get beyond the middle of the book, to offer a caricature of the subject. Such convulsions of piety, they will say, are not sane. If, however, they will have the patience to read to the end, I believe that this unfavorable impression will disappear; for I there combine the religious impulses with other principles of common sense which serve as correctives of exaggeration, and allow the individual reader to draw as moderate conclusions as he will.

I believe that knowing many particular examples often makes us wiser than possessing abstract formulas, however profound. So I have filled these lectures with concrete examples. I have chosen them from the more extreme expressions of the religious temperament. As a result, some readers may think I am presenting a caricature of the subject before they reach the middle of the book. They will say that such outbursts of religious devotion are not sane. But if they have the patience to read to the end, I believe this unfavorable impression will disappear. There I combine religious impulses with other principles of common sense that correct exaggeration. I leave each reader free to draw whatever moderate conclusions they choose.

My thanks for help in writing these lectures are due to Edwin D. Starbuck, of Stanford University, who made over to me his large collection of manuscript material; to Henry W. Rankin, of East Northfield, a friend unseen but proved, to whom I owe precious information; to Theodore Flournoy, of Geneva, to Canning Schiller, of Oxford, and to my colleague Benjamin Rand, for documents; to my colleague Dickinson S. Miller, and to my friends, Thomas Wren Ward, of New York, and Wincenty Lutoslawski, late of Cracow, for important suggestions and advice. Finally, to conversations with the lamented Thomas Davidson and to the use of his books, at Glenmore, above Keene Valley, I owe more obligations than I can well express.

I thank Edwin D. Starbuck of Stanford University for his help in writing these lectures. He gave me his large collection of manuscript material. I also thank Henry W. Rankin of East Northfield for valuable information. Though we have never met, he has proved himself a friend. Theodore Flournoy of Geneva, Canning Schiller of Oxford, and my colleague Benjamin Rand provided documents. My colleague Dickinson S. Miller and my friends Thomas Wren Ward of New York and Wincenty Lutoslawski, formerly of Cracow, offered important suggestions and advice. Finally, I owe more than I can express to my conversations with the late Thomas Davidson and to the use of his books at Glenmore, above Keene Valley.