somewhat imperious demands of the entirely efficient and clear-minded, a
tolerance of imperfection. Thus for these efficient and clear-minded
members there is always, in the church as in the family, a perpetual
opportunity of humility, self-effacement, gentle acceptance; of exerting
that love which must be joined to power and a sound mind if the full
life of the Spirit is to be lived. In the realm of the supernatural this
is a solid gain; though not a gain which we are very quick to appreciate
in our vigorous youth. Did we look upon the religious institution not as
an end in itself, but simply as fulfilling the function of a
home--giving shelter and nurture, opportunity of loyalty and mutual
service on one hand, conserving stability and good custom on the
other--then, we should better appreciate its gifts to us, and be more
merciful to its necessary defects. We should be tolerant to its
inevitable conservatism, its tendency to encourage dependence and
obedience to distrust individual initiative. We should no longer expect
it to provide or specially to approve novelty and freedom, to be in the
van of life's forward thrust. For this we must go not to the
institution, which is the vehicle of history; but to the adventurous,
forward moving soul, which is the vehicle of progress--to the prophet,
not to the priest. These two great figures, the Keeper and the Revealer,
which are prominent in every historical religion, represent the two
halves of the fully-lived spiritual life. The progress of man depends
both on conserving and on exploring: and any full incorporation of that
life which will serve man's spiritual interests now, must find place for
both.

Such an application of the institutional idea to present needs is
required, in fact, to fulfil at least four primary conditions:--

(1) It must give a social life that shall develop group consciousness in