FEINBERG/WHITMAN LITERARY FILE Prose "Religion" (1850's) A.MS draft Box 32 Folder 12 918 Religion: prose. A.MS. (16p. various sizes, 19 1/2 to 12 1/2 to 4 1/2 x 11 cm.) Written in ink and pencil on scraps of white, pink, yellow, and pale blue paper of various kinds, 72, 94, 111, 96, 84, 235, 146, 91, 124, 215, 84, 44, 32, 92, 76, 38 words (1,534 total): [1] [Do not delude yourselves.] America! Why elude--or attempt to elude? I say [that] that unless the Christ you talk so much of is [here] present in yourselves, here and now, there is [none] no Christ.--The Christ is dead.--[These t] That [aln] almost two thousand years ago, face so well-beloved [by me] those limbs that went from city to [t] city, well-doing [?] -- -strong description of the Crucifixion--a point / [2] those words of unsurpassed charity and wisdom--that perfect life-- the days of exaltation--the anguish, the treachery, the bloody crowd, the blows of the rods and mallets, and the piercing of the [over] 919 spears,--long, long ago they ceased; the sorrowful god the Christ is dead.-- And Do you [think you can] seek to revive him by [your] those incantations? those Sunday [sermons and] bleatings? by [these incantations] a few hollow words? [an No, no] The effort is vain -- it is not in that way you will ever resume the christ among you.-- (3) ? I think the We see [from a] that [before our] to the point of view which marks [large view of things] the past, and considers the future, [that] all the facts of the present, infidelism, money=making, theology a dead reminiscence [only just] kept feebly alive by feeding upon [d] corpses [We see these the these] such and the like of such [appears are] appear indispensable parts of development. [Thus] We see, [that that] therefore of healthy, a [large eye=eyed], large=sensed American soul, that while it intermits [not the] never to cast itself with joy into these [full identities which] arenas of conflict, to [dom make] engrand its temper, to test / (4) itself by [all] realities, [and the] even [rocks] soil and stones, [to raise its voice] to ensize its [muscle] limbs, its arms, its joints, [toward] till [that perfection depth that] nothing can happen, no enemy, nor defeat, nor death, but it is prepared for [it] the same [-- arming itself to going more] -- going with exhiliration thicker and [more] thicker amount men, per- 920 Religion: 2 haps to rebuke them, to fiercely thus wound them, --skirmishing outside --endless [blows], --[amid] all turmoils, allegations, retreats--a will to [is] the a perfect [it has under perfectly] skirmishing [thus] outside, continued [for???], ellegations, --retreats [believer in men]/ more and more toward (5) [at will] [at pleasure] to [that] the retreats [often] [to the] [always preserved] [citadel], the [impregnable centre, the] perfect centres, the belief in men, in races, in days, [eve] the serene [and while there understanding criticising] citadel where [all] criticisms [sinking] sink powerless under what [In the serene sense of which it' passes at a thought all the judgments of the earth, and complains of nothing (6) [with proofs of] proving the [eternal] religious element [The true religion] just as positive as ever--and probably better equipt, Not every one is fitted 'more' wider-winged than ever, to be [To hear] America, henceforth no a religious teacher [indeed] to it [henceforth] especially little To America [will[ things serve. (over) 921 Learning [Knowledge stands in] impedes the way, as [it becomes] and [how] few are [I] fitted?--As we look [around] we see [it had] becomes how easily the office in an age, [it] a mere trade, a respectability, a salary, a repetition by rote.-- Still we see in all ages all times true religionists arise. Urged on by deep impulses, undaunted by--By instinct, they ridicule or outlawry, they tell their own consciousness. the wholesome from the unwholesome--the primary fact from the false conclusion.---Even now out of one hundred years of infidelism, unavoidable, [in, in these] under the high homogeneal [light] test of the religionism the civilized world emerges of humanity, all [lands places] races all [ages] times,-- to ward that, what but is [driven] here being [sooner-or-later] driven, as to [final] a judgement seat to receive its dismissal or honorable reward? [As-to-the] resistless, all-attraction, [final award]?--To that, what of [all] partial [religions]creeds rites, names, [and] the most--even venerable and haughty churches of the earth,--[must at last] but must at last helplessly succumb? [to its divine] / (7) To me There is [in] through all the [highest b] flights of religious extasy a [perfect] [analogy] singular vein of common sense, the sense of reality, only busied in [high higher] unusual regions, very high.--Do you suppose because [one man, or] a hundred million of men, [from] select their [real] spheres [of] the positive regions in [bus] business [? common life s trade,] produce, [science], intellect, &c. there are not other spheres, untouched, almost unknown yet just as [real] positive? Do you suppose that all these venerable names, (more) 922 Religion: 3 the mystics, the makers of these religions of the world, old and new, stand only indeed for [stand for are] so much Maya? illusion? --[Further, still, Do Further,] Do you [not] suppose [but] that the [spirit ca] wondrous faculty of inspiration is [not every] not any day of the [to day as much] world, eligible to a man, to a woman? --to-day as much as any? / [8] From time immemorial, It has [always] been [the habit fact, assumption] assumed, (and (tr) for the the first class is so just the same to-day,) [for] of enthusiastic [teachers,] religionists, teachers and law [-givers] makers, to give themselves out, as [receiving direct] having [divine] communications from the Deity.--For [mys] part, I do not [object,] my own [disbelieve] reject [to] these assumptions --[for] -- because I consider them, from the point of view of the enthusiasts --I consider them to state what is true. founded on facts.-- [T] Any person entering into their range of / [9] thought, their spirituality, [will] can see how all that they [have said] say may be so without imposture, and be quite consistent with materialistic facts.-- [But Thus a mediator medi is wanted] But the great religionists, and all the bibles and religions, cannot be understood on [any] less terms than their own.--They have their dialect; [and all] the [rest] remainder, the skeptics, literalists, &c. have another dialect.-- How often, [(perhaps probably how generally,)] the explanation [over] 923 given to the [divine] noblest rhapsodies of the religionists, [and the records of the same,] remains for ages construed [by] in the inferior dialect, which knows not the first!--How often the simple and devout originator, [of a creed] is made foolish and a show, by those who follow! / [10] All depends on persons [on the spirit] they wrong, all wrong, What founder,--What Bible--(What Constitution, either)-- is [safe] insured, a hundred years afterwards, from being proved by [itself himself] itself or [itself,] himself, (if people choose) to mean [that which] the very thing that was expressly [int] meant to be guarded against?---This ever so for reasons; [Not an Not an] age, no[t a] day--that we sleep not, but wake--trust not others, but ourselves, [is] stands safe, that lapses from the living present [p spirit of] soul, eyesight of its [great deeds] own, original power, original judgments, as good as the best. --Are there [divine enthusiasts], to these days of ours, [no] prophets no more?--[Then] Then shut up [all your] bibles; indeed you will not know [not one] a Indeed word [of any old prophets] out of them for [they] living prophets can [read the old these] translate [them] the old prophets and their [real] meanings. [in there] the dead prophets. All other [explanations] translations are gibberish, dead. [*out*] [It is not] Think not to put life in [p] print and transmit it--you can only put in print [a] pictures of life, [little] the maps [--] [eo] and equal life, equal experience will be needed to comprehend [them]--whatever inscribed [xx] them.-- / [*more*] 924 Religion: 4 (11) [real are better] But [where] our [various] bawling reformers? Are they not origi- [facts. There] inal enough? [are even Our reformers even are as foreign worse as any.--Where] any They are] Sick! sick! [men, besides] and their theories sick [with] [thing independent is attempted], out of them. [but it Their theories it is] all have [prove] Always too much [generally the are monstrous results of a prove disproportioned] intellect, -- [often] always a [or] a [morbid] monstrous benevolence;--they [are all] [more in] always --always insane, smacking [from too much] of / (12) [good] much [will be] of past Religeuse [is] will be said about, [it] them from partial points of view--but ascending to heights, we perceive that except what [it was] they were altogether, [it] they could not have been at all.--[It] They are / (13) The Bible page 163 vanity & Glory of Literature [To me, life takes the position] Why will we [suppose that] act as if these little responsibilities were for more than a day?-- / (14) Amid [all this great] his [a] set parade of [free] eas[e]y inquiry, [one man is just] the [latest] latest inquirer (over) 925 soon exposes [his treatment] his fashion to be as genteel partial [bigoted] and [cowardly] light, as before. as [another ours].--Sects, [and] parties [exclusions, Always, always, always] exclusives [one [always, bias matter urged on and called always if not] biased, if not in the old way, [or] then biased in the new way.--Perhaps [all of it] for reasons--perhaps I myself come under the [rest.--] law [with] the same as the rest. / (15) [Such are the] Have you not though the thoughts too great for words--not the vain blab of the tongue, but [the] profound ethereal things-- happens to us after our bodies die and [are] serve us no [longer] more--whether any thing serves us [more] after that--whether we exist at all afterward [that]..... The thought of the eternity--the thoughts of the vastness of the universes-- other worlds, their inhabitants, their realites, developments, laws,-- / (16) [No] The [No] distinctions of the body or mind [can fall away into nothing with] of different nations shrivel away before this sublime [myth truth on truth]--this wondrous myth, for which we are indebted to the Hebrew Bible / [Do not delude yourselves. --] America! Why elude - or attempt to elude? I say [that] that unless the Christ you talk so much of is [here] present in yourselves, here and now, there is [now] no Christ. -- The Christ is dead. -- [Those I] That face, [alm] almost two thousand years ago, so well-beloved [by ma] those limbs that went from city to [to] city, well doing -- strong description of the Crucifixion - a point 1 those words of unsurpassed charity and wisdom - that perfect life - the days of exaltation - the anguish the treachery, the bloody crown, the blows of the rods and mallets, and the pierces of the spears - long long ago they ceased; the sorrowful god the Christ is dead - And Do you [think you can] seek to revive him. [?] [your] those incantations; those Sunday sermons [blastings?] [and] by [these incantations] a few follow words? [as] [No, no] the effort is vain - It is not in that way you will ever resume the Christ among you. 2 ? I think the We see [from a] that [before an] to the point of vision which marks [large view of things] the past and considers the future, [that] all the facts of the present, infidelism, money-making, theology a [dead] reminiscence [only just] kept feebly alive & feeding upon [?] corpses [We see these the these] such and the [all appear are] like of such appear indispensable parts of development. [These] We see, [thus] therefore [that] of a [large-eyed] healthy, large-sensed American soul that while it intermits [not the] never to cast itself with joy into these [full identities] [which] arenas of conflict, to [dev make] engrained its temper, to test 3 itself by realities, even such and stories, to ensure its limbs, its arms, its joints, till nothing can happen, no enemy, not defeat not death, but it is prepared for the same - going with, exhilaration thicker and thicker among men, perhaps to rebuke them, to fiercely then wound their [???] outside endless turmoils, allegations, retreats, at will to the a perfect [???] thus outside continued forays [???] turmoils, allegations, retreats 4 retreats [after at pleasure at will] more and more toward to [that] the [to the always preserved citadel ] the [impregnable centre the always preserved the] perfect centre impregnable, the belief in men, in races in days--[and while there even] the serene [understanding criticiz all] citadel where criticisms [sinking in] sunk powerless [the serene source of] under what [which all] passes as a thought all the judgements of the earth, and complains of nothing.-- 5 [The true religion] Not everyone is fitted a religious teacher -- [inded] indeed leaving us often [how] few are [!] fitted! -- Learning [knowledge] as often [?] impedes the way as [it ?] aids. -- As we look around we see [it not] how easily the office in any age [it] becomes a mere trade, a respectability, a salary, a repetition by rote. -- Still we see all ages true all lands true religionists arise. -- Urged on by deep impulses undaunted by ridicule or outlawry, they tell their own conscientiousness. -- By instinct they separate the wholesome from the unwholesome -- the primary fact from the false conclusion -- [In to these] Even now out of a hundred years of infidelism unavoidable the [?] world emerges [*[with proofs of] proving the religious element first as positive as ever -- and probably better equip wider=winged than ever To [hear] America henceforth no To it henceforth To America especially little things serve.*] the high homogenial [light] of test the religionism of humanity all [lands places] races, times, all [ages], what but is [driven sooner or] here being [later] driven, as to [final] a judgement seat to receive its [final] [award]? dismissal or honorable reward? To that what of [all or to the] resistless, all=attraction, partial [religious] creeds, rites names, [and] -- even the most haughty churches of the earth , -- [must at last] but must at last helplessly succumb? [to its Devine] 6 To me, There is [in] through all the [highest] flights of religious extasy a [perfect analogy] singular vein of common sense the sense of reality, only busied in [high higher] unusual religious very high. -- Do you suppose because [one never, or] a hundred millions of men, [for] select their [real] spheres [of] the positive regions in [bus real] business [& trade, common life,] produce, [science] intellect, vc. there are not other spheres, untouched, almost unknown yet just as [real] positive? -- Do you suppose that all these venerable names, the mystics, the makers of these religions of the world, old and new, stand only indeed for [stand for are] so much maya? illusion? -- [Furthermore,] [still Do Further,] Do you [not] suppose [but] that the [spirit ?] wondrous faculty of inspiration is [not every] not any day of the world, [today as ?] eligible to a man, to a woman? to=day as much as any? 7 From time immemorial, It has [always] been [The habit fact] assumed (and (tr) for the first class is so just the same to=day) [for] of enthusiastic [teachers] religionists, teachers, and law [givers] makers, to give themselves out as [receiving direct] having [divine] communications from the Diety. [For mysel] I do not [object] my own part, [to disbelieve] reject these assumptions -- [for] because I consider them, from the point of view of the enthusiasts founded on facts. -- I consider them to state what is true. [I] Any person entering into their range of 8 thought, their spirituality, [will] can see how all that they [have said] say may be so without imposture, and be quite consistent with materialistic facts. [But Thus a mediator [medi] is wanted] But the great religionists, and all the bibles and religions, cannot be understood on [by] less terms than their own. -- They have their dialect; [and all] the [rest] remainder, the skeptics, literalists, &c, have another dialect. How often, ([perhaps probably how generally,]) the explanation given to the [divine] noblest rhapsodies of the religionists, [and the records of the same,] remains for ages construed [by] in the inferior dialect, which knows not the first! -- How often the simple and devout originator [of a creed] is made foolish and a show, by those who follow! 9 All depends on persons [on the spirit] they urge, all wrong-- What founder, -- What Bible -- (What Constitution, either) -- is [safe] insured a hundred years afterward from being proved by [itself himself] itself or [itself] himself, (if people choose) to mean [that which] the very thing that was expressly [int] meant to be guarded against ? -- This ever so for reasons: -- that we sleep not but wake -- trust not others but ourselves [Not an] No[t an] age, no[t] a day [is] stands safe, that lapses from the living present soul eyesight of its [? spirit of] [great deeds] our, original power, original judgments, as good as the best.-- Are [divine] there, to these days of ours, [enthusiasts no] prophets no more? Then shut up[all your] bibles; [Then] indeed Indeed you will not know [not one] a word [of] [any old prophets] out of them -- for [they] living prophets only can [send] translate [the old them in their] prophets and their dead meanings. [Those] prophets [It is not] All other [explanations] translations are gibberish, dead. Think not to put [life in print and transmit it -- you can only put in print[a little]the maps pictures of life, [so] and equal life, equal experience will be needed to comprehend them whatever inscribed [?] them.-- ] 10 [? are better] But [where] our [various ?] reformers? Are they not original enough? [facts. There are even our reformers even are as foreign worse as? Where as they They are] Sick! sick! [more besides] and their theories independent are] sick [is with out of them is attempted. but it Their theories it is generally the are monstrous results of as prove] all have Always too much [disproportioned] intellect, [or]-- [often] always a a [morbid] monstrous benevolence; they [are all more on] always insane -- always smacking [but too under] of 11 if past [religious?] [good] much [will be] will be said about them from partial points of view but ascending to heights we perceive that except what [it was] they were altogether, [it] they could not have been at all. [It] They are 12 The Bible page 163 Vanity & Glory of Literature [To me, life takes the position] Why will we [suppose that] act as if these little respectabilities were for more than a day? -- 13 Amid [all this great] his [a] set parade of [free] eas[e]y inquiry, [one man as just his treatment] the [latest] latest inquirer soon exposes his fashion to be a tight as before. [Always,] as [partial] genteel and [?] as [another] -- Sects[, and] parties [always always exclusions] exclusives, [one matter -- always bias] [urged on and called always if not] biased, if not in the old way, [or] then biased in the new way.-- Perhaps [all of it] for reasons -- perhaps I myself come under the [rest.--] law [with] the same as the rest. 14 Have you not thought the thoughts too great for words not the vain blab of the tongue, but profound ethereal things the thought what happens to us after our bodies die. and serve us no more - whether any thing serves us after that & whether we exist at all afterward.... The thoughts of eternity. The thoughts of the vastness of the universes - other worlds, their inhabitants, their realities, developments, laws, - 15 (Bankable Money Only Received) Office, City Hall, corner of South 2nd and Fourth Streets. Hours for Receiving Taxes from 9 A.M., till 2 P.M. To City of Williamsburgh, Dr, for the year 185_ on the following Lot Location. Valuation. City. County. Default. Total. [No] The distinctions of the body or mind of different nations [can fall away into nothing] shrivel away before this sublime [myth] [truth en truth] - this wondrous myth for which we are indebted to the Hebrew Bible. 16 Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.