I never knew
before what religious passion meant. And it seems to me that this is
the world's only hope--peace made a religion. The forms don't
matter; only let the supreme end be peace. It is what people have
talked so much about--the religion of the future."
His tones moved the listener, as appeared in her look and attitude.
"Surely all the best in every country lean to it," she said.
"Of course! That's our hope--but at the same time the pitiful
thing; for the best hold back, keep silence, as if their quiet
contempt could prevail against this activity of the reckless and the
foolish."
"One can't _make_ a religion," said Irene sadly. "It is just this
religious spirit which has decayed throughout our world.
Christianity turns to ritualism. And science--we were told you
know, that science would be religion enough."
"There's the pity--the failure of science as a civilising force. I
know," added Piers quickly, "that there are men whose spirit, whose
work, doesn't share in that failure; they are the men--the very
few--who are above self-interest. But science on the whole, has
come to mean money-making and weapon-making. It leads the
international struggle; it is judged by its value to the capitalist
and the soldier."
"Isn't this perhaps a stage of evolution that the world must live
through--to its extreme results?"
"Very likely. The signs are bad enough.
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