第84部分(第4/7 頁)

worth　living。

But　if　it　is　all　to　cease　and　be　forgotten　at　the　borders　of　the　grave；　then　life　is　not　worth　living。　Such；　however；　is　no　faith　of　mine。

Farewell！

H。　Rider　Haggard。

Ditchingham：　September　25；　1912。

Chapter　23　A　NOTE　ON　RELIGION

S。S。　Arcadia；　December　16；　1912。　（Off　Aden。）

It　has　occurred　to　me　that　the　views　on　the　matter　of　religion　of　a　person　of　my　day　with　such　experiences　as　this　work　records　may　prove　of　interest　to　some　of　those　who　e　after　me；　and　possibly；　here　and　there；　of　help。　So　I　add　them　to　this　book　as　a　footnote　which　none　need　read　unless　they　wish。

First　I　should　state　that　I　am　not　a　theologian。　Theology　is　a　science　that　has　no　attraction　for　me。　In　this　great　question　of　our　future　life　or　death　I　find　no　place　for　subtleties　in　which　many　take　so　much　delight。　Such　is　the　constitution　of　my　mind。　The　fine　divisions　of　a　creed；　the　bitterness　that　rages　between　High　Church　and　Low；　for　instance；　awake　in　my　heart　neither　sympathy　nor　echo。　What　are　vestments　or　ritual　when　eternal　life　or　death　and　salvation　are　at　stake？　Even　the　great　gulf　fixed　between　Anglican　and　Roman　Catholic　is　to　me　narrow。　I　was　bred；　and　doubtless　shall　to　the　end　remain；　a　member　of　the　Church　of　England。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　I　have　a　great　admiration　for　many　parts　of　the　Roman　precept　and　practice。　Its　discipline　seems　to　me　beyond　praise；　the　support　it　gives　to　the　individual　struggling　and　affrighted　soul　shows　deep　understanding　of　the　eternal　needs　of　human　nature；　while　who　can　be　blind　to　the　abnegation　of　self　evinced　in　the　practice　of　celibacy　by　its　devoted　priesthood；　resulting；　as　it　does；　in　an　enormous　gain　to　its　efficiency　as　a　Church？

Further；　within　limits　that　I　need