d diabolical intervention.
But these are precisely the kind of prejudices which, like all
fantasies, swarm in the void of ignorance.

All religion is not thus constructed like a fantastic castle erected
on a basis of ignorance. Otherwise we should see savage peoples
religious and civilized peoples without religion; whereas savages have
a frail and fantastic religion, mainly constructed upon the terror
inspired by the mysterious activities of Nature, and civilized peoples
have a positive religion, which becomes stronger as it becomes purer,
while the science of truth, penetrating into Nature, serves to exalt
and illustrate its mysteries.

And, above all, to-day, when there is a movement in favor of
eliminating religion altogether from the school, can we propose to
introduce it by cultivating _fable_? It is such a simple matter to
open the door directly to religion itself and allow its radiance to
penetrate, warming and invigorating life.

But it should enter like the sun into creation, not like the Befana
from the chimney-top.

Fable could prepare to some extent for pagan religion, which split up
the divinity into innumerable minor gods, symbolizing the external
world; this, being apprehended by the senses, may lend itself to
illusion; but fable could certainly never prepare for Christianity,
which brings God into contact with the inner life of man, "one and
indivisible," and teaches the laws of a life which is "felt" by men.
If the positive sciences be extraneous to religion, it cannot be said
that it is the study of reality in itself which alienates us
therefrom. Hitherto the positive sciences have studied the "external
world" in its analytical details, and if they could have made a
"sympathetic," religion that religion might be the pagan creed.
Indeed, so far science has brought a very perceptive breath of
paganism among us. But when it shall have succeeded in _penetrating
the inner man_, and there making manifest the laws of life and the
realities of existence, a great Christian light will surely shine upon
men; and maybe children, like the angels over Bethlehem, will sing the
hymn invoking peace between science and faith.

Saint John in the desert "made straight the way of the Lord" and
purged men of the grossest errors. And thus a method which gives
internal equilibrium and disperses the grossest errors which suffocate
the spiritual energies, makes ready for the reception of truth and the
recognition of the