espectability, social order,
conventions, doctrines, metaphysics, ceremony, music--it has become so
specialised in the hands of priests who have a great institution to
support, that dust is thrown in people's eyes--and just as they begin
to think they perceive the secret, they are surrounded by tiresome
dogmatists saying, 'It is this and that--it is this doctrine, that
tradition.' Well, that sort of religion IS a very special
accomplishment--ecclesiastical religion. I don't deny that it has
artistic qualities, but it is a poor narrow product; and then the
technically religious make such a fuss if they see the shoal of fish
escaping the net, and beat the water so vehemently that the fish think
it safer to stay where they are, and so you get sardines in tins!" said
Mrs. Graves with a smile--"by which I mean the churches."

"Yes," said Howard, "that is perfectly true! Christianity was at first
the most new, radical, original, anarchical force in the world--it was
the purest individualism; it was meant to over-ride all human
combinations by simply disregarding them; it was not a social reform,
and still less a political reform; it was a new spirit, and it was
meant to create a new kind of fellowship, the mere existence of which
would do away with the need for organisation; it broke meekly, like
water, through all human partitions, and I suppose it has been tamed."

"Yes," said Mrs. Graves, "it is not now the world against religion. It
is organised religion against real religion, because religion is above
and apart from all institutions. Christ said, 'When they persecute you
in one city, flee into another'; and the result of that is the Monroe
doctrine!"

"But are you not a Christian?" said Howard.

"I believe myself to be one," said Mrs. Graves; "and no doubt you will
say, 'Why do you live in wealth and comfort?' That's a difficulty,
because Christ meant us to be poor. But if one hands over one's money
to Christian institutions now, one is subsidising the forces of the
world--at least so I think. It's very difficult. Christ said that we
should bestow our goods upon the poor; but if I were to divide my goods
to-morrow among my neighbours, they would be only injured by it--it
would not be Christian of them to take them--they have enough. If they
have not, I give it them. It does less harm to me than to them. But
this I know is very irrational; and the point is not to be affected by
that. I could live in a cottage tomorrow