It is hard to avoid concluding that we are living in a
world which has gone wrong on first principles, a world that, in
spite of all the warnings of the past, has allowed itself to be
caught once more in the terrible naturalistic trap. The dissolution
of civilisation with which we are threatened is likely to be worse
in some respects than that of Greece or Rome, in view of the success
that has been obtained in 'perfecting the mystery of murder.'
Various traditional agencies are indeed still doing much to chain up
the beast in man. Of these the chief is no doubt the Church. But the
leadership of the Occident is no longer here. The leaders have
succumbed in greater or less degree to naturalism, and so have been
tampering with the moral law. That the brutal imperialist who brooks
no obstacle to his lust for domination has been tampering with this
law goes without saying, but the humanitarian, all adrip with
brotherhood and profoundly convinced of the loveliness of his own
soul, has been tampering with it also, and in a more dangerous way,
for the very reason that it is less obvious.
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