" In limiting religion to the relations in which we
stand to each other, and towards Humanity , Comte
omits one very important consideration. Even upon
his own showing, this Humanity can only be the
supreme being of our planet, it cannot be the Supreme
Being of the Universe. Now, although in this our
terrestrial sojourn, all we can distinctly know must
be limited to the sphere of our planet ; yet, stand-
ing on this ball and looking forth into infinitude, we
know that this is but an atom of the infinitude, and
that the humanity we worship here, cannot extend
its dominion there. If our relations to humanity
may be systematised into a cultus, and made a reli-
gion as they have formerly been made a morality,
and if the whole of our practical priesthood be
limited to this religion, there will, nevertheless
remain for us, outlying this terrestrial sphere, — the
sphere of the infinite, in which our thoughts must
wander, and our emotions will follow our thoughts ;
so that besides the religion of humanity there must
ever be a religion of the Universe. Or, to bring
this conception within ordinary language, there must
ever remain the old distinctions between religion and
morality y our relations to God, and our .relations
towards man. The only difierence being, that in
the old theology moral precepts were inculcated with



26o NOTES FROM BOOKS,



a view to a celestial habitat ; in the newy the moral
precepts are inculcated with a yiew to the general
progress of the race." — Westminster Review.
