Non-Members may receive this publication by post on payment of 2/6 per annum. NOVEMBER, 1937 The Monthly Record of South Place Ethical Society CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE, W.C.1. Telephone: CHANCERY 8032. " The OBJECTS or THE SOCIETY are the study and dissemination of ethical principles and the cultivation ot a rational religious sentiment." Sunday Morning Services at ELEVEN O'CLOCK. October 31—PROFESSOR JOHN HILTON, M.A.—My Belief in the Common Man Bass Solo : Though I speak with the tongues of men Brahms Mr. G. C. DOWMAN. Soprano Solo: Songs my mother taught me ... Dvorak MISS HMIs SIMPSON. Hymns No, 1. Be true to every inmost thought. ) No. 29. He only does not live in vain. November 7-8. K. RATCLIFFE—Progress and Catastrophe Pianoforte Solo : Impromptu in A flat, Op. 90, No. 4 ... Schubert Mr. WILLIAM BUSCH. Hymns No. 66. All common things, each day's events. No. 57. Why thus longing, thus for ever sighing. November 14—PROFESSOR B. MALINOWSKI, Ph.D.—The Plaoe of Superstition in Culture Soprano Solo : Music when soft voices die Besly Mirps HEBE SIMPSON. Bass Solo : November ... .. .. , .. Martin Shaw Mr. G. C. DOWMAN. November 21—MORITZ J. BONN, D.Sc.—The Conflict of Ideologies First two Movements of Sonata in E minor, OD. 38, for Violoncello and Pianoforte . Brahma I. Allegro non troppo. 11. Allegretto quasi Menuetto MISS EILEEN MCCARTHY and Mr. WILLIAM BUSCH. Hymns No. 50. Do not crouch to-day and worship. Nos. 96 & 220. Why urge the long unequal light. November 28-8. K. RATCLIFFE—Twenty-flve Years of South Plaoe Vocal Duets: A. Constancy 8. Calm Silent Night ...- Carl Goetz Miss HESE SIMPSON and Mr. G. C. DOWMAN. No. 67. 0 earth! thy past is crowned and consecrated. Hymns I No. 76, These things shall be! a loftier race. Pianist : Mr. WIttaam BUSCH. A Collection is made at each Meeting, to enable those present to contribute to the expenses of the Society. VISITORS WELCOME. OFFICIAL CAR PARK—Opposite Main Entrance. 2 MEMBERSHIP Any person in sympathy with the Objects of the Society is cordially invited to become a MEMBER. The minimum annual subscription is los., but it is hoped that Members will subscribe as generously as possible and so assist the Society to meet its heavy annual expenditure. Any person may join as an Associate, but will not be eligible to vote or hold office. Further particulars may be obtained before and after the Services, or on application to the Hon. Registrar, Miss R. HALLS, Conway Hall. Red Lion Square. W.C.1, to whom all subscriptions should be paid. HONORARY OFFICERS Editor of MONTHLYRsconn F. G. Going!, Woodrising. Trapps Hill, Loughton, Essex. Minutes Secretary... ... Mind Wasweaoox, 33, Claremont Close, ma. Registrar of Members and Associates t Miss R Hats, 39, Barclay Road, Fulham, S.W.6. Treasurer C. E. LISTER, Conway Hall, vv.c.1. GENERAL COMMITTEE C. E. BARRALET. H. LIDSTONE. MISS C. TRESIDDER E. J. FAIRHALL. Mrs. LISTER. Miss D. WALTERS. W. FISH. DORIS PARTINGTON. F. WAS/1E1100K. MIS. GAMBLE. C. J. POLLARD. MrS. WATSON. J. P. GILMOUR. Miss H. D. ROMANS& F. C. C. WATTS. MTS. HAWKINS. J. RONEY. MISS F. WILKINS. Mrs. HINCHLIFF. MISS F. J. Salmis. Miss D. WINTER. Secretary: S. G. Green, Conway Hall, Red L on Square, W.C.1. MARRIAGES. Conway Hall is registered for marriages FUNERAL SERVICES can be arranged by the Society. Applications should be addressed to the Secretary. • • • • • The Society does not hold itself responsible for views expressed or reported in the "RecoPP." DICTATORS AND GODS Some theological ideas arise out of social institutions. Thus God is conceived as a Father in a patriarchal society: and the sacrifice of a Son is not unknown in such a society. Also primitive men are in some ways like children: and Piaget has shown that the very young child thinks its parents are all-powerful and all-wise. This child thinks that not only itself, but the houses and the hills were created by its parents, and especially by the more mysterious Father. And when later childhood discovers the limits of its own parents, the idea of an all-wise and all-powerful parent does not entirely die out. Nobody who understands the nature of knowledge can believe in the infallibility of anyone. But simple folk and children believe that knowledge is possessed by some persons through mysterious agencies. They have not discovered that nobody can know except through the painful process of learning. Thus Roman Catholics accept the Pope's Encyclical, for example, on marriage, although it shows clearly that the writer has not studied the scientific work done on the subject for the last century. But that theological ideas would be derived from social institutions is less important than the fact that these ideas embodied in creeds can prevent or obstruct the development of later and better social institutions. Dictatorships are, in part at least, results of a belief in an all-powerful and all-wise autocrat who rules in heaven—criticism and public discussion are clearly out of place in heaven, in spite of distressing conditions which are known to exist in the divine Concentration Camp for those who have the true faith. And in any heaven such, for example, as Germany, the general public have nothing to do but to say "heil!" They must leave their own fate in the hands of the all-powerful and the all-wise judge of all men—of Riiihrn and Ernst or in Russia of Trotsky and Kamenev. Hitler and Mus&alini were brought up in Roman Catholic societies and Stalin began his education as a monk in that primitive form of -Christianity, the Russian 3 Orthodox Church. All three and perhaps most of their followers have absorbed the idea of an infallible Authority whom it is blasphemous to criticise, and the infallible Authority on earth is modelled on that in heaven. There is a " kingdom of heaven." but not a republic; for the word "king" in Greek was the name given in the early days of Christianity to the Dictator, the Roman Emperor of the last years of the Empire. The ideal ruler was an authentic king whose "providence" cared for the least of his subjects. And this idea remains in the language of the churches. In England, as at the Coronation, we preserve the idea of a sort of magic derived from the clergy and flowing on to the king in the oil which is used to anoint him, But in Dictatorships it is the all-wise and all-powerful Autocrat who is the ideal. And this idea is preserved not only in the more primitive forms of Christianity, but also in the attitude of many Protestant sects which maintain that our ultimate fortunes, and esnecially public affairs, are looked after by somebody other than ourselves. Therefore, we need not concern ourselves to discuss public policy or to criticise public Authority, for whatever "Powers " there may be, are " from God." According to this theory, a Power which has been established by greed, cunning and violence can claim moral authority. The influence of theological ideas also affects such problems as war. It is still believed by those who pray for victory that the results of war are due to the judgment of some heavenly Power. In earlier times men thought that cholera and typhus were due to divine decisions; and they went in processions to churches, which spread the diseases more effectually. But now we know about bacteria. We have not yet " isolated" the psychological bacteria which promote war; but we still arm ourselves in all nations " for defence," which spreads the disease as effectually as medieval processions spread plague; and meantime we all pray for peace! All Dictators proclaim their love for peace; and all refuse to allow any criticism of the policy they pursue—and even prevent their subjects from hearing what foreign critics say—which is the surest way towards war. But even in heaven there was war; and the unsuccessful angels were sent to Hell. Milton knew all about it; and Dante before him had the pleasure of believing that all his own political opponents were also in Hell. In modern Dictatorships the old belief is not strong enough, so they make little hells of their own. C. 1E/ELME BURNS. MR. JOHN KATZ, BA., ON - A NEW USE FOR PHILOSOPHY " (September 19, 1937) Readings : (1) The Book of Kings, Chapter 11; (2) "Leadership in a Free Society," by T. N. Whitehead. Mr. Katz said Mr. H. G. Wells, in his provocative address to the British Association, deprecated the fuss made about Palestine. Wells tended to overlook the historical importance of Palestine, not because he was a rationalist, but because Palestine did not fit into his scheme of human progress. Wells was irritated by anything on the small scale. He encouraged the child to regard history from the standpoint of anthropological advance : the line of advance running from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age, from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, etc. On this scheme of progress Palestine had added very little to what had already been achieved by Egypt and Mesopotamia some 3,000 years before Christ. In these countries we find already the domestication of animals, the cultivation of crops, and new methods of communication by road and water. On this material foundation a surplus was created which supported poets and priests, temples and palaces. In addition;there was division of labour, a class structure and a central organisation. To these fundamentals nothing much had been added until the modern epoch.