A Journey to the World Under-Ground 6 – Holberg · Verses Across
Literature · Science Fiction & Fantasy
A Journey to the World Under-Ground 6Chap 6
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Literature · Science Fiction & Fantasy
A Journey to the World Under-Ground 6
Chap 6
HolbergEnglish
Of the Religion of the Potuan Nation.
The Potuan System of Religion lies in a narrow Compass, and contains a Confession of Faith, something longer than our Apostles Creed. It is prohibited here, under Pain of Banishment to the Firmament, to comment upon the sacred Books. And if any presume to dispute about the Essence and Atrributes of God, or about the Nature of Spirits and Souls, he is condemn’d to the Venæ-section, and then confin’d in the publick Bedlam. For they think it the height of Folly to offer to describe or define those Things, to which the human Mind is as blind as the Eyes of an Owl to the Light of the Sun. They are all unanimous in adoring one Supreme Being, by whose Almighty Power all Things were created, and by whose Providence they subsist. Let but this Principle be uncontroverted, and they never molest any one for entertaining different Sentiments concerning a Method of Worship. Those alone who openly attack this Religion, as by Law established, are regarded as Disturbers of the publick Tranquillity. Hence I had the free Exercise of my own Religion, nor suffer’d the least Affront upon that Account. The Potuans pray but seldom, but then it is with great Ardency, insomuch that they seem to be in an Extasy. And when I related that we pray and sing Psalms very often while employ’d about the common Affairs of Life, the Potuans thought it a vicious Custom, replying, that an earthly Sovereign would take it extremely ill, to see any one humbly approaching him with a Petition, and at the same Time brushing his Cloaths, or buckling his Hair. Nor had they a much greater Relish for our Hymns, and Anthems, as holding it ridiculous to express Grief and Penitence in musical Measures, since the Displeasure of the Deity is to be appeas’d by Sighs and Tears of real Sorrow, not by the Artifice of Tunes and Instruments. This and more I heard, but not without some Indignation, especially as my own Father of blessed Memory, who was once Chanter of a Cathedral, had compos’d several Anthems in Vogue to this Day, and as I myself intended once to have stood for a vacant Chantership. But I stifled my Resentment; for the Subterraneans so strenuously defend their Opinions, and so speciously set every Thing out to View, that it is no easy Matter to refute even the plainest of their Errors. There were also several other Opinions upon religious Subjects, which they maintained with the same Art, and Appearance of Truth. Thus, when I had often observ’d to some Acquaintance, that they could hope for no Salvation after Death, as living in utter Darkness, they reply’d, That those who were so free of dealing Damnation to others, run the greatest Risque of it themselves; that the Source of all that, is Arrogance, which God must hate and disallow; and that to condemn the Judgment of others, and to use Force to convince them, was the same Thing as to assume the whole Light of Reason; which is just the Conduct of Fools, who think that they alone are wise. Moreover, when I was proving a certain Opinion, and had oppos’d to my Adversary’s Reasonings the Dictates of my own Conscience, he extol’d my Argument, and desir’d me still to persist in following those Dictates of Conscience, as he himself would always do; for that then, every one following the Testimony of his Conscience, all Contention would cease, and much Matter of Controversy be cut off.
Among other religious Mistakes maintained by the People of this Globe, were these: They did not deny that good Actions were rewarded, and bad ones punish’d by God; but then they thought that Branch of Justice, consisting in the Distribution of Rewards and Punishments took Place only in a future State. I brought various Examples of such as for their Impieties had been punish’d in this Life; but they alledg’d as many opposite Examples of very wicked Trees, who yet were as fortunate as they were wicked to the End of their Lives. In a Dispute, said they, we are too apt to borrow only those Weapons, and attend to only those Instances, which make for our Purpose and strengthen our Cause, overlooking and disregarding such as might injure it. With that I instanc’d in myself, by shewing that many who had injur’d me came to a miserable End. In Answer they urg’d, that all this proceeded from Self-Love, from my over-weening Opinion, that in the Eyes of the Supreme Being I was of more Consequence, than many others, who, like me, had suffered the severest Injuries undeservedly, and yet had beheld their Persecutors bless’d and prosperous to the last Day of their Lives. Again, when accidentally I was commending the Practice of daily Prayer, they reply’d, That indeed they did not deny the Necessity of Prayer, but that they were thoroughly persuaded that the truest Piety consisted in a practical Observance of the divine Law. To prove this, they borrow’d an Argument from a Prince, or Lawgiver: This Prince has two Sorts of Subjects; some are continually offending and transgressing his Laws thro’ Infirmity or Contumacy; and yet these shall be found continually haunting the Court to procure Pardon for Faults, to be repeated as soon as pardon’d. Others approach the Court very rarely, but remaining peaceable at Home, are habitual Observers of their Sovereign’s Laws. Who can doubt but that he must think this latter Sort more worthy of his Favour, and regard the first as bad Subjects and troublesome Creatures?
In these and the like Controversies was I often engag’d, tho’ without Success; for I was able to bring nobody over to my Way of thinking. And therefore omitting all other religious Disputes, I shall only give you their general and most observable Doctrines, leaving it to the intelligent Reader to applaud or censure them as he shall judge best.
The Potuans believe in one God, Omnipotent, Creator and Preserver of all Things, whose Omnipotence and Unity they demonstrate from this ample and harmonious Creation. And since they are admirably skill’d in the Study of Nature, they have such magnificent and exalted Sentiments of the Nature and Attributes of the Deity, that they look upon it as a Defect in the Understanding to attempt to define what transcends their Capacities. The Year is distinguish’d by five Festival Days; the first of which is celebrated with the utmost Devotion in such obscure Places as that no Rays of Light can pierce them, indicating by this, that the Being they adore is incomprehensible. There the Worshipers remain almost immoveable, from the Rising to the Setting of the Sun, as tho’ they were in an Extasy. This high Day is called, the Day of the incomprehensible God, and it falls on the first Day of the Month of Oaks. The other Festivals are celebrated at four other Seasons of the Year, and were instituted to return Thanks to God for the Blessings of his Providence. The Absentees, unless they are able to give very just Reasons for their Absence, are deem’d bad Subjects, and live totally disregarded. The Publick Forms of Prayer are so devis’d, as not to regard the People who pray, but the Welfare of the Prince or the State. None prays in Publick for himself. The Design of which Institution is, that the Potuans may believe that the Happiness of Individuals is so closely connected with that of the Publick, that they cannot be separated. None are compell’d by Force or by Fines to attend the Publick Worship, for as they are of Opinion that Piety consists chiefly in Love, and as Experience teaches them that Love is dampt and not inflam’d by Force, therefore it must be an unprofitable and a wicked Thing, to use Compulsion in the Case of Religion. This Point they thus illustrate. Should a Husband desire a reciprocal Affection from his Consort, and should he hope to conquer her Coldness and Indifference by Blows, he would be so far from kindling up her Love by this Method, that her Indifference would increase, and end in Abhorence and Detestation.
These are some of the principal Doctrines of the Potuan Divinity, which to some must appear like mere natural Religion; and so indeed it did at first to me. But they assert that all was divinely reveal’d to them, and that some Ages ago they receiv’d a Book which contain’d their System of Faith and Practice. Formerly, say they, our Ancestors liv’d contented with the Religion of Nature only; but Experience taught them, that the sole Light of Nature was insufficient, since all those noble Principles thro’ the Sloth and Carelesness of some were forgot, and thro’ an airy Philosophy of others, (nothing being able to check their licentious Career) were utterly deprav’d and corrupted. Hereupon God gave them a written Law. Hence it appears how great is their Error, who obstinately deny the Necessity of a Revelation. For my Part, I freely own, that many Points of this Theology seem’d to me, if not Praise-worthy, yet by no Means to be despised. To some I could not assent. But one Thing there is deserving all our Admiration, namely, that in Times of War the Conquerors, returning from the Field, instead of that Joy and Triumph with which we celebrate Victories, and sing Te Deum, pass some Days in deep Silence, as if they were ashamed of having been obliged to shed Blood. Therefore there is very little Mention of military Affairs in the Subterranean Annals, which are chiefly Records of Civil Matters, such as their Laws, Institutions, and Foundations.
