psychology is able to fathom the soul of any individual? Every attempt
at doctrinal formulation states less than was present within the souls
of such personalities. But, on the other hand, it does seem necessary,
[p.173] according to Eucken's teaching, to avoid confusing such
personalities with the All. They were great; they possessed elements
above the world; but none of them possessed the whole that is in
existence.

The truth concerning these founders of religion seems to lie in the fact
that they realised a depth of life beyond the world, the intellect, and
the span of ordinary life. It is this fact that needs to be brought
prominently forward in our day. And such a fact becomes an experimental
proof of the presence and efficacy of the Divine within the soul and
points to an upward direction the total-movement of the world. If such a
fact does not succeed in holding for itself a primary place, other
subsidiary facts will colour and weaken its true spiritual content and
value. This is the road on which speculative and superstitious ideas
have found an entrance into the historical religions. When such is the
case, the spiritual reality is gradually weakened, is lowered to the
level of intellectualistic dogma, until it ultimately becomes, though in
the guise of religion, the worst enemy which spiritual religion has to
encounter. All hard and fixed dogmatic settings of religion usurp the
supremacy of the spiritual life itself.

Eucken shows this in connection with religious
institutions--institutions which were meant by their founders to be
essential but [p.174] still subservient to the needs and aspirations of
spiritual life. Thus, genuine religion is measured by a doctrinal
standard or by a sacrament. These may possess an incalculable value in
religion, when used as means and not as ends; but they may, and often