himself a superman, free, and his own master, the aesthetic

individual is, in reality, a slave to the merest accidents. He is not self -directed, self-propelled; but — drifts.

Over against this attitude Kierkegaard now sets the ethical. Christian life, one with a definite purpose and goal beyond itself. "It is one thing to compose one's own life, another, to let one's life be composed. The Christian lets his life b e composed ; and insofar a simple Christian lives far more poetically than many a genius." It would hardly be possible to characterize the contents of Kierkegaard's first great book, Enten — Eller "Either — Or," more inclu- sively and tersely.

Very well, then, the Christian life, with its clear direc- tive, is superior to the aesthetic existence. But how is this : are we not all Christians in Christendom, children of Chris- tians, baptized and confirmed according to the regulations of the Church? And are we not all to be saved according to the promise of Our Lord who died for us? At a very early time Kierkegaard, himself desperately struggling to maintain his Christian faith against doubts, had his eyes opened to this enormous delusion of modern times and was preparing to battle against it. The great idea and task for which he was to live and to die — here it was : humanity is in apparent possession of the divine truth, but utterly perverts it and, to cap injury with insult, protects and in- trenches the deception behind state sanction and institu- tions. More appalling evil confronted not even the early protagonists of Christianity against heathendom. How w&s he, single-handed, magnificently gifted though he was, to cleanse the temple and restore its pristine simplicity?

Clearly, the old mistake must not be repeated, to try to influence and reform the masses by a vulgar and futile "revival," preaching to them directly and gaining disciples innumerable. It would only lead agaiA to the abomination of a lip service. But a ferment must be introduced which — he hoped — would gradually restore Christianity to its former vigor; at least in individuals. So far as the form of his own works is concerned he was thus bound to use the "indirect method" of Socrates whom he regards as his

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