RELIGIOUS PRACTICES
than they were before their conversion to Divinism.1
But this improvement of character has very definite limita-
tions. Divinists are committed by their theology to a
belief in the perfection of Father. The commands of a
perfect being should be obeyed. And, in fact, they are
obeyed, even when—and this would seem to be the case
in certain of the new church's financial transactions—they
are not in accord with the highest principles of morality.
The abnormal is worthy of study because of the light it
throws upon the normal. Divinism is a kind of fantastic
parody of a religion of personal devotion; but just because
it is a parody, it exhibits very clearly the dangers and
defects, as well as the virtues, of bhakd-marga. Bhakd
towards Father produced excellent results for just so long
as Father himself behaved with perfect virtue, or as his
followers attributed perfect virtue to him. The moment
he ceased to be virtuous, or the moment non-virtuous
actions were attributed to him under the mistaken belief
that they were virtuous, the devotion of his followers
ceased to be an influence for good in their lives and became
an influence for evil. It is obvious that the obedient
devotees or imitators of a person who either is, or is
believed to be in some way evil, cannot themselves be
wholly good.
What'applies to the worship of Father Divine, applies,
mutatis mutandis, to all other forms oilhakti-marga.
Devotion to, and imitation of, a personal divinity provide
worshippers with more energy to change themselves and
the world around them than any other form of religious
self-education. This is an empirical fact. Now, energy is
a good thing provided it be well directed. Devotion to a
personal deity produces a great deal of energy; does it
also give a satisfactory direction to the energy produced?
1 See The Incredible Messiah, by Robert AUerton Parker (New
York, 1937).
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