A Free Man’s Worship

A Free Man’s Worship (in Short Nonfiction Collection Vol. 002 )

“A Free Man’s Worship” was written in 1902; it was republished by
Mr. Russell in 1918 in his volume Mysticism and Logic. It is
interesting to note carefully Mr. Russell’s views in this fine
essay in connection with the fact that he was imprisoned by the
British Government as a pacifist during the War.

Much of Mr. Russell’s writing, in mathematical and philosophical
fields, is above the head of the desultory reader; but so
stimulating a paper as this one should not be neglected by the
moderately inquisitive amateur.

Bertrand Russell was born in 1872, studied at Trinity College,
Cambridge, and is widely known as a thinker of uncompromising
liberalism.

To Dr. Faustus in his study Mephistopheles told the history of the
Creation,

“The endless praises of the choirs of angels had begun to grow
wearisome; for, after all, did he not deserve their praise? Had he not
given them endless joy? Would it not be more amusing to obtain
undeserved praise, to be worshiped by beings whom he tortured? He smiled
inwardly, and resolved that the great drama should be performed.

“For countless ages the hot nebula whirled aimlessly through space. At
length it began to take shape, the central mass threw off planets, the
planets cooled, boiling seas and burning mountains heaved and tossed,
from black masses of cloud hot sheets of rain deluged the barely solid
crust. And now the first germ of life grew in the depths of the ocean,
and developed rapidly in the fructifying warmth into vast forest trees,
huge ferns springing from the damp mould, sea monsters breeding,
fighting, devouring, and passing away. And from the monsters, as the
play unfolded itself, Man was born, with