ment of phenomena
of experience and observation. How was it possible that men did not see
the baseness and folly of their acts? The answer is that the ideas of
demonism were a part of the mental outfit of the period. The laws were
traditions from generations which had drawn deductions from the
doctrines of demonism and had applied them in criminal practice. The
legal procedure was familiar and corresponded to the horror of crimes
and criminals, of which witchcraft and witches were the worst. The mores
formed a moral and civil atmosphere through which everything was seen,
and rational judgment was made impossible. It cannot be doubted that, at
any time, all ethical judgments are made through the atmosphere of the
mores of the time. It is they which tell us what is right. It is only by
high mental discipline that we can be trained to rise above that
atmosphere and form rational judgments on current cases. This mental
independence and ethical power are the highest products of education.
They are also perilous. Our worst cranks are those who get the
independence and power, but cannot stand alone and form correct
judgments outside of the mores of the time and place. It must be
remembered that the mores sometimes becloud the judgment, but they more
often guide it.

[1834] See secs. 184-188, on Fashion.

[1835] _Hoef. Leben_, I, 37.

[1836] Scherr, _Kulturgesch._, 377.

[1837] Lacroix, _Moyen Age_, I, 430.

[1838] Schultz, _D. L._, 160.

[1839] Lecky, _Rationalism_, I, 332.

[1840] Schultz, _Hoef. Leben_, II, 448.

[1841] Ashton, _Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne_.

[1842] _Inquis._, II, 228.

[1843] _Rerum Ital. Script._, IX, 134.

[1844] Lea, _Inquis._, II, 452.

[1845] Barthold, _Hansa_, III, 291.

[1846] Raeumer, _Hist. Taschenbuch_, 2 ser., III, 413.

[1847] Achelis, _Virgines Subintroductae_, 4.

[1848] Harnack, _Pseudo-Clement. Briefe de Virginitate_; Cyprian,
_Epist. IV ad Pompon_ (c. 250 A.D.); Achelis, _Virgines
Subintroductae_; Julicher in _Archiv fuer Religionswssnsft._, VII,
372.

[1849] Achelis, 12.

[1850] _Ibid._, 74.

[1851] Achelis, 67.

[1852] _Ibid._, 58.

[1853] _Ibid._, 47.

[1854] 1 Cor. vii. 36-40.

[1855] Achelis, 32.

[1856] _Ibid._, 31.

[1857] Lea, _Inquis._, II, 357; III, 109; _Sacerd. Celibacy_,
167.

[1858] Todd, _Life of St. Patrick_, 91.

[1859] This custom exist