similar mental discipline. A man who is suddenly
introduced from without into a society where this certainty and
obligation are currently acknowledged is naturally bewildered. He cannot
distinguish between the dubious impressions of his second-hand knowledge
and the certainty of that primary direct information which those who
possess it have no power to deny. To accept a criterion which may
condemn some cherished opinion has hitherto seemed to him a mean
surrender and a sacrifice of position. He feels it simple loss to give
up an idea; and even if he is prepared to surrender it when compelled by
controversy, still he thinks it quite unnecessary and gratuitous to
engage voluntarily in researches which may lead to such an issue. To
enter thus upon the discussion of questions which have been mixed up
with religion, and made to contribute their support to piety, seems to
the idle spectator, or to the person who is absorbed in defending
religion, a mere useless and troublesome meddling, dictated by the pride
of intellectual triumph, or by the moral cowardice which seeks
unworthily to propitiate enemies.

Great consideration is due to those whose minds are not prepared for the
full light of truth and the grave responsibilities of knowledge; who
have not learned to distinguish what is divine from what is
human--defined dogma from the atmosphere of opinion which surrounds
it,--and who honour both with the same awful reverence. Great allowances
are also due to those who are constantly labouring to nourish the spark
of belief in minds perplexed by difficulties, or darkened by ignorance
and prejudice. These men have not always the results of research at
command; they have no time to keep abreast with the constant progress of
historical and critical science; and the solutions which they are
obliged to give are consequently often imperfect, and adapted only to
uninstructed and uncultivated minds. Their reasoning cannot be the same
as that of the scholar who has to meet error in its most vigorous,
refined, and ingenious form. As knowledge advances, it must inevitably
happen that they will find some of their hitherto accepted facts
contradicted, and some arguments overturned which have done good
service. They will find that some statements, which they have adopted
under stress of controversy, to remove prejudice and doubt, turn out to
be hasty and partial replies to the questions they were meant to answer,
and that the true solutions