; and that the temper of their authors yielded more rapidly
to the advancing influence of humanity and civilisation" (pp. 127.
129).

All these arguments are fallacies; but as the statements at the same
time are full of error, we believe that the author is wrong because he
has not studied the question, not because he has designed to
misrepresent it. The fact that he does not distinguish from each other
the various kinds and occasions of persecution, proves that he is wholly
ignorant of the things with which it is connected.

Persecution is the vice of particular religions, and the misfortune of
particular stages of political society. It is the resource by which
States that would be subverted by religious liberty escape the more
dangerous alternative of imposing religious disabilities. The exclusion
of a part of the community by reason of its faith from the full benefit
of the law is a danger and disadvantage to every State, however highly
organised its constitution may otherwise be. But the actual existence of
a religious party differing in faith from the majority is dangerous only
to a State very imperfectly organised. Disabilities are always a danger.
Multiplicity of religions is only dangerous to States of an inferior
type. By persecution they rid themselves of the peculiar danger which
threatens them, without involving themselves in a system universally
bad. Persecution comes naturally in a certain period of the progress of
society, before a more flexible and comprehensive system has been
introduced by that advance of religion and civilisation whereby
Catholicism gradually penetrates into hostile countries, and Christian
powers acquire dominion over infidel populations. Thus it is the token
of an epoch in the political, religious, and intellectual life of
mankind, and it disappears with its epoch, and with the advance of the
Church militant in her Catholic vocation. Intolerance of dissent and
impatience of contradiction are a characteristic of youth. Those that
have no knowledge of the truth that underlies opposite opinions, and no
experience of their consequent force, cannot believe that men are
sincere in holding them. At a certain point of mental growth, tolerance
implies indifference, and intolerance is inseparable from sincerity.
Thus intolerance, in itself a defect, becomes in this case a merit.
Again, although the political conditions of intolerance belong to the
youth and immaturity of nations, the mo