as a thousand resolute
votaries where theology has one unshackled disciple. At this
moment, a countless multitude, furnished with complex apparatus,
are ransacking every nook of nature, and plucking trophies, and
the world with honoring attention reads their reports. But how few
with competent preparation and equipment, with fearless
consecration to truth, unhampered, with fresh free vigor, are
scrutinizing the problems of theology, enthusiastically bent upon
refuting errors and proving verities! And what reception do the
conclusions of those few meet at the hands of the public? Surely
not prompt recognition, frank criticism, and grateful acknowledgment
or courteous refutation. No; but studied exclusion from notice,
or sophistical evasions and insulting vituperation.

What a striking and painful contrast is afforded by the generous
encouragement given to the students of science by the annual
bestowment of rewards by the scientific societies such as the
Cuvier Prize, the Royal Medal, the Rumford Medal and the jealous
contempt and assaults visited by the sectarian authorities upon
those earnest students of theology who venture to propose any
innovating improvement! Suppose there were annually awarded an
Aquinas Prize, a Fenelon Medal, a Calvin Medal, a Luther Medal, a
Channing Medal, not to the one who should present the most
ingenious defence of any peculiar tenet of one of those masters,
but to him who should offer the most valuable fresh contribution
to theological truth! What should we think if the French Institute
offered a gold medal every year to the astronomer who presented
the ablest essay in support of the Ptolemaic system, or if the
Royal Society voted a diploma for the best method of casting
nativities? Such is the course pursued in regard to dogmatic
theology. The consequence has been that while elsewhere the
ultimate standard by which to try a doctrine is, What do the
most competent judges say? What does unprejudiced reason dictate?
What does the great harmony of truth require? in theology it is,
What do the committed priests say? How does it comport with the
old traditions?

We read in the Hak ul Yakeen that the envoy of Herk, Emperor of
Rum, once said to the prophet, "You summon people to a Paradise
whose extent includes heaven and earth: where, then, is hell?"
Mohammed replied, "When day comes, where is night?" That is to
say, according to the traditionary glosses, as day and night are
opposite, so P