But to us who are looking for those primary intuitive or instinctive beliefs which underlie all possible logical proof, the real question is whether, as a matter of fact and human experience, the consciousness of a moral nature does not beget the conviction of an objective moral law, and a Supreme Lawgiver. Whatever speculative philosophers may argue, to these questions the great heart of humanity returns an unwavering reply in the affirmative. There is no language in which the word ought is destitute of a solemn meaning, or the word duty has ceased to carry with it a sacred imperative. If ever there have existed individual human beings, who denied their possession of any faculty which witnessed for right and protested against wrong, they are held by the general verdict of the race to have been but distorted and monstrous specimens, in whom the noblest element of humanity was deficient. Concurrently with the conviction of an eternal, irreconcilable opposition between right and wrong, there has always existed in the human heart a sense of responsibility.
Moral judgement carries with it a felt authority and sanction.
It differs essentially from the judgments of the intellect in having self-approval and shame for its ministers. When it has pronounced on the rightness of an action in the existing circumstances, we feel that we are summoned to perform that action. We cannot put the decision aside as one with which we have no practical concern. Hence arises the consciousness of responsibility. Nor is that all.