, 1873-06-29

tide. Just what it all means the good people {
| Wenona don't quite understand, but they al
satisfied that it is the proper way to fight duels.
THE THEOLOGICAL BIAS.
| EtTbe7t Spencer in tbs Popular Science Monthly.
Under Its special forms, as well as under it
general form, the theological bias brings error
into the estimates men make OF societies and in
stitutions. 6ectarian antipathies, growing on
OF differences Of doctrine, disable the member
OF each religious community from fairly judging
other religious communities. It is alway
difficult. and often impossible, for the 'zealot t,
conceive that his own religious system ant
his Owl zeal On ita behalf may have but rela
tive truth and relative value or to conceive
shat thore may be relative truths and relative
values in alien beliefs and the fanataciams uhict
maintain them. Though the adherent Of each
creed has continually thrust On his attention the
| fact that adherenta Of other oreeds are no less
confident than he is-though he can scarcely fail
sometimes to reflect that these ad-
herents Of other creeds have, in nearly
eli cases, simply accepted the dogmaa
current in the places and families they we're
born in and that he has done the like-yet the
special theological bias which his education and
| surroundings have given him, makes it almost
beyond imagination that tlcse other creeds may,
some OF them, have Qualifications as good as, it
not better than his Own. and that the rest, along
| With certain amounts Of absolute worth. NAV
have their special fitness to The people holding
! them.
We cannot doubt, for instance, that the feel
ing With which Mr.. Whal1ey or Mr. Newdegate
refnctance - admit the aarricaa .rh;ch Rn,nsn
Cathol;csm Tandarad to Enrcnoan c;v;1;1,t;nn ] n
the pagt and must make almost innossible n
patient hearing Of INV | ono Who thinks i that i
Tenders aoTna serxicaa now 1vhethar oraat han.
aft did mt arse in e.rv t;mes from 1he tendsncv
toward unidcation produced with each coneeries
Of sznall societies By 4 common creed author
itatiyoly imposed ?-whother papal power. sup
tending to subordinate tue politlcal authorities
during the turbulent foudal ages. did not serve
to cub warfare and further civilization p
whether the strong tendency shown by rarlv
Christianity to lansa into aenarate local nagan
isrns, was not penedcially checked by an &C.
posed to be infallib1o 3-whether morals
wore not improved. manners softenod. slavery
amalio1atcd, and The condition Of women raised
bv the influence Of tho Church. not,yithstandine
tions to Which Dr. Cumming or other vehement
opponent Of Popery, could not bring mind
open to conviction. Similarly, it is beyond the
power Of tho Romsn Catholic to see the
meaning of Professionalism, and recognize
its value. To the Ultramoataino, hold
ing that tho temporal welfare no
less then the eternal salvation Of men depends
on submission to the Church, it is incredible that
Church authority has but transitory value, and
that the denals Of authority which have come
along with accumulation Of knowledge and
cIlange OF sentiment, mark steps from . lower
so:iaI regime to q higher. Naturally, to tho
sincere Papist, schism is crime, and
books that throw doubt on the estab-
Ished beliefs are accuraed Nor need
ws wonder when from such one there
comes saying like that OF the Mayor Of Bor-
deau1, SO much applauded BY the Comte de
Chambord, that the Devil was the first Protest
ant :; OF when, along with this, there goes vii
Peatea. Clearly, WIN aucn '4eoioelcal olas'
protsstant ;nat;tut;ona and r. ali tha inat;t,-
t;an o;.,,r 1nn-~ u;th 49, ~A A 'Ao 'D'''~'0
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