The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-02-13
Matthew Arnold In Cloyeland-1m.


inglY He is pleasant and happy in tenn
permanent, doubtless charming friend.
AS to the soundness of his theory per
haps, seeing the scant induction, no
opinion ought to be held. But there are
two classes Of inductions at least in which
many cases are not required to establish
principle. First, those in which the ex-
amples are very limited; second, those in
which they are very accessible so as to be
obvious after being properly understood
This seems to belong to both. Not so
many nations, from natural causes, have
decayed as to make 1t possible to extend
the induction at will. Furthermore in tAe
cases named the fact is obvious enough
1t is at least OF some weight that so gifted
and thoughtful a writer believes 1t.
But there is one thing in which Mr.
Arnold is beyond all praise, viz: His
ability to publicly avow his principles,
and the conclusions of his reasonings, no
matter whether they accord with popular
sentiments or not: in other words, to tell
what he conceives to be truth. He always
guards himself so as to make sure he
speaks kindly, but he also does not fail
before getting through..to out with the bot.
tom truths. And who can deny that this
is precisely the sort of procedure every
teacher should pursue' Much as we
boast Of independence, of liberality, the
most Of our conduct is framed and all Of
our opinions are held under the power Of
dominating spirit of orthodoxy, falsely
so called To make this evident, what
political journal in time Of presiden-
tial campaign would admit to its columns
an impartial criticism Of platform candi-
dates, &c, without knowing beforehand
that the views were perfectly safeY What
religious journal or denomination would
permit any public re-opening of such
doctrines as the mode OF baptism, the bap-
tism Of infants, &c, to be settled by the
deep, dispassionate, unprejudiced weigh.
ing of the evidence regardless OF the
nature Of the resultY Not one in either
case. To be acceptable the pre.supposi
lions must be ofsuch nature as to render
the results certain before beginning is
made. This is disgrace to US in this age
whatever 1t may have been to those in for.
mer ages. II makes one feel that nobody
really wants to know truth. They want
suppositions confirmed and prejudice
strengthened. Whatever does this they
call truth and literally rage against every
thing else. The only guarantee for mans
opinion should be, is he intellectually
capableY has he had access to all the evi.
denceS has he dealt with it thoroughly
and candidlyS Following this rule we
should escape an immense amount Of
nonsense. We should not expect opinions
on subjects beyond the persons reach nor
any opinion until after mature study and
reflection. We should set every man TO
investigating for himself.
II is foolish for Americans, because we
form government carried on by MAORI
ties, to get angered by the doctrine that
majorities are unsound. The unsound.
ness has not reached the point where good
government and prosperity are impossi-
BILE; If 1t had we should be at the end Of
the string now. 1t is really means for
preventing such a calamity by stimulating
the remnant, and deepening the serious
ness Of the calamity by stimulating the
remnant, and deepening the seriousness of
the majority. There is no natural or arti.
fetal barrier to prevent the entire major.
ity from joining the remnant; indeed,
tn at is just what is desired.
There are other applications of this
principle of much consequence. For ex.
ample. there is remnant in every
church whose number and activity decide
its character. Also II is contrary to this
rule that the remnant in given communi-
ty should be divided and hostile as is the
case where the church Of Christ is divided
into denominations. Their sympathies
with each other, to say the least, are not
over strong, ofttimes entirely lacking, and
frequently substituted by i'll will and OPP
position. Thus, once more, If it were
needed, proof of the curse Of schism,
denominations, in the universal church
nnears