The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-06-10
Che 9ailg 8mllftin,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1885.
INTELLECTUAL VIRTUE.

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must be kept strictly apart in all our
estimates, is q subject on which
there are many vague and confused
ideas. How far men are responsible
for their opinions-whether guilt is
necessarily attached to the holding
of error, and merit to the holding of
truth, are questions which receive
various answers, according to the
standpoint from which they are
viewed. 1t is, however, important
to obtain as clear ideas as possible
upon this point, both for ones own
self-guidance and for the estimates
that he may be continually forming
of his neighbors. If there is such
thing as intellectual virtue, he ought
to know how to cultivate it in him
self and to recognize it in others.
Abstractly there is neither mora
lily nor immortality in an intelligent
belief. If any one strenuously as
serted that two and two made five,
or that the earth never moved, we
might doubt his sanity, but could
not, therefore, impugn his morality.
The many mistakes continually made
in scientific and historical researches,
and in political and social methods,
may indicate every shade of defcc-
tive judgment, but are no evidence
Of guilt. AS well-known writer
observes, sit is as unmeaning to
speak of the immortality of an in
tellectual mistake, as it would be to
talk of the color of sound"
If, however, we proceed to assume
that there is no such thing as intel
lectual virtue or vice, that no re-
sponsibility attaches to the views
we embrace or the opinions we form
that we are equally worthy whether
we hold to truth or error, we shall
draw false and fatal conclusion.
Though an opinion IN itself may not
be either blameworthy or praise
worthy, much that is either one or
the other may have contributed to
form that opinion. Behind all our
beliefs and notions on every subject
lies character, and in that are hid
den the secrets of righteousness and
iniquity. 1t is in the path that has
led up to our opinions that we must
find moral goodness or demerit. The
pure love of truth should be our
guide. Have we followed its lead
ings, accepted its laborIous ascents
and thorny passages, resisted all
oil rio
the left, and thus honestly and
faithfully arrived at our convictions?
Or have we rather consulted our
material interests, our love of ease,
our desire for certainty, the dictum
of our party or our social circle,
and adopted the views most in con-
sonance with these results? Upon
the answers to such inquiries depend
the virtue or vice of intellectual
opinions, and it is just here that we
can only answer for ourselves and
not for our neighbors. We ought
not to judge other people by their
beliefs, because we do not know how
they have been brought about, but
we may justly apply the crucial test
TO our own views, and honor or dis
honor them accordingly.
The very same may be held worthi-
ly by one man, and unworthily by
another; while on the other hand
quite different conclusions may be
reached by two persons who have
both honestly done their best in the
search. Every political party, every
reform movement, every set of peo-
pie who combine to conduct any
enterprise, or antagonize any evil,
counts many classes among its dis
ciples. There are those in it's num-
Der (and they are the vital force of
the undertaking., who have cmbrac-
ed the principle that lies at the
foundation with their whole strength
of mind and fervor of soul. They
have put aside prejudice and partial
ity, and have sincerely and thought
fully worked out the ideas which
animate the brotherhood into which
they enter. Others there are who
have simply yielded to circumstances
and passively adopted the standards
held out to them; while still Others
are in the ranks only for purposes of
self-interest, swayed by the hope of
gain or fame, or popularity or sta
ton. All have the same watchword
on their lips, all unfurl the same
banner, but what different degrees
of intellectual morality and immoral
ity are there enshrined
Then, again, there are men in
opposite parties, holding views at
utter variance, yet both having the
same great interests at heart and
both earnestly desiring to discover
the true methods of promoting those
interests. Perhaps one is for protec-
ton and the other for free trade, or
one is for prohibition and the other
for license, or one clinos Dertina-