Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-05-25
What is Liberality.

Wnat is LlDeraIty.
Presbyterian.
The use of terms is very important.
They not only give defnitness to our
thinking, but tend to fix the thought.
They often come to have the force of
proof or evidence of that which they
express. This is especially so where
the term comes into common use,
and in the same connection. Men
call themselves "liberal," who not
only claim and exercise the right to
others, but who have broken away
from the common faith and traditions
who hold novel views, and are ready
with the charge of narrow-minded-
ness and bigotry against the moment
they are called to account. They are
free-thinkers, as if others were not
Just as bold in following their think
ing to its legitimate conclusions. But
this is not fair use of terms. In its
true conception liberality regards per-
sons, not systems of faith or opinions.
Coleridge says: you ask me
whether Socinian may be a Chris
tan, God forbid that l should say he
may not; but if you ask me whether
Socinianism is Christianity, God for
bid that / should say that it is" The
opinion is not the object of chart
ty. The person who holds it is. Lib
erality forbids that we should sit in
judgment upon those who differ from
us, or that we should form our judg-
ment upon any other grounds than
their conduct, which is ordinarily the
fruit of their opinion or faith.
Liberality does not require us to
fellowship opinions. No man can do
this unless he regards the truth as a
matter of indifference, or sacrifices his
own convictions as to what is true.
Laxness is not liberality. Broad
churchism, if we understand by that
term the tendency or readiness to en-
brace every shade of doctrine which
claims any relationship to Christian
ity, is not liberality. Neither is rig
idness in our convictions, the stead.
fast holding, in its definite or precise
form, of what we believe to be true,
bigotry. 1t is as wide as the poles
apart from it. The most charitable
men may contend most earnestly fol
the faith. After all, it is the truth
which makes us free, and it is the
conscious possession of the truth
which makes man liberal. He who
holds the truth intelligently, who
knows both what he believes anC
why he believes it, thereby frees him
self from narrow-minded prejudices
The truth clears and broadens hi
view. The mists roll away. HI
stands at the point, or nearest tn,
point, at which all things are seen il
their true relations. They come int
the field of his vision in their rea
importance and are recognized il
their just claims. Prejudices canno
co-exist with the light of the truth.
Then again, strong convictions in
diligently held dispose man to b
liberal, because they free him from
the tendencies which grow out Q
uncertainty, or out of conviction
based upon insufficient grounds. !
the faith is merely educational, o
rests upon surface and therefore par
tial view, it will be easily shaken
Such men are forced into liberality il
their own defense. They feel thei
hold upon that which is most preciou
to them relaxing. They assert thei
faith blindly and tof course unchari
tably. They find relief in thei
doubts and perplexities in denounC
ing those who trouble them. 1t is
bad sign when a man begins to us
denunciation, when he justifies hi
faith by assailing those who difft
from him as unbelievers. His libel
ahty does not spring from his faitl
but from the want of it.
Well reasoned convictions free on
from all this tendency. The believe