Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09
SEEKING FOR TRUTH.
The Spirit That Must Actuate the
Honest Investigator.
CAN'T BE ABANDONED.
Indeed. it Should Not be, for it Makes
Test for Every New Idea.
TIE TRAINING OF TIE INTELLECT
WRITTEN FOR THE D1srATtH.l

There are three paths which one must
choose between who wants to get at truth.
These are the paths of research. of reason, of
reliance.
There are three places to which one may
60 who wants to get gold spoon-to a gold
mine, to a manufactorv or to a jewelers.. He
may dig his gold, get the ore out OF it, put it
through the whole process of making and so
get his spoon. Or he may take the gold
which somebody else has dug and refined,
and work it at the goldsmith's into a spoon.
Or he may go into a shop on Fifth avenue
and buy spoon ready made. The gold of
truth may be dug out of the original mine,
or shaped by the machinery of reason, or
taken ready made.
There is no way of getting along without
miners, original Investigators, men who
walk the path OF research. There is no way
OF dispensing with manufacturers, shapers
or the original gold, men who walk the path
of reason. Most of us, however, buy our
spoons in their finished shape, take our opin-
ions upon many subjects ready made, and
walk the easier path OF reliance upon author
lty. In this brief lite, with its pressure of
persistent business, that is really, for most
people, the only wav. There is no need of
being ashamed of it. Everybody in some
department of life must of neces-
sity follow it. We are not compelled,
because we are possessed Of the power of
reason, to reason out everything. We may
take the law of gravitation, and the accuracy
of axioms, and the substantial correctness
of the multiplication table, upon faith, con-
tent to get at such truth along the path of
reliance. We may do exactly the same
thing about the essential assertions of the
ology. There are, however. a great many
people who have the intellectual training
and the judgment and the time which makes
it possible for them TO take the path of
reason. For such people these papers are
intended.
TEN GOOD BOOKS.
Here are the titles of ten books which are
worth the reading OF anybody who desires to
get at the truth of the Christian faith. The
Christian religion centers about Being and
a Book, about God and the Bible, 1t de-
pends upon the truth of certain doctrines
and OF certain documents. 1t is exposed to
assault upon two Sides upon the side of
philosophical questioning, and upon the
side of literary criticism. These ten books
are all upon that part of the Christian
faith which centers about God. They are
discussions of doctrines. They are intended
to answer philosophical questions. The ten
derStanding OF the untheological reader
and all inexpensive. They can be found in
any bookstore.
Here is the list: "Some Elements Of Re-
igion," Siddon; Measuring Hints" Foot
man; Natural Law in the Spiritual
World" Drummond; 1.-The Character of
Jesus" Bushnell; 1.-The Sermons of Padre
Agostino, ''The Idea of God" and "The
Destiny Of Man," Fiske; two novels,
Donovan" and awe Two," by Edna
Lyall, and 'Philistinism, by Heber New
ton.
There is only one intellectual and spirit
ual possession which is Of permanent value,
and that is the possession of the truth. Moth
ing else has any real existence. Everybody
who has a reasonable mind must de-
sire 10 know things as they are.
The one question in all discussion must be
not is this orthodox? Is it what we have
been taught? Is it a pleasant doctrine?
Is it what we would like to believe? but. is
1t true? Nothing is genuinely orthodox e1-
cept the truth, and whatever is true is or
thodox.
AT New York, the other day, in the dis
cussion of the revision Of the Westminster
Confession, it was objected against some of
the old doctrines that they are no longer
"preachable," people are not willing to hear
them. But that is no test of doctrine Is
the doctrine true? If it is, then let it be
kept and taught, whether they will bear
or whether they will forbear."
THE HONEST INVESTIGATOR.
1t is truth we want, and nothing else. The
honest student welcomes all criticism, all
argument all opposition, all investigation
which goes to mark the difference between
the true and the not true Whoever can
h., H., IL L -.
built upon foundation of mistake does him |
a service. Whoever can convince him that |
any new article of faith, outside of his old |
creed, is true, wins his genuine gratitude. |
Wherever truth calls and leads he will |
obediently and gladly follow. If truth |
lead into the blacklist abysses of atheism, |
there will the honest thinker 60. If truth |
lead into the straitest, devoutest, most |
selt-abnegating monastery, off will 60 the |
honest thinkers shoes, on with gown and |
cowl, down he :aliS upon his knees before |
the crucifix. The sole purpose of the honest |
thinker is 10 know things as they are.
There is, however, no necessary contra
diction between a desire to know the truth |
and strong prejudice in favor of certain
positions which we have been accustomed to
regard as true.
1t is not possible to free ones mind en-
tirelY from prejudice. We cannot blot out |
all our experience of life, nor erase all our
intellectual conclusions, and so approach |
tie study of the Christian faith with abso-
lutely colorless and blank minds. There is,
O. course, narrow and bigoted prejudice |
from which all people ought to do their
best to free themselves. Nobody has a right
to shut his ears against all argument, to
listen only to people who agree with him,
to read only those books which are written
on his side. Nobody has right to judge |
his neighbor without a hearing. Nobody
should resolve that he will not be con-
Vlnced. There ought to be no room in
fair mind FOR any spirit of hostility
TO new truth. But what I mean here by |
prejudice Is preposSession and preiudgment
That we cannot help. We have been taught
something; we have read more or less; we
have done some little thinking, and there is
no river Of forgetfulness in real life into
Thichlwe can take plunge and come out
clean of all previous ideas.
CAN'T GET RID OF PREJUDICE.
Neither can we get away from the mental
and social and religious condition under
which We live. We cannot emerge from
some untrodden valley of Central Africa
and listen Tor the first time to the statements
of Christian theology. We simply cannot
do it. We might as well try to get away
from the universal air. Emerson, it is said,
resolved that he would absolutely diyest his
mind of all the clothing of prejudice. But
it is questioned of him whether he so much
as took off even his mental overcoat. We
come 10 the study of the Christian religion.
everyone of us, with minds prejudiced. We
NAV as well recognize that tact. No other
condition OF things is possible.
Not only is it not possible to have mind
free from prejudice, but it is not
even desirable. For prejudice represents
two exceedingly important factors in INTEL
lect,1al rnroorpss Preiudice in the first |