The Irish standard., 1902-07-19

inally belongs, by impartial investiga-
ton OF contemporary documents of
whatever nature these be; or, if this
is impossible for certain ones among
us, to seek out, as far as we may,
writers who have gone to first sources
and who are noted for Their fair
mindedness; and, in controverted mat
ters, to give an attentive hearing to
In late years there is visible Il won-
} drous Improvement in the study OF his
tory, for which the worshippers at the
shrine of truth cannot but be most
grateful. No one is today reputed IL
worthy historian who has not gone, in
q most patient and laborious manner
to first sources. Lustre of name, lit,
erary beauty Of style win no conf
dence, if proofs are not given of
sound erudition and absolute honesty
of purpose. Facts are in demand, and
facts must be offered. or the volume is
ruthlessly set aside. National govern
ments honor themselves by lending aid
in this search for facts. Their secret
archives are opened to investigation
and their treasures, hidden for ages
OH dusty shelves, are printed for public
use, usually at the expense of govern-
ments themselves. In this instance l
take pride in recalling the act of Leo
Nil. twenty years ago in giving to
all enquirers free and facilc access to
the archives Of the Vatican palace, to
which there repaired in ages gone by,
ton, the records of the plannings and
doings of Chrstendom. But why
should not governments, whether of
spiritual or of temporal politics, be
ever ready to cnligltell the world on
the happenings Of the past? Govern
ments, or powers whatever, afraid OF
truth are doomed; for truth crushed
and silenccd today will rise ana
speak tomorrow, so surely as the God
of truth rcigns. Truth is mighty, and
ii will prevail
Then, if we are earnest seekers OF
truth, caution must be taken, lest our
judgments be warped by prejudiccs-
opinions previously formed on grounds
that are irrational. "Therc is no one
| SAWS Sir Wlhlam Hamilton, making
| the words of another writer his own,
"who has not grown up under load
of belicfs-bcliefs which he owes to
| the accidents of country and family,
to the hooks he has read, TO the So
ciety he has frcqucnted, TO the educa-
ton he has received, and, in general,
to the circumstances which have oc-
cured in the formation of his intellec-
tual and moral habits. These beliefs
may be true or they may be false, or,
what is more probable, they may be
a medley of truths and errors. 1t is.
however, under their influence that he
studies, and through them as through
Il prism. that he views and judges the
objects Of knowledge. Everything is
therefore, seen by him in false coIors,
and in distorted relations. And this is
the reason why philosophy, rs the sci
ence of truth, requires a remuneration
of prcjulices, that is, conclusions
formed without Il previous eXamllla-
ton of their grounds" 1t is neccs-
sary, indeed, in view Of the situation
in which is cast the child, or the
adult, evcn-nnd there is no reason
why we should deplore the fact-tlat
very much of our judgments anu
opinions come from our surroundings,
such as we find them; ard it were ia
tail to proper intellectual life were we
to preach universal and instantaneous
rejection of all beliefs, which we have
not subjected to previous examination.
But, what on the other hand, would be
equally fatal, and still more unreason-
able. would be to hold fast to what we
once had heard or believed, without
allowing ourselves to imagine that
truth may lie in statements now
coming to us as new, and without CIV
ing to such statements the attention
which the manner Of their prescnta-
ton, or the gravity of the matters
upon which they bear, seem to wal'-
rant, How much we have had to
revise in our scientific, and historic
judgments? How much we are daily
made aware we must revise in our
opinions Of men, and Of institutions,
when these come to be thoroughly
known by us. Readiness to accept
truth, whencesocvcr it COMES. courage
to set all else aside rather than reject
it's the proper disposition Of the
really rational mind and the really
sincere heart. And this disposition, of
course, is all the more needed. and all
the more commanded in the teacher
be this teacher he who instructs III
the classroom youthful listeners or he
who through tongue or pen influences
the thoughts of a whole community
The words of Paul have Il philosoph
ical as we'll as Il theological appllca
ton: "Prove all things; hold fast that
which is good" I'ntil We have hcart
those who differ from us, on who
bring us Il message that is new, ant
weighed their arguments, we have nt
t right to scorn their opinions; the mere
fn .t thot 1yn hold OthCr OOiniOuS int