The Irish standard., 1902-07-19

On Wednesday evening, July o,
Most Rev. John Ireland, Archbishop
of st. Paul, delivered the following
address on "Devotion to Truth: The
Chief Virtue of the Teacher" before
the National Educational Association
lis.
Were l to choose q devise to adOrn
the class-rOoms and inspire teacher and
pupil, whether in lowicst rural school
house or in statcliest university pile,
it should be this: devotion to Truth,
for Truths Own Sake"
Devotion to truth is the prime condl-
tion OF intellectual life and progress;
it must be the dominating virtue in
the work of the pupil whose mind is
hidden to unfold beneath the sweet
and penetrating light from Heavens
own skies, and yet more so in the
work Of the teacher whose task 1t Is
to turn this light in it's full power
and radiance towards the mind Of n
willing, but inexperienced dependent
l should say, too, Devotion to truth
for TRUTHS own sake, with heart un-
divided, with intellect unbiased.
Truth is Jealous and imperious
queen; it has the right to be such, so
rapt,lrous its beauty, SO sublime its
majesty. Truth scorns the wooer
whose proffer of homage is not plen-
ary, and hides itself Indignantly from
his gaze.
What is truth? The brief, calm
definition given, mt first questioning,
by philosophy is: Truth is that which
Is: truth is rcality-rcality in actual
existence. reality in causes, reality in
effccts-the thing itself, whatever that
thing be, completely ana exactly as 1t
u.s.
What is, is true; and what is, is
good ana beautiful. The three terms
are substantially convertible, truth,
goodness and beauty.
The simplest definition given of
truth, secures to 1t our reverence and
love, and tells the bascncss, the sncrl-
lrgc Of that illusory phnntasm which
faln would put itself in the place of
reality, which fain would distolt or
destroy reality, which has for name,
error or falschOod.
This is not all. Upon further qucs-
tioning. philosophy scars into it's high
est attitudes, and there speaking to
u.s. it cxcnims: Truth is divine: it is
either God himself or the image and
the work OF God. Challenged, we are
to award to truth the devotion, l
would say, the worship, which is due
to the eternal First Cause, the Infinite
the Omnipotem. the Omniscicnt; and
rightfnlly are we so challenged.
Truth is that which is; truth is real
ity. But the plcntitude of reality, and
consequently, Of truth, is Gods eter-
nal, infinite essence. We recall the
biblical words, Gods own definition OF
Himself: "T am who am" What,
then, is truth in it's eminent entity,
but God, the Eternal, the Infinite?
God, being the First Cause, the Gre
ator of NIL else that is-all else is the
decentralization Of ideas ncrnally re-
splcndcnt in His uncreatcl essence,
and the effects, whether immediate or
mcdiatc Of His omnipotence; and so,
whatever else there is, it is and it is
true, SO far, and so far only, as it
mirrors the divine essence, and Is that
which God willcd it to be. And thus,
truth is ever divine; in it's eminent
entity it is God Himself; in tiniest
form, it is in the measure Of its special
entity, the image Of Gods eternal es-
sence, and the fruit Of His wisdom
and power, being in itself truth only
inasmuch as, when seen and judged
bv His supreme intellect, it is in con-
formity with its prototype within His
essence and with the counsel of His
will in it's rehabilitation.
Every being from the smallest grain
of sand on the sea shore to the mighti-
est sun in the armament, from the
most dminutive insect to sovereign
man, from all that is created to the