342 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



their results the eyes are turned with a readiness to observe every 

 thing that is good, and on those with a readiness to observe every 

 thing that is bad. Let us glance at some of the consequent perver- 

 sions of opinion. 



Already we have seen by implication that the theological element 

 of a creed, subordinating the ethical element as it does completely in 

 early stages of civilization and very considerably in later stages, main- 

 tains a standard of right and wrong, relatively good perhaps, but per- 

 haps absolutely bad good, that is, as measured by the requirements 

 of the place and time, bad as measured by the requirements of an ideal 

 society. And, sanctifying, as an associated theology may thus do, 

 false conceptions of right and wrong, it falsifies the measures by which 

 the effects of institutions are to be estimated. Obviously the sociologi- 

 cal conclusions must be vitiated if beneficial and detrimental effects 

 are not respectively recognized as such. An illustration enforcing 

 this is worth giving. Here is Mr. Palgrave's account of Wahabee 

 morality, as disclosed in answers to his questions : 



" ' The first of the great sins is the giving divine honors to a creature.' 



" ' Of course,' I replied, ' the enormity of such a sin is beyond all doubt. 

 But if this be the first, there must be a second ; what is it ? ' 



" ' Drinking the shameful,' in English, ' smoking tobacco,' was the unhesi- 

 tating answer. 



" ' And murder, and adultery, and false witness? ' I suggested. 



"'God is merciful and forgiving,' rejoined my friend ; 'that is, these are 

 merely little sins.' 



" ' Hence two sins alone are great, polytheism and smoking,' I continued, 

 though hardly able to keep countenance any longer. And 'Abd-el-Kareem, 

 with the most serious asseveration, replied that such was really the case." x 



Clearly a creed which makes smoking one of the blackest crimes, 

 and has only mild reprobation for the worst acts committed by man 

 against man, negatives any thing like Social Science. Habits and insti- 

 tutions not being judged by the degrees in which they conduce to social 

 welfare, the ideas of better and worse, as applying to social arrange- 

 ments, cannot exist ; and such notions as progress and retrogression 

 are excluded. But that which holds so conspicuously in this case 

 holds more or less in all cases. At the present time, as in past times, 

 and in our own society as in other societies, public acts are judged by 

 two tests the test of supposed divine approbation, and the test of 

 conduciveness to human welfare. Though, as civilization advances, 

 there grows up the belief that the second test is equivalent to the 

 first, though, consequently, conduciveness to human welfare comes to 

 be more directly considered, yet the test of supposed divine approba- 

 tion, as inferred from the particular creed believed, continues to be 

 very generally used. The wrongness of conduct is conceived as con- 



1 " Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia," vol. ii., p. 11. 



