136 ARCHBISHOP O'BEIEN ON THE 



there is a true and sutfieient relation between the effect and its reputed cause, to justify a 

 belief therein. This honesty and uprightness of purpose in the intellect are as necessary for 

 the apprehension of truth, and the accpiisition of certitude as is a healthy state of the eyes 

 for the perception of the beauties of a landscape, or the harmony of proportions in a well- 

 designed edifice. If they are lacking not truth, not certitude, or kudwlcrlge, 1iut a baseless 

 belief, in keeping with the passions, or the mood of the moment, will l)e the outcome of 

 investigation. 



Knowing, as we do, how easily men are intiuenced by their passions and prejudices, by 

 their surroundings, and by the spoken or written words of others, we can readily understand 

 why, even in an age of research, so much of false reasoning abounds and is accepted, whilst 

 the truth, which is frecpiently more obvious, is rejected, or little considered. In very many 

 cases this should not be attributed to want of moral uprightness, or to intentional obliquity 

 of mental vision. It should, however, teach us this great lesson, viz., that the human mind 

 is an organ, or instrument, for the accpiisition of truth, and like all instruments it cannot 

 perform its work taithfully, and with advantage to its wielder, unless it be in a condition 

 adapted to the purpose for which it is intended. The mechanic knows the rusty chisel, or 

 blunted saw, or warped rule, is unfit for advantageous use ; the writer casts away a splutter- 

 ing pen, and the careful man of science cleans and polishes the microsco[ie which he has 

 selected from a thousand. Were we to dispose our minds with eipial care our investigations 

 would be fruitful of acquired truth. 



Another stumbling block may be pointed out. Ver}' many, especially those who think 

 they have a mission to found "Schools of thought," are not satisfied with the simplicity of 

 truth. Truth, be it observed, is in itself always clear and simple and easily attained, if we 

 be working on the right lines. There is no obscurity aliout it ; it is not hedged around with 

 Cyclopean walls, nor concealed in the mazes of a labyrinth. Its very obviousness is why 

 many pass it by ; they think it should be extremely recondite, and involve an immense 

 amount of labour to unearth it. A huge mistake, l)ut alas ! a verj', very common one. Look 

 at scientific works and judge for yourself, my doubting friend. Pages on pages, aye, whole 

 chapters to demonstrate a simple fact, to refute a meaningless objection. We have read a 

 little, and have seen many objections against the truth, and we do not hesitate to assert that 

 one page is amply sufficient to prove quite conclusively that, whatever else they may eff'ect, 

 these objections do not destroy nor endanger the truth. It is diflacult to have patience with 

 those apologists who seem to imagine that some hitherto unknown reasoning apparatus is 

 necessary to meet and demolish the modern bugaboos against well-founded beliefs. These 

 always arise from false suppositions regarding either the nature of God, or the meaning of 

 His revelation, or the qualities and forces of matter, or finally and frequently from assuming 

 as a fact that which is not, and which cannot be proved. The basic error of any of these can 

 be laid bare in a few sentences ; difficulties they may still remain, but as contradictions of 

 ti'uth they will have ceased to exist for the honest mind. Life is too short, and brain tissue 

 too precious, to waste them in slaying the slain, for the puerile vanity of appearing sur- 

 chai-ged with erudition. 



One other hindrance to the acquisition of knowledge may here be noted. It is neglect 

 of the study of metaphysics. The study of biology, physiology and the chemical sciences is 

 earnestly and passionately prosecuted ; yet through these we only reach phenomena ; we 

 never attain to the causes that lie behind the veil and pi-oduce them. Hence they are not in 



