CHAP. XIII.] CONSEQUENCES. 401 



ingly be investigated and pursued. Now such a protest and 

 declaration is reasonable enough in the mouths of those who 

 accept the philosophy here advocated. We can reasonably 

 proclaim the supreme importance of truth and the expe 

 diency of its unhesitating, continuous, and unlimited pursuit, 

 because of the conviction that the universe is the work of a 

 good God. But it would be interesting to know on L, truth ne - 

 what rational grounds philosophers who oppose STe? yde 

 Theism could support their conviction that truth is necessa 

 rily a good how they can logically assert this without the 

 belief that the Cause of all things is necessarily a God of 

 truth. Experience may show that truth has been generally 

 beneficial, but it can never make its beneficence axiomatic, 

 or render it impossible that in certain cases &quot;ignorance&quot; 

 may not be bliss, &quot;wisdom&quot; &quot;folly,&quot; and deceitfulness &quot; 

 expedient. 



Theists may, indeed, confidently exclaim 



&quot;Magna est veritas et prevalebit ;&quot; 



but the experiences which history makes known to us amply 

 support the declaration 



&quot; Magnum est mendacium et prevaluit&quot; 



Nor can the merely temporary nature of its prevalence be 

 logically maintained as a certain truth by any non-theist. 



Certainly, if such views as those of Mr. Mill, Mr. Spencer, 

 and Professor Huxley as to the impotence of the human 

 will were true, the only hope of humanity would be that it 

 should &quot; believe a lie.&quot; For as human moral progress has 

 been effected hitherto under the belief in moral responsibility, 

 it is unquestionable that were men universally convinced and 

 able fully to realise that such responsibility is a delusion, 

 and that their every thought is absolutely predetermined, a 

 general paralysis of moral effort must necessarily ensue. 



It is undeniable then that all non-theists who wish well 

 to their fellows need to examine with scrupulous anxiety 



2 D 



