THE TEST OF TRUTH 



shall we attribute to such propositions as cannot 

 themselves be conceived? Let us illustrate the 

 matter by a quotation from Cardinal Newman's 

 Grammar of Assent, where he says, "A mystery is 

 a proposition conveying incompatible notions, or 

 is a statement of the inconceivable." No one 

 can call to mind any of the familiar dogmas of 

 theology without appreciating the adequacy and 

 accuracy of Newman's definition. The belief in 

 an omnipotent Deity whom a man may defy (the 

 quibble about the delegation of power from the 

 Creator to the creature is not worth noticing) ; the 

 belief in an omnipotent and benevolent Deity ; the 

 dogma of the Trinity such are some theological 

 mysteries, or "statements of the inconceivable." 

 Now an inconceivable statement is one the nega- 

 tion of which is conceivable ; but it is more, it is a 

 statement the negation of which is a truth of the 

 highest certainty, since ITS negation is inconceivable. 

 Let us take an instance. The dogma that there is 

 one personal God, but that He is three persons, 

 is a "mystery" -"a statement of the inconceiv- 

 able." Its negation i.e., the denial of it, is a 

 truth of the highest certainty, since its negation 

 i.e., the assertion of the dogma, is inconceivable. 

 A theological mystery is, therefore, a statement the 

 denial or untruth of which is a truth of the highest 

 certainty. 



There is no rational escape from this ; but there 

 is the familiar argument that these mysteries are 

 not for the reason, but must be accepted by faith, 

 '3 183 



