THE RECONCILIATION. 103 



sorbed in the relative or immediate, and of awakening them 

 to a consciousness of something beyond it, this office has 

 been but very imperfectly discharged. Religion has ever 

 been more or less irreligious; and it continues to be par- 

 tially irreligious even now. In the first place, as im- 

 plied above, it has all along professed to have some knowl- 

 edge of that which transcends knowledge; and has so con- 

 tradicted its own teachings. While with one breath it has 

 asserted that the Cause of all things passes understanding, it 

 has, with the next breath, asserted that the Cause of all 

 things possesses such or such attributes — can be in so far 

 understood. In the second place, while in great part 

 sincere in its fealty to the great truth it has had to uphold, 

 it has often been insincere, and consequently irreligious, in 

 maintaining the untenable doctrines by which it has ob- 

 scured this great truth. Each assertion respecting the na- 

 ture, acts, or motives of that Power which the Universe 

 manifests to us, has been repeatedly called in question, and 

 proved to be inconsistent with itself, or with accompanying 

 assertions. Yet each of them has been age after age insisted 

 on, in spite of a secret consciousness that it would not bear 

 examination. Just as though unaware that its central posi- 

 tion was impregnable, Religion has obstinately held every 

 outpost long after it was obviously indefensible. And 

 this naturally introduces us to the third and most serious 

 form of irreligion which Religion has displayed; namely, 

 an imperfect belief in that which it especially professes 

 to believe. How truly its central position is impregnable, 

 Religion has never adequately realized. In the devoutest 

 faith as we habitually see it, there lies hidden an innermost 

 core of scepticism; and it is this scepticism which causes 

 that dread of inquiry displayed by Religion when face to 

 face with Science. Obliged to abandon one by one the su- 

 perstitions it once tenaciously held, and daily finding its 

 cherished beliefs more and more shaken, Religion shows a 

 secret fear that all things may some day be explained; and 



