230 ESSAYS IN PHILOSOPHY 



conception of the dispute altogether too narrow, in- 

 deed seriously wrong, unless we regard the Three 

 Doctrines and the Two Methods as principles pervad- 

 ing religious history in its world-wide scope. The 

 struggle between Reason and Authority dates from 

 eld, and its history within Christendom is only the 

 history of a survival, though a history on the field in- 

 deed most significant. For this reason, while we keep 

 in mind the universal reach of the conflict, it is natu- 

 ral and proper that our discussion shall cast its argu- 

 ment in the terms that have come into use through 

 the working out of the Method of Authority in the 

 region and the circumstances of Christendom. 



Why, then, is the Method of Authority invalid ? 

 — what is its fatal defect, religious or other .-' Above 

 all, what is its especial condemnation when working 

 in the medium of the Christian religion.-' — what is 

 there in it that contradicts the "mind that was in 

 Christ " ? 



Ill 



To the former of these two chief questions I 

 answer. That the Method of Authority is invalid, 

 and so must be discarded, first of all, because it is 

 logically unreal y — it involves a profound self-contra- 

 diction. Understand that we mean by this method 

 either the rebuke of reason for invading the spiritual 

 region where all its carnal judgments must contra- 



