TRUE LESSON OF PROTESTANTISM 



itivists in this, we may admit the usefulness of 

 their distinction between problems that tran- 

 scend the limits of scientific demonstration and 

 problems that lie within those limits. Clearly, 

 if I hold one opinion concerning the passage of 

 light through certain crystals, and my neigh- 

 bour holds a different or contrary opinion, I am 

 entitled to expect either that he can be brought 

 to adopt my opinion, or that I can be brought 

 to adopt his. Means of verification must exist ; 

 and even if the question cannot be settled to- 

 day, we have no doubt that it can be settled by 

 and by. But if I hold one opinion concerning 

 the conscious existence of the soul after death, 

 while my neighbour holds a contrary opinion, I 

 am not entitled to expect that we can ever be 

 brought to an agreement. For the question 

 confessedly transcends the limits of scientific 

 demonstration. Yet in spite of all that, one of 

 our contrary opinions, and possibly both, may 

 contain some adumbration of a truth. And 

 more than a faint glimmering of truth we can 

 hardly expect to be contained in any of our 

 opinions on religious matters, for the problems 

 are too vast when compared with our means of 

 dealing with them. Hence, instead of condemn- 

 ing variety of belief on such subjects, we should 

 rather welcome each fresh suggestion as possibly 

 containing some adumbration of a truth which 

 we have hitherto overlooked. 



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