THE STABILITY OF TRUTH. 363 



is its persistence. The persistence of a lofty ideal is the 

 central axis of the life worth living. 



But if the strong man is to cast off conventionality 

 and suggestion and authority as guides to conduct, so 

 must he guard himself against hereditary impulses. 

 Conventionality and authority hold in check the bodily 

 impulses which had their origin in wild and rude condi- 

 tions. To escape from human control only to be ruled 

 by the animal passions is not liberty. That " freedom 

 which is thraldom to sin " brings destruction, for the 

 unchecked gratification of bodily impulses carries with 

 it in civilization perils unknown to primitive man. To 

 be free from the control of others one should be wise 

 enough to control himself, and wisdom is but another 

 name for science. 



An old parable of the conduct of life shows man in 



a light skiff in a tortuous channel beset with rocks, 



borne by a falling current to an un- 



The course known sea. He is kept alert by the 



of life. J 



dangers of his situation. As his boat 



bumps against the rocks he must bestir himself. If 

 this contact were not painful he would not heed it. 

 If it were not destructive he would not need to heed it. 

 Had he no power to act, he could not heed it if he 

 would. But with sensation, will, freedom to act, nar- 

 row though the limits of freedom be, his safety rests in 

 some degree in his own hands. That he has thus far 

 steered his course fairly well is shown by the fact that 

 he is still above board. He may choose his course for 

 himself not an easy thing to do, unless he scan most 

 carefully the nature of rocks and waves, and weighs 

 carefully his control of the boat itself. He may fol- 

 low the course of others with some degree of the safety 

 they have attained. He may follow his own impulses, 

 in man's case inherited from those who found them safe 



