SCIENCE IN " BOND AGE" 93 



ciplinary utterances, it may be added, at least in 

 the field of which we are treating, indeed in any 

 field, are also incredibly few when due regard is 

 had to the enormous number of cases passing 

 under the Church's observation. 



We saw just now that the State exercised a 

 very large jurisdiction for the purpose of pro- 

 tecting the weak who were unable or little able 

 to protect themselves. It is really important 

 to remember, when we are considering the powers 

 of the Church and her exercise of them, that these 

 disciplinary powers are put in operation, not from 

 mere arrogance or an arbitrary love of domination 

 as too many suppose but with the primary 

 intention of protecting and helping the weaker 

 members of the flock. If the Church consisted 

 entirely of theological experts a good deal of this 

 exercise of disciplinary power might very likely 

 be regarded as wholly unnecessary. Thus the 

 Church freely concedes not only to priests and 

 theologians, but to other persons adequately 

 instructed in her teaching, full permission to 

 read books which she has placed on her black list 

 or Index from which, in other words, she has 

 warned off the weaker members of the flock. 



The net of Peter, however, as all very well 

 know, contains a very great variety of fish, and 

 to vary the metaphor to the fisherman was 

 given charge not only of the sheep foolish enough, 

 heaven knows ! but also of the still more help- 

 less lambs. Thus it becomes the duty and the 

 privilege of the successors of the fisherman to 

 protect the sheep and the lambs, and not merely 



