CO-OPEBATIOK 7 



LIBERTY IN LIFE. 



The importance, attached to the doctrine of liberty may 

 perhaps pardon a farther amplification of it, beyond its mere 

 immediate application to government. 



Dhciplinary. — There are some who fear to trust the mas&es 

 with liberty. They hold that man's own nature is incapable 

 of self government, unless aided by a higher power, which is 

 themselve.s\ The boys may go in swimming but they must not 

 go near the water. Liberty, with them, means danger. 



Now from what does this fear orisfinate unless it be the iin- 

 natural restraints of an arbitrary and external authority? From 

 this, people break away and go to the other extreme; or else 

 blindly submit to its evils, as the will of God. So it is author- 

 ity instead of liberty which is the breeder of license. Liberty 

 is the source of self help and dicipline. As such, it has a 

 right to make mistakes. Yet accountability, responsibility, 

 all the safeguards of action, are on the side of liberty. She is 

 not infallible, yet she is the teacher of infallibility. Law 

 itself is made out of liberty. Indeed, she is the most careful 

 and conservative of mortals. 



The Test of Truth. — Accusations for blasphemy and treason 

 are no longer rife, but 'heretical,' 'obscene,' 'seditious' and 'in- 

 cendiary' opinions prevail. But what is heresy and scepticism, 

 except as .their derivatives imply, but an effort of the mind to 

 discover truth, constituting a neio revelation, opposed to the old 

 only in respect to its limitations? If following one's convic- 

 tions be heresy, pray what must orthodoxy be? 



And what is obscenity, except such an ignorance of sex as to 

 fear the consequences of its freest discussion? And what is 

 incendiary, except an admission that the so called property is 

 merely nominal, not real? Otherwise, how could the mere 

 expression of an opinion prove incendiary? 



Hectifies Co)iscience. — Without liberty, loyalty is a danger- 

 ous thing. For what above all else are we to be loyal? to the 

 Pope, or the King? Or shall we follow our convictions? But 

 what if our convictions differ, and there is a conflict of con- 

 sciences? None have been greater persecutors than jiersons 

 under conviction. When consciences differ, there is no alterna- 



