Conscience 253 



immaturity in relatively superior wisdom. But even this 

 does not constitute a right to suppress the conscience of 

 maturity when in application to personal religion, whether 

 based in comparative knowledge or in ignorance. The 

 conscience thus privileged is then a faculty of a different 

 value in every person. 



The differences, which do not constitute a right of the 

 superior to control, may, however, imply a duty to impart 

 the knowledge for the common good. The degree of altru- 

 ism shown in the educational sharing of wisdom will de- 

 termine the homogeneousness of the association, and of 

 course identity and harmony of purpose will increase, as 

 differences of conviction thus disappear. It appears that 

 conscience, although not to be forced, is still amenable to 

 conviction by reason. It is common knowledge that later 

 education strongly influences conscience, and in so doing 

 modifies and extends the previously acquired faculty. Simi- 

 larly individual reflection, and reasoning upon one's own 

 experiences and perceptions, will build up more of this 

 power of discernment, and found habits upon them. But 

 these later acquisitions are less stable and less trusted than 

 the older ones. They are tentative and experimental at first, 

 and are acccepted more fully when proven by experience, 

 until they become settled and habitual and, in final form, 

 instinctive. Here then is found the origin of the older judg- 

 ments of conscience. They are simply those which have be- 

 come intuitive, by ancient, and continuing, and repeated 

 experience; that is to say which have continued in use so 

 long, as reliable guides to the conduct by which ancestral 

 generations have survived, that they are the ready involun- 



