RELIGIOUS TRUTH 151 



self is true. Ask what is the truth in political 

 economy, in ethics, in metaphysics, and lastly in 

 religion, and the answers are as various as the minds 

 of men. It is certain that it is not a fixed quantity, 

 that it is relative and changes as the wants and con- 

 ditions of men change. We cannot close our minds 

 upon the truth in these spheres and say " I have it," 

 any more than we can close our hands upon the 

 light and say " I have it.'' The good and the bad, 

 the beautiful and the ugly, are relative terms ; no 

 fast and hard lines can here be drawn, all is plastic, 

 fluctuating, growing. But science draws fast and 

 hard lines and can alone formulate definite truths. 

 A friend and correspondent of Coleridge writing for 

 the benefit of his children said that through the in- 

 fluence of that philosopher he had been able to ar- 

 rive at settled and definite conclusions upon all 

 matters to which he attached value or interest. 

 And then he adds with great wisdom, " When I say 

 that I have arrived at settled conclusions, you will 

 not for a moment believe that my opinions can or 

 ought to be received by others of a totally different 

 experience as truths for their minds ; still less that 

 matters which depend upon individual experience 

 and temperament can be permanent truths for all, 

 time." What a lesson for us all. Every man 

 builds or tries to build himself a house of truth of 

 some sort, to shelter him from the great void, but 

 how foolish to expect us all to build alike or go to 

 the same quarry for our material ; or that our house 

 could serve for our children for all coming time. 



