SECULAR CONTEST BETWEEN CONSCIENCE AND POWER. 143 



(in the case of a misbeliever who is also a conscientious man) to take 

 all the credit to the influences of Christianity. The Christian has 

 not the monopoly of a sense of right. Does not Romans ii. teach 

 that the Gentiles, even when quite outside the sphere of God's direct 

 revelation, are still responsible to God in their measure, and have a 

 conscience which accuses or excuses them ! 



THE LECTURER'S REPLY. 



Referring to Dr. Schofield's communication I need hardly add 

 much to Mr. Hoste's reference thereto, but I think I might say 

 that Dr. Schofield seems hardly justified in judging of conscience by 

 the abnormal cases which he has come across in his practice as a 

 physician. We might as well judge of reason by the madness of 

 lunatics. I think the sundial is a rather unfortunate example 

 for Dr. Schofield to have taken of the fallibility of conscience, as 

 it never goes wrong. It was the only time-piece that Parliament 

 could not alter by the Summer Time Act. 



As regards Paul's conscience he could do no other even in his 

 unconverted state than take it as a guide, and it only led him 

 wrong for want of that right instruction which he afterwards 

 received- 



As regards Mr. Leslie's remarks, I think he goes too far in 

 claiming infallibility for conscience, and I think also he is wrong 

 if I am correct in understanding him to say that the state has 

 the right to override conscience if it be for the good of the great 

 majority. I think it is this principle which operated in Germany 

 and produced the late war. On the contrary, I believe that a 

 small minority of conscientious people are so valuable an asset 

 that any nation will do well to cultivate them, for they are the 

 salt of the earth. Mr. Leslie's regret that the contest between 

 conscience and power appears to have died out in modern times 

 should make him welcome the conscientious objector. I believe 

 that the main reason for the change to which Mr. Leslie refers 

 is the gradual permeation of the modern world by Christian 

 principles, which, however, have become corrupted in the process. 

 Yet they have produced the toleration of Christianity which we see 

 everywhere around us except perhaps in Russia. 



With regard to Colonel Molony's criticism I would not say that 

 conscience is always opposed to power, but the reason why I have 

 only referred to cases when this is so is that it is only in such 

 cases that conscience is seen to advantage and comes out in its true 

 glory. 



As regards Col. Biddulph's remarks, I cannot agree that it is 

 the duty of a Christian to submit himself to the law of the land, 

 except only in cases of religious worship. If that law interferes with 

 his conscience toward God in other matters, I believe it may be 

 his duty to refuse to obey it, as we get in 1 Peter ii. 19 : "If a man 

 for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully, this is 

 acceptable." 



