THE CONSCIENCE. 



157 



trust in Him instead of in the arm of flesh, has been abundantly 

 proved by Friends, both as regards the individual, the community, 

 and the State. Under William Penn the State of Pennsylvania 

 was founded without bloodshed, and was maintained in peace for 

 seventy years without an army in the midst of a population of 

 savage Indians who were constantly in conflict with neighbouring 

 States not governed by peace principles. 



Personally I feel that the right attitude for Friends is to give 

 themselves to the help of their country in every way short of taking 

 life or making munitions. To many of us, who seem to be standing 

 aloof, loyalty to our country is a burning passion, second only to the 

 allegiance we owe to our Lord and Master. It is that allegiance 

 which forces us to be in the despised minority amidst the enthusiasm 

 of the War. There are few of us, even Quakers, who are not 

 sharing in some way in our nation's agony. I myself have eight 

 nephews in the War, either fighting or healing. 



The Secretary read a communication from Dr. Schofield, as 

 follows : — 



" Being unable to attend the meeting, and having read Mr. Webb's 

 paper, may I ask the author if he does not recognize three internal 

 arbitrators or powers of arbitration — the Intellectual, that judges 

 the right and wrong in matters of mind, logic, etc. ; the Esthetic, 

 that judges in matters of art authoritatively; and the Moral, or 

 what we generally term Conscience 1 Does not what is meant by 

 the word cover all three powers 1 " 



The Eev. A. Graham-Barton suggested another definition of 

 Conscience. He said : I regard Conscience as innate to start with, 

 and being innate, it is a recognition of dual authority — God and 

 myself. I hold that Conscience carries with it this conviction — 

 whether a man believes in God or not — that someone knows, some 

 power knows beside himself. When I do an act which, in my 

 judgment, is wrong, I am conscience-stricken, and that stricken 

 conscience is the result of an inner belief, evident against my own 

 will, that someone knows as well as myself. 



I think we do not perhaps just compare moral qualities in 

 Conscience. We are so often called upon to act immediately with- 

 out seeking to compare ; and I hold, with Rousseau and Kant, that 

 Conscience never errs. I do not care whether it is an educated and 



