71 
not the condition of the great majority of mankind as we 
meet with them in actual life. Whenever such a condition 
exists philosophy at once recognizes that reformation is only 
possible through the agency of what we must designate a moral 
miracle, and that it lies entirely beyond the range of any 
law which it is within her power to trace. 
54. Let a new idea or conviction, then, be brought into the 
mind from a source external to the mind itself. This I assume 
to be possible in fact. How it is effected lies beyond our 
present inquiry ; and if I were to enter on it, it would involve 
us in a metaphysical discussion from which it is very doubtful 
when we should emerge. To render it efficacious for the 
production of holiness, it is evident that it must involve a 
higher ideal than that previously existing m the mmd. bet 
the mind meditate on it until it recognizes its reasonableness 
and its excellence. It will then awaken emotions m our 
spiritual being capable of revolutionizing it. This is one of 
the mental conditions which Christianity designates by the 
term faith. , 
55. I need hardly say that ancient philosophy made many 
an effort to realize a high ideal of moral beauty, and taught 
that the steady contemplation of it, if only it could be aftamed, 
was an efficacious means of infusing holiness into the soul. 
It is no less certain that she utterly failed to create anything 
analogous to the conception of a Christ, which, if its elabo- 
ration be of human origin, is the solitary achievement of the 
fishermen of Galilee. Yet, if the so-called rationalists are to 
be believed, notwithstanding the profundity of their philo- 
sophic power, and their moral and spiritual elevation, they 
were the prey of the most unbounded credulity. But the 
philosophic ideal was a low one when it emerged out of the 
shadows of mysticism, within which it was too frequently 
enshrouded, and one not suited to enlist the sympathies of 
our moral nature— not to say that it was utterly incapable of 
penetrating to the profundities of our spiritual being. Many 
of its features violated the fundamental principles of human 
nature. The loftiest speculations connected with these sub- 
jects are to be found in the writings of Plato and of kindred 
schools. This philosopher fully recognized the importance of 
contemplating the ideal of goodness as a means of improve- 
ment in virtue. But although he maintained the existence of 
such an ideal, he could only conceive of it in a form so abstract 
that its moral influence as nearly as possible approximated to 
zero. The attainment of a view of it by the mass of mankind 
was absolutely hopeless. It was the ultimate reward of the 
select disciple, after years devoted to the long and patient 
