3o 
CONCLUSION. 
V. I have endeavoured to give a brief sketch of the differ- 
ent characters of the assaults made by unbelief on Revealed 
Religion. It only remains that I venture a few suggestions as 
to the character of the religious armoury at the present time, 
and the temper of the Christian warrior as he goes to the 
intellectual battle-field. And first let me express my convic- 
tion that, if in any contest, certainly in this, fas cst ct ah /taste 
doceri ; nay more, we owe very much to our opponents for 
what they have caused us to learn. Their attacks have led to 
a better acquaintance with the language of Scripture, a fuller 
comprehension of what it does and what it does not mean, a 
more accurate conception of what it is intended to be, and 
what it is not intended to be, for mankind ; may I not add, a 
greater admiration of its marvellous comprehensiveness, such 
that a book proceeding from an inconsiderable Oriental people 
adapts itself to the varied habits, opinions, and modes of 
thought of widely different individuals, races, and epochs in 
the world’s history ? I maintain, without fear of contradic- 
tion, that Holy Scripture has been far better known and more 
valued since the time when it began to bo more fearlessly and 
audaciously impugned and depreciated. 
Our attitude towards those conclusions which are alleged 
against Christianity should bo one of uncompromising firm- 
ness, and yet not of obstinate contradiction, but of doubt. 
The advice the earlier sceptics gave us as regards our faith 
may be very fairly adopted as regards their science. Doubt, 
we must remember, is antagonistic to Faith ; unless it be that 
“ honest doubt ” of which we have heard so much, and which 
means, if it means anything, a readiness to acquiesce in higher 
truths, if only a little of that dim nebulosity in which they arc 
too often needlessly enveloped be cleared away. But doubt of 
any kind, if it does not take the form of a despairing Pyrrhon- 
ism, is rather an aid to real science. Very beautiful was the 
ancient myth which made Iris the daughter of Thaumas, — tho 
rainbow-hued personification of multifarious scicnco the off- 
spring of that wonder with which men first gazed upon tho 
varying phenomena of Nature. No loss truly may we say 
that Doubt is the honest though sometimes rude friend of Iris, 
preserving the tints of her bow from unsuitable juxtaposition 
and inharmonious admixture. Doubt of facts till they are 
verified, doubt conclusions till they are shown to be necessi- 
