These are as necessary as courage and resolution; yet, since many often
sacrifice firmness to sympathy, others will take the opposite line of
riding roughshod over everyone, a harshness that confirms the weakling
in his weakness. To note all this is but to note the difficulty; and if
what is now written fails in its appeal, it need only be said to walk
unerringly here would require the insight of a prophet and the balance
of an angel.
II
What everyone should take as a fair demand is that all men should be
sincere in their professions, and that we should justify ourselves by
the consistency of our own lives rather than by the wickedness of our
neighbours: which is nothing new. It is our trouble that we must
emphasise obvious duties. To approach the question frankly with no
matter what good faith will lead to much heart-burning, perhaps, to no
little bitterness; but if we realise that all sides are about equally to
blame, we may induce an earnestness that may lead to better things. It
is in that hope I write. Catholics and Protestants, instead of saying to
one another the things with which we are familiar, should look to their
own houses; and if in this age of fashionable agnosticism, they should
conclude that the general enemy is the atheist, socialist, and the
syndicalist, they should still be reminded to look to their own houses;
and if the agnostic take this to justify himself, he should be reminded
he has never done anything to justify himself.
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