p. 178 | LIBERALITY OF OPINION

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 24, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 12.

LIBERALITY OF OPINION.

LIBERALITY of opinion is a very different thing from laxity of opinion. Indeed, no man can be liberal and catholic in his views, unless he is a man of well-defined and positive opinions. He who does not believe anything for himself, cannot have a fair estimate of the spirit of those who have opinions and convictions of their own. It is the man who is strong and clear and hearty in his personal convictions and in his personal opinions, who is in a position to exercise liberality of views toward those who are equally positive with himself in their very different beliefs.

Yet, as a rule, the men who pride themselves on their liberal views, are men who have no well-defined opinions in the field where they claim to exercise their liberality. Moreover, they are quite likely to prove their illiberality by the sharpness of their judgments against those who believe more than they do in that field of opinion. They mistake their laxity for liberality, and they confound their hostility to those who have positive opinions, with a desire to have other people liberal. In fact, the very persons whom they call bigots, are often more liberal than themselves. Men who believe earnestly are more likely to be charitable in their estimate of unbelievers, than unbelievers are to be charitable in their estimate of believers. Liberality of opinion is an admirable quality of mind and character; but a man must believe something for himself before he is on a plane where he can have or exercise this admirable quality. The man who believes nothing in particular is incapable of being liberal.—S. S. Times.