Baccalaureate Sermons, and Occasional Discourses (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Baccalaureate Sermons, and Occasional Discourses

Is there not then such a thing as faith that is not in accordance with reason? Certainly, just as there are infer ences and philosophies that are not in accordance with rea son, and perhaps it would be difficult to say whether there has been more folly and absurdity under the name of faith or of philosophy. My reason tells me that I may confide in the facts given me by my senses, that I may classify these, and build up a system of knowledge which we call philoso phy. Under this impression, men have built up systems of philosophy which we can now see were exceedingly irra tional and foolish, but this does not show that there is any conflict between reason and philosophy; but only that reason is not infallible in this department. My reason also, all that is rational within me, tells me that I may, and ought, some times to confide in personal beings, and that such confidence is a rational and sufficient ground of knowledge and of action. We may, indeed, here repose confidence where we ought not, and receive irrational dogmas, and submit to useless or ridiculous rites; but this would only show that reason is not infallible in this department.

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