Show responsibility FOR FOB BELIEF the question what is the nature of belief and what are the conditions under which it arises has always been considered of great Un importance both from a religious and philosophical idal point of view it involves another how can a human being regulate his belief Is he or is he not respond responsible ible for receiving or rejecting certain propositions that claim his consideration recently this subject has been discussed in a highly materialistic way by a writer in popular science monthly he says man Is mainly an organism through whom the various forces of the world flow just as the sponge is subject to the different currents of the ocean in which it has hab an existence belief he says is only one of the human functions dependent on environment in illustration of his position he states that mental operation is accompanied compa nied by an increased flow of blood to the brain and that this gives a key to the condition under which belief arises not calm reasoning but feeling is the essential requisite anything even a stimulant may according to the author be expected to quicken belief coffee he thinks awakens doubts as a general rule while alcohol dispels skepticism and enthrones belief love particularly disappointed passion is another stimulant of faith as is joy while sorrow remorse and melancholy strangely enough after what has been asserted of disappointed love are conducive to doubt enough has been selected of the authors views on this subject to show their general bearing they are substantially ly one with those of the agnostic who said he was no more responsible for his belief than for the color of his hair to both man is id only a machine an instrument accidentally turned by circumstances and respond ing to the winds that may happen to strike the various strings the loftiest loft iest hymns of adoration that ever were composed by hebrew poets were but echoes of the vibrations of excited nerves the songs of praise the sweet harmony of which daily ascend to the throne of grace like the incense from the altar in the ancient sanctuary are but the offspring of stimulation excitement cit ement can this be in accordance with facts it is certainly not the scriptural view of the question here faith is the as aurance or the giving substance sub tance to ta things hoped for the evidence or the test of things not seen it is the gift of the almighty but obtainable by all through attention or giving heed to the facts on which it depends this is the scriptural doctrine man i is so constituted that if he honestly an and humbly will apply his mind to the contemplation of truth and error he cannot but believe the former and re eject the latter he is therefore justly under condemnation if he does not believe the truth if deliberately he chooses darkness in preference to light those that take the view of the writer referred to above and of the agnostics no sties cs always ignore an import important ani fact in relation to man mans physical frame may be a machine wonderfully conceived and executed but within this is a personality the ego the center of self consciousness in accordance with whose volition the various parts with certain limitations operate man is not like a vessel on the seft without a guiding hand doomed to be tossed about by waves and curren currents tb and finally wrecked on a rocky a shore within is the rational mind endowed with power and knowledge to counter act the adverse forces that him man is therefore held account rj able for the wonderful craft entrusted entrust eB to him not only for its physical parte parla but also for its mental powers include ing that of belief just as a pilot is accountable for the vessel he gulde 1 and all that pertains thereto |