Conclusion. Therefore, the Catholic cannot listen to any fallible
teacher with a view of getting more correct information about revealed
truth than his Church gives him. To do so would be to stultify himself.

(II.)
Major. He who believes in a fallible teacher--private judgment or
fallible church--is free, nay bound, to listen to any teacher who comes
along professing to have information to impart, for at no time can he
be certain that the findings of his own fallible judgment or church are
correct. Each newcomer may be able to give him further light that may
cause him to change his mind.

Minor. The Protestant believes in such fallible teacher--his private
judgment or church.

Conclusion. Therefore, the Protestant is free to hear, and in perfect
harmony with his principles, to accept the teaching of any one who
approaches him for the purpose of instructing him. He is free to hear
with a clear conscience, and let his children hear, Catholic teaching,
for the Church claiming infallibility is at its worst as good as his
private judgment is at best, namely, fallible.

Religious variations are so numerous nowadays that most people care
little what another thinks or believes. All they ask is that they may
be able to know at any time where he stands; and they insist, as right
reason imperiously demands, that, in all things, he remain true to his
principles, whatever they be. Honest men respect sincerity and
consistency everywhere; they have nothing but contempt for those who
stand, now on one foot, now on the other, who have one code for theory
and another for practice, who shift their grounds as often as
convenience suggests. The Catholic should bear this well in mind. There
can be no compromise with principles of truth; to sacrifice them for
the sake of convenience is as despicable before man as it is offensive
to God.

CHAPTER XXIV.
UNBELIEF.

AN atheist in principle is one who denies the existence of God and
consequently of all revealed truth. How, in practice, a man endowed
with reason and a conscience can do this, is one of the unexplained
mysteries of life. Christian philosophers refuse to admit that an
atheist can exist in the flesh. They claim that his denial is fathered
by his desire and wish, that at most he only doubts, and while
professing atheism, he is simply an agnostic.

An agnostic does not know whether God exists or not--and cares less. He
does not affirm, neither does he deny. All argument