?

There is in most men a desire, in some men a passion, for what is good.
In some men this desire is weak, in others it is strong. In some it
takes the form of devotion to "God," in others it takes the form of
devotion to men. In some it is coloured by imagination, or distorted
by a love of the marvellous; in others it is lighted by reason, and
directed by love of truth. But whether a man devotes himself to God and
to prayer, or devotes himself to man and to politics or science, he is
actuated by the same impulse--by the desire for what is good.

John says: "I feel that there is a God, and I worship Him." Thomas says:
"I do not know whether or not there is a God, and if there is, He does
not need my adoration. But I know there are men in darkness and women in
trouble, and children in pain, and I know they _do_ need my love and my
help. I therefore will not pray; but I will work."

To him says John: "You are a fellow of no delicacy. You lack spiritual
discernment. You are disqualified for the expression of any opinion
on spiritual truths." This is what John calls "humility," and "gentle
treatment of the beliefs of others." But Thomas calls it unconscious
humour.

Really, Archdeacon Wilson's claim that only those possessing spiritual
discernment can discern spiritual truths means no more than that those
who cannot believe in religion do not believe in religion, or that a man
whose reason tells him religion is not true is incapable of believing
religion is true. But what he means it to mean is that a man whose
reason rejects religion is unfit to criticise religion, and that only
those who accept religion as true are qualified to express an opinion as
to its truth. He might as well claim that the only person qualified
to criticise the Tory Party is the person who has the faculty for
discerning Tory truth.

My claim is that ideas relating to spiritual things must be weighed by
the same faculties as ideas relating to material things. That is to
say, man can only judge in religious matters as he judges in all other
matters, by his reason.

I do not say that all men have the same kind or quantity of reason.
What I say is, that a man with a good intellect is a better judge on
religious matters than a man, with an inferior intellect; and that by
reason, and by reason alone, can truth of any kind be discerned.

The archdeacon speaks of spiritual geniuses, "geniuses in the region in
which man holds communion with God." The