This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 edition. Excerpt: ...I need not refer to their effective revision at former periods of our history. I therefore can see no reason why Foundations for the maintenance of opinions should not be placed on precisely the same footing as other Foundations.' To the truth or falsehood of the opinions themselves no human tribunal ought to have anything to say. That must be left in the province of argument and persuasion. But a human tribunal can easily ascertain whether events have occurred which demand an alteration. These Foundations are subject to precisely the same incidents as others. The community among which they work may disappear altogether, or may cease to have any regard for the opinions, and then the ' It is an opinion which I have not discussed here, as not deeming it practical enough for the present occasion; but it is well worth considering whether the difficulties attending Foundations for opinions are not such as make it more expedient to prohibit them altogether, except national ones so constituted as to be kept constantly in sympathy with the nation at large, and to dispense with doctrinal tests as far as possible. I have lately been told by a very eminent member of a dissenting body that, in his opinion, the attachment of property to opinions makes great mischief. It is remarkable that Ignatius Loyola should have been highly apprehensive of the effect of endowments. He forbade his followers not only to solicit gifts, but even to sue for them if made by a testator and refused by his executor. His object, says a. follower of his, was that he wanted to keep the cleverest men in the body, and feared that endowments might be the means of depriving it of its brightest members. He had doubtless pondered over the greatest contest that ever took place...

Reprint of the original, first published in 1881.