Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

426 THE CHKISTIAN CHURCH ANDthat he has said in his own person what were hismost settled convictions as to intercourse by worof mouth, and continuous written discourse, viewedas instruments for attaining and communicatintruth. He expresses his absolute disbelief thatmen can reach true conceptions by their being setforth in the immutable form of writing. It is afar other+and more difficult work which has to beaccomplished. In a word, not even aptness forlearning and memory will give the power to seethe truth as to virtue and vice to one who is notkin to the subject; nor, again, this kinship withoutsuch aptitude and memory: but when bothare joined, then out of living together, after much8 by the continual friction of name, definition,acts of sight and perception, by thoughtand meditation, the hearing and answering theobjections of others, the process of mutual cross-examination discharged without envy or jealousy,and with sincere love of the truth, a sudden flashof fire kindles in the mind, and nourishes itself,disclosing the knowledge required. Thus it isthat prudence and intelligence on each subject,shining out in this beam of light, go forward asfar as man may reach. The view here propounded,if reflected upon, will convey to us what the livingirpbs a\\T)Au avruv e/ccKTTa, ov6fj.ara Kal \6yoi o»|/ets re Kal alff6^ffeis,Iv eviJ(.ev¬(ni> fXcyxois t?Ae7xo/xei/a Kal avev