LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE "NONCONFORMIST CONSCIENCE."
[To THE EDITOIL OF THE " SrEcTATou."] SIR,—I am unable to share your perplexity at the phenomenon, of consciences, whether Church or Nonconformist, more scandalised by private sin than by public, although the con- sequences of the public sin may be infinitely more disastrouss My own moral sense (for I prefer limiting the word " con- science " to the reflex sentence upon. my own acts) is more offended by the former than by the latter. There seems to me more moral turpitude in cruel and base deceit for the gratification of the lower passions, than in reckless or ruthless breaches of God's law for some supposed eventual good apart from self-interest. Of course the latter is wholly and inexcusably wrong. Only it . is not so base and hateful. A great deal has been said about the in- consistency of magnifying the breach of one command- ment and minimising the breach of another. May we take a supposed case of two different breaches of the same command- ment P A invents and upholds boycotting, which is a breach. of the Eighth Commandment. B makes over to his own use trust-money belonging to a poor relation, which is also a breach of the Eighth Commandment. A's conduct lowers the sense of justice and honour in thousands, besides its direct wrong, to its immediate victims. B's conduct brings misery to one family only. But I should myself scorn and hate B much more than A. It is the selfishness and meanness of the private vice which so deeply offends, not the "Nonconformist con-. science " alone, but the moral sense of numberless Christian, people who are not called to take any public share in a very unsavoury matter.—I am, Sir, Sass
WM. WAESIIA.A1 WAKEFIELD.
Previous page
