Thatistheopinionwhich，forthetimebeing，representstheneglectedinterests，thesideofhumanwell—beingwhichisindangerofobtaininglessthanitsshare。Iamawarethatthereisnot，inthiscountry，anyintoleranceofdifferencesofopiniononmostofthesetopics。Theyareadducedtoshow，byadmittedandmultipliedexamples，theuniversalityofthefact，thatonlythroughdiversityofopinionisthere，intheexistingstateofhumanintellect，achanceoffairplaytoallsidesofthetruth。Whentherearepersonstobefoundwhoformanexceptiontotheapparentunanimityoftheworldonanysubject，eveniftheworldisintheright，itisalwaysprobablethatdissentientshavesomethingworthhearingtosayforthemselves，andthattruthwouldlosesomethingbytheirsilence。
Itmaybeobjected，\"Butsomereceivedprinciples，especiallyonthehighestandmostvitalsubjects，aremorethanhalf—truths。TheChristianmorality，forinstance，isthewholetruthonthatsubject，andifanyoneteachesamoralitywhichvariesfromit，heiswhollyinerror。\"Asthisisofallcasesthemostimportantinpractice，nonecanbefittertotestthegeneralmaxim。ButbeforepronouncingwhatChristianmoralityisorisnot，itwouldbedesirabletodecidewhatismeantbyChristianmorality。IfitmeansthemoralityoftheNewTestament，Iwonderthatanyonewhoderiveshisknowledgeofthisfromthebookitself，cansupposethatitwasannounced，orintended，asacompletedoctrineofmorals。TheGospelalwaysreferstoapre—existingmorality，andconfinesitspreceptstotheparticularsinwhichthatmoralitywastobecorrected，orsupersededbyawiderandhigher;expressingitself，moreover，intermsmostgeneral，oftenimpossibletobeinterpretedliterally，andpossessingrathertheimpressivenessofpoetryoreloquencethantheprecisionoflegislation。Toextractfromitabodyofethicaldoctrine，hasneverbeenpossiblewithoutekingitoutfromtheOldTestament，thatis，fromasystemelaborateindeed，butinmanyrespectsbarbarous，andintendedonlyforabarbarouspeople。St。
Paul，adeclaredenemytothisJudaicalmodeofinterpretingthedoctrineandfillinguptheschemeofhisMaster，equallyassumesapreexistingmorality，namelythatoftheGreeksandRomans;andhisadvicetoChristiansisinagreatmeasureasystemofaccommodationtothat;eventotheextentofgivinganapparentsanctiontoslavery。
WhatiscalledChristian，butshouldratherbetermedtheological，morality，wasnottheworkofChristortheApostles，butisofmuchlaterorigin，havingbeengraduallybuiltupbytheCatholicchurchofthefirstfivecenturies，andthoughnotimplicitlyadoptedbymodernsandProtestants，hasbeenmuchlessmodifiedbythemthanmighthavebeenexpected。Forthemostpart，indeed，theyhavecontentedthemselveswithcuttingofftheadditionswhichhadbeenmadetoitintheMiddleAges，eachsectsupplyingtheplacebyfreshadditions，adaptedtoitsowncharacterandtendencies。
Thatmankindoweagreatdebttothismorality，andtoitsearlyteachers，Ishouldbethelastpersontodeny;butIdonotscrupletosayofitthatitis，inmanyimportantpoints，incompleteandone—sided，andthatunlessideasandfeelings，notsanctionedbyit，hadcontributedtotheformationofEuropeanlifeandcharacter，humanaffairswouldhavebeeninaworseconditionthantheynoware。