Moral and Religious. A TEXT Book FOR SCHOOLS AND BY S. A. JEWETT, M. A. Science in the very idea of it, has a character of 148 AND 150 MADISON STREET. 12 BIBLE HOUSE, ASTOR PLACE, Go Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1890, by FLEMING H. REVELL, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PREFACE. THIS book is designed to meet a want that has always existed, and is now realized, namely: such treatment and presentation of Moral Philosophy as fits it for public school instruction in morals and religion without sectarian bias. Recent and earnest discussion in the leading quarterlies and other periodicals is a sure index of the importance of the subject, and of public interest in it. There is but one way to effect this: It is to point out the true idea in morals and in religion, and their relation to each other. In other words, to present the true underlying principles. In treatises on moral philosophy there is diversity as to the basis of morals. Pleasure, happiness, utility, the fitness of things, law, divine and human, are severally set up. These, indeed, are more or less auxiliary in the formation of moral character, but the underlying principle in morals is to be found in the disposition to do right; in the love of the right; in the good will, the will obedient to the right, and existing in the moral nature that demands the exercise of the good will, demands duty. This accords with the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, Aristotle, and also with higher authority—that of Jesus - who always refers us to the thoughts and intents of the heart as the source from which are the issues of life. Without this good-will, there can be no true moral act. With it there must also be intelligence to direct the activities of the good will. This moral intelligence we have from two sources: (1) The self-evident; as, for instance, it is immediately evident to any man of good common sense that it would be right to obey God. (2) From the true idea in any thought, sentiment, law, institu tion or moral object. RASHER MAY 1940 |