trifling, but which seem to possess the sinful quality; and partly
of a conventional instinct which considers certain things to be
abominable, which are not necessarily in themselves sinful, because
it is the custom of the world to consider them so.

And then to the philosopher there falls a darker tinge upon the
whole matter, when he considers that the evil impulses, to yield to
which is sin, are in themselves deliberately implanted in man by
his Creator, or at least not apparently eradicated; and that many
of those whose whole life has been darkened, embittered, and
wrecked by sin, have incurred their misery by yielding to
tendencies which in themselves are, by inheritance, practically
irresistible.

What room is there, then, in these latter days, when reason and
science together have dispelled the darkness of superstition, have
diminished the possibility of miraculous occurrences, have laughed
empirical occultism out of the field, for the priest?

There is no room for him if there lingers in the depth of his mind
any taint of the temptation to serve his own ends, or to exalt
himself or his order, by trading on the fears of irrational and
credulous humanity. Against such priestcraft as this the true
priest must array himself, together with the scientist, the
statesman, the physician. Against all personal and priestly
domination all lovers of liberty and God must combine. Theirs is
the sin of Simon Magus, the sin of Hophni, the sin of Caiaphas; the
sin that desires that men should still be bound, in order that they
may themselves win worship and honour. It is the deadliest and
vilest tyranny in the world.