Using Reason

We have heard it said that reason is a blind guide, and that it draws men away from Truth rather than leads them to it. If this were true, it were better to remain, or to become, unreasonable, and to persuade others so to do. We have found, however, that the diligent cultivation of the divine faculty of reason brings about calmness and mental poise, and enables one to meet cheerfully the problems and difficulties of life.

We have heard people say that reason is a blind guide. They say it draws people away from Truth rather than leading them to it. If that were true, it would be better to remain or become unreasonable and persuade others to do the same. However, we have found that carefully developing the divine faculty of reason brings calm and mental balance. It also helps us face life's problems and difficulties cheerfully.

It is true there is a higher light than reason, even that of the Spirit of Truth itself, but without the aid of reason, Truth cannot be apprehended. They who refuse to trim the lamp of reason will never, whilst they so refuse, perceive the Light of Truth, for the light of reason is a reflection of that Light.

There is indeed a higher light than reason: the Spirit of Truth itself. But without reason, we cannot understand Truth. Those who refuse to tend the lamp of reason will never see the Light of Truth as long as they refuse. For the light of reason is a reflection of the Light of Truth.

Reason is a purely abstract quality, and comes midway between the animal and divine consciousness in man, and leads, if rightly employed, from the darkness of one to the Light of the other. It is true that reason may be enlisted in the service of the lower, self-seeking nature, but this is only a result of its partial and imperfect exercise. A fuller development of reason leads away from the selfish nature, and ultimately allies the soul with the highest, the divine.

Reason is a purely abstract quality. It lies midway between the animal and divine consciousness in us. If used rightly, it leads us from the darkness of the animal to the light of the divine. It is true that reason may be used to serve our lower, self-seeking nature. But this happens only when reason is used partially and imperfectly. When reason is more fully developed, it leads us away from selfishness. Ultimately, it brings the soul into union with the highest, the divine.

That spiritual Percival who, searching for the Holy Grail of the Perfect Life, is again and again

That spiritual Percival who, searching for the Holy Grail of the Perfect Life, is again and again

is not so stranded because he has followed reason, but because he is still clinging to, and is reluctant to leave, some remnants of his lower nature. He who will use the light of reason as a torch to search for Truth will not be left at last in comfortless darkness.

is not stranded because he has followed reason. Rather, he is still clinging to some remnants of his lower nature and is reluctant to let them go. Anyone who uses the light of reason as a torch to search for Truth will not be left in bleak darkness.

"Come, now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

“Come, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow.”

Many men and women pass through untold suffering, and at last die in their sins, because they refuse to reason; because they cling to those dark delusions which even a faint glimmer of the light of reason would dispel; and all must use their reason freely, fully, and faithfully, who would exchange the scarlet robe of sin and suffering for the white garment of blamelessness and peace.

Many men and women endure untold suffering and eventually die in their sins because they refuse to reason. They cling to dark delusions that even a faint glimmer of reason would dispel. All who want to exchange the scarlet robe of sin and suffering for the white garment of blamelessness and peace must use their reason freely, fully, and faithfully.

It is because we have proved and know these truths that we exhort men to

Because we have proven and know these truths, we urge people to

for reason leads away from passion and selfishness into the quiet ways of sweet persuasion and gentle forgiveness, and he will never be led astray, nor will he follow blind guides, who faithfully adheres to the Apostolic injunction, "Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." They, therefore, who despise the light of reason, despise the Light of Truth.

For reason leads us away from passion and selfishness toward gentle persuasion and forgiveness. Anyone who faithfully follows the Apostolic instruction will never be led astray or follow blind guides: "Test all things, and hold on to what is good." Those who despise the light of reason, therefore, despise the Light of Truth.

Large numbers of people are possessed of the strange delusion that reason somehow is intimately connected with the denial of the existence of God. This is probably due to the fact that those who try to prove that there is no God usually profess to take their stand upon reason, while those who try to prove the reverse generally profess to take their stand on faith. Such argumentative combatants, however, are frequently governed more by prejudice than either reason or faith, their object being not to find Truth, but to defend and confirm a preconceived opinion.

Many people have the strange belief that reason is somehow closely connected with denying the existence of God. This belief probably arises from how people argue about God's existence. Those who try to prove there is no God usually claim to base their arguments on reason. Those who try to prove that God exists generally claim to base their arguments on faith. But these opposing debaters are often guided more by prejudice than by reason or faith. Their aim is not to find truth, but to defend and reinforce an opinion they already hold.

Reason is concerned, not with ephemeral opinions, but with the established truth of things, and he who is possessed of the faculty of reason in its purity and excellence can never be enslaved by prejudice, and will put from him all preconceived opinions as worthless. He will neither attempt to prove nor disprove, but after balancing extremes and bringing together all apparent contradictions, he will carefully and dispassionately weigh and consider them, and so arrive at Truth.

Reason is concerned not with passing opinions, but with the established truth of things. A person with a pure and excellent capacity for reason can never be enslaved by prejudice. He will reject all preconceived opinions as worthless. He will not try to prove or disprove anything. Instead, he will balance extremes and bring together all apparent contradictions. He will then carefully and calmly weigh and consider them, and so arrive at Truth.

Reason is, in reality, associated with all that is pure and gentle, moderate and just. It is said of a violent man that he is "unreasonable," of a kind and considerate man that he is "reasonable," and of an insane man that he has "lost his reason." Thus it is seen that the word is used, even to a great extent unconsciously, though none the less truly, in a very comprehensive sense, and though reason is not actually love and thoughtfulness and gentleness and sanity, it leads to and is intimately connected with these divine qualities, and cannot, except for purposes of analysis, be dissociated from them.

Reason is connected with all that is pure, gentle, moderate, and just. A violent man is called "unreasonable," a kind and considerate man "reasonable," and an insane man is said to have "lost his reason." So the word is used in a very broad sense, often unconsciously, but no less truly. Reason is not itself love, thoughtfulness, gentleness, or sanity. But it leads to and is closely connected with these divine qualities. It can be separated from them only for the purpose of analysis.

Reason represents all that is high and noble in man. It distinguishes him from the brute which blindly follows its animal inclinations, and just in the degree that man disobeys the voice of reason and follows his inclinations does he become brutish. As Milton says:

Reason represents all that is highest and noblest in people. It distinguishes them from animals, which blindly follow their instincts. To the extent that people disobey reason and follow their instincts, they become like animals. As Milton says:

The following definition of "reason" from Nuttall's Dictionary will give some idea of the comprehensiveness of the word:

The following definition of "reason" from Nuttall's Dictionary gives some idea of how much the word encompasses:

The cause, ground, principle, or motive of anything said or done; efficient cause; final cause; the faculty of intelligence in man; especially the faculty by which we arrive at necessary truth.

The cause, basis, principle, or motive for something said or done. The cause that produces something. The purpose or end of something. The human ability to think, especially the ability to arrive at necessary truths.

It will thus be seen that "reason" is a term, the breadth of which is almost sufficient to embrace even Truth itself, and Archbishop Trench tells us in his celebrated work On the Study of Words that the terms Reason and Word "are indeed so essentially one and the same that the Greek language has one word for them both," so that the Word of God is the Reason of God; and one of the renderings of Lao-Tze's "Tao" is Reason, so that in the Chinese translation of our New Testament, St. John's Gospel runs: "In the beginning was the Tao."

We can see, then, that "reason" is a term broad enough to embrace almost even Truth itself. In his celebrated work On the Study of Words, Archbishop Trench discusses the terms Reason and Word. He says they "are indeed so essentially one and the same that the Greek language has one word for them both." So the Word of God is the Reason of God. One translation of Lao-Tze's "Tao" is also Reason. Thus, in the Chinese translation of our New Testament, St. John's Gospel begins: "In the beginning was the Tao."

To the undeveloped and uncharitable mind all words have narrow applications, but as a man. enlarges his sympathies and broadens his intelligence, words become filled with rich meanings and assume comprehensive proportions. Let us therefore cease from foolish quarrellings about words, and, like reasonable beings, search for principles, and practise those things which make for unity and peace.

To an undeveloped and uncharitable mind, all words have narrow meanings. But as a person’s sympathy and understanding grow, words take on richer and broader meanings. So let us stop foolishly arguing over words. Instead, let us act reasonably, seek out principles, and practice what promotes unity and peace.