Excerpt from Discussion of the Existence of God and the Authenticity of the Bible

Evans individual should be a friend to free inquiry. If he holds the truth, he should urge inquiry, because that promotes truth; if he holds error, he should still court inquiry, because that tends to eapose error; and surel it is desirable to be reclaimed from error, inasmuch as a elief in that, however agreeable, will not make it truth. But free inquiry consists not merely in the perusal of works favourable to our own views, thereby confirming ourselves in our preconceived opinions. It consists in the full examination of both sides of a question. No subject is thoroughl investigated, and settled on an im moveable basis, till it as been assailed at every point, and has met and repelled its assailant in his full strength; till on it the belligerents have met, and measured swords, and done their mightiest; for it is expecting quite too much of one of the parties, to suppose that he will do the other's fighting as bloodily as he would himself. It is, therefore, not in the nature of the case, that the controvertist who treats on a subject alone, how fairly soever he may represent the side which he opposes, will have so warm a battle, as if that side were in the field. He will indeed answer opposing arguments, but he will not answer him%lf. He cannot feel as an opponent would, and therefore his wits will not be sharpened and his invention strained, as would the other's, to create objections and obstacles, and to throw the last possible missile. Indeed, it were desirable that the champion of truth have always an opponent, to produce all manner of difficulties for him to obviate, instead of having them afterwards advanced unanswered, to the annoy ance, and, perhaps, the discomfiture of others less prepared for the encounter. Error defeated in her full strength, is effectually defeated. Crippled and disabled, she lies supine; and over her prostrate form, the veriest invalid, who never dared the mighty conflict, can safely peel the notes of victory. But let her off with a passing defeat; suffer her to escape with her legions armed, broken and scattered though they be, and she will rally again her strength, and fall on the defenceless when their champion is withdrawn from the scene of action.

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