unknown artist; Ralph Wardlaw (1779-1853); The Congregational Memorial Hall Trust (1978) Limited; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/ralph-wardlaw-17791853-46177

unknown artist; Ralph Wardlaw (1779-1853); The Congregational Memorial Hall Trust (1978) Limited; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/ralph-wardlaw-17791853-46177

“We have no fear from inquiry. All such fear we hold to be a dishonour to truth, and an indication of the weakness of faith. All truth is consistent. So that, if that which we hold to be true be really so, no future discoveries can ever alter, or ever invalidate it, but must, on the contrary, illustrate and establish it. Our apprehensions are from the want of inquiry. We desire, we court, we urge, investigation. We have no idea of honouring with the name of faith anything, be its pretensions what they may, that consists in a blind assent to unexamined truth, on unexamined evidence. An inspired Apostle–(if I may be allowed, in the meanwhile, to speak on the assumption of his inspiration)–enjoins believers of the gospel to “be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them.” Now, whatever is the reason of our hope must be the reason of our faith,–for it is in what we believe that our hope has its foundation. So that, if we are hoping without reason, it must be because we are believing without reason.”

Ralph Wardlaw, On Miracles (Edinburgh: A. Fullarton and Co., 1852), p. 8