"They would understand these preceptive parts of the Scriptures, but I think that they would not understand the speculative parts, and hence they would be in danger of forming wrong opinions on religious subjects."
"But if you withhold the Scriptures from them, you give them no chance to form right opinions."
"They should take their opinions from the clergyman of the parish in which they live, as he is the only authorized person to teach them."
"But, if so, to what a dilemma would you reduce them. You will, on your maxim, compel them to vary their belief according to the ever-varying belief of the clergy. For example, you require the people of this parish to believe implicitly what the Rev. Mr. Cole preaches."
"Certainly I do."
"And you will require the people in the adjoining parish to believe what the Rev. Mr. Ingleby preaches?"
"Decidedly."
"But do not these two clergymen preach different doctrines? Can they both be right?"
"They do preach different doctrines, and I think Mr. Ingleby assuredly wrong."
"Then there must be something wrong in your maxim, which requires the people of a whole parish to believe error. Or let me suppose that the Rev. Mr. Cole, the clergyman of this parish, should die, and that he should be succeeded by a clergyman who preaches the same doctrine as Mr. Ingleby, will you not, according to your own maxim, be compelled, along with the rest of the parishioners, to believe those very doctrines which you now regard as erroneous? Indeed, if your maxim be a correct one, what security have you for the permanent continuance of your belief?"