Time, time only, can gradually wean us from our Epeolatry, or word-worship, by spiritualizing our ideas of the thing signified.

Man is an idolater or symbol-worshipper by nature, which, of course, is no fault of his; but sooner or later all his local and temporary symbols must be ground to powder, like the golden calf,--word-images as well as metal and wooden ones.

Rough work, iconoclasm,--but the only way to get at truth.

It is, indeed, as that quaint and rare old discourse, "A Summons for Sleepers," hath it, "no doubt a thankless office, and a verie unthriftie occupation; veritas odium parit, truth never goeth without a scratcht face; he that will be busie with voe vobis, let him looke shortly for coram nobas." The very aim and end of our institutions is just this: that we may think what we like and say what we think.
-- Think what we like!--said the divinity-student;--think what we like! What! against all human and divine authority?
Against all human versions of its own or any other authority.

At our own peril always, if we do not like the right,--but not at the risk of being hanged and quartered for political heresy, or broiled on green fagots for ecclesiastical treason! Nay, we have got so far, that the very word heresy has fallen into comparative disuse among us.
And now, my young friend, let-us shake hands and stop our discussion, which we will not make a quarrel.