Chapter 3

           FATHERTERRIERwasaneducatedman.Hehadnotmerelystudiedtheology,buthadreadthephilosophersaswell,andhaddabbledwithbotanyandalchemyontheside.Hehadaratherhighopinionofhisowncriticalfaculties.Tobesure,hewouldnevergosofarassome-whoquestionedthemiracles,theoracles,theverytruthofHolyScripture-eventhoughthebiblicaltextscouldnot,strictlyspeaking,beexplainedbyreasonalone,indeedoftendirectlycontradictedit.Hepreferrednottomeddlewithsuchproblems,theyweretoodiscomfitingforhimandwouldonlylandhiminthemostagonizinginsecurityanddisquiet,whereastomakeuseofone’sreasononetrulyneededbothsecurityandquiet.Whathemostvigorouslydidcombat,however,werethesuperstitiousnotionsofthesimplefolk:witchesandfortune-tellingcards,thewearingofamulets,theevileye,exorcisms,hocus-pocusatfullmoon,andalltheotheractstheyperformed-itwasreallyquitedepressingtoseehowsuchheathenishcustomshadstillnotbeenuprootedagoodthousandyearsafterthefirmestablishmentoftheChristianreligion!Andmostinstancesofso-calledsatanicpossessionorpactswiththedevilprovedoncloserinspectiontobesuperstitiousmummery.Ofcourse,todenytheexistenceofSatanhimself,todoubthispower-Terriercouldnotgosofarasthat;ecclesiasticalbodiesotherthanonesmall,ordinarymonkwereassignedthetaskofdecidingaboutsuchmatterstouchingtheveryfoundationsoftheology.

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