Ignorance arms men against each other; provides gaols and penitentiaries; police and constabulary.  All the physical force of the State is provided by Ignorance; is required by Ignorance; is very often wielded by Ignorance.  We may well avow, then, that Ignorance is Power.

Ignorance is powerful, because Knowledge, as yet, has obtained access only to the minds of the few.  Let Knowledge become more generally diffused; let the multitude become educated, thoughtful, and wise; and then Knowledge may obtain the ascendancy over Ignorance.  But that time has not yet arrived.

Look into the records of crime, and you will find that, for one man possessed of wisdom or knowledge who commits a crime, there are a hundred ignorant.  Or, into the statistics of drunkenness and improvidence of all sorts; still Ignorance is predominant.  Or, into the annals of pauperism; there, again, Ignorance is Power.

The principal causes of anxiety in this country, are the social suffering and disease which proceed from Ignorance.  To mitigate these, we form associations, organize societies, spend money, and labour in committees.  But the power of Ignorance is too great for us.  We almost despair while we work.  We feel that much of our effort is wasted.  We are often ready to give up in dismay, and recoil from our encounter with the powers of evil.

“How forcible are right words!” exclaimed Job.  Yes!  But, with equal justice, he might have said, “How forcible are wrong words!” The wrong words have more power with ignorant minds than the right words.  They fit themselves into wrong heads, and prejudiced heads, and empty heads; and have power over them.  The right words have often no meaning for them, any more than if they were the words of some dead language.  The wise man’s thoughts do not reach the multitude, but fly over their heads.  Only the few as yet apprehend them.

The physiologist may discuss the laws of health, and the Board of Health may write tracts for circulation among the people; but half the people cannot so much as read; and of the remaining half, but a very small proportion are in the habit of thinking.  Thus the laws of health are disregarded; and when fever comes, it finds a wide field to work upon:  in undrained and filthy streets and back-yards,—­noisome, pestilential districts,—­foul, uncleansed dwellings,—­large populations ill-supplied with clean water and with pure air.  There death makes fell havoc; many destitute widows and children have to be maintained out of the poor’s-rates; and then we reluctantly confess to ourselves that Ignorance is Power.

The only method of abating this power of Ignorance, is by increasing that of Knowledge.  As the sun goes up the sky, the darkness disappears; and the owl, the bat, and the beasts of prey, slink out of sight.  Give the people knowledge,—­give them better education,—­and thus, crime will be abated,—­drunkenness, improvidence, lawlessness, and all the powers of evil, will, to a certain extent, disappear.[1]