It is difficult, then, to see in Thomas one who will painfully think out truth in order that when once found it may be the more firmly grasjjed. Not, therefore, is he to be classed with those referred to in 4'** (edc firj ffrj/mela Kal Tipara idTjTe, ov fj,ri Trtcrrei^crTjTe). They stand on a far lower level. For with all his defects of character, Thomas has nothing shallow about him ; nothing to suggest the undeveloj^ed intellect. The Galilseans, on the other hand, would seem to be characterized by childishness. Like the emissaries of Vladimir, who reported in favour of Greek Christianity because the grand services at Constantinople had appealed to their imagina- tion, they are to be reached only bj- that which strikes the eye. The faith to which they can rise is, at best, a feeble faith. And yet, with one of them, it is strong enough to secure a blessing (449. 50j There is a ' complete spiritual parallel ' (Westcott) between the nobleman of Capernaum and the father of the demoniac boy (Mk 9-'*).
See also artt. Belief, Doubt, Faith.
Literature. — Flint, Agnosticism, 381; Christlieb, Modern Douht and Christian Belief, 325 and passim ; Newman, Oxford Univ. Serm. 230 ; Ker, Sermons, ii. 1, 83 ; Martineau, Endeavours after the Christian Life, 343. H. L. JaCKSON.
UNCLEANNESS.— See Purification.
UNCLEAN SPIRIT.-See Demon.
UNCONSCIOUS FAITH.— Faith is a venture of the soul. In the highest instances the soul stakes its all, and if the faith proves vain, is then of all most pitiable ; but if the venture be justified, dis- covers that it has lost itself only to find itself as never before, and so in its endurance the soul is won. Can faith thus understood be unconscious ? Assuredly it can. On the one hand, ignorance may conceal the fact that any venture is involved ; and, on the other hand, where the actual stake is known, it may be welcomed through sheer exuV)erance of spiritual vitality without any such reflexion on the risk as to make it a conscious venture. An investor may put his capital into some undertaking without knowing that it is a speculation, or he may do so because his native enterprise prompts him to seize an opportunity without reflecting that the best opportunities are connected with larger risks. And the soul which ventures faith may do so without consciousness of Avhat it is doing, either because its knowledge of life is restricted, or be- cause it acts from instinct rather than consijlera- tion. But usage gives to the expression ' uncon- scious faith ' a wider scope than this its strictest meaning. A faith conscious of its own activity
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may yet be unconscious of tlie person or fact on which it is actually set. The soul's venture may be made on the ground of an object of faith whicn is either unrec^ognized or unperceived, iuul wiiich is yet, in point of fact, the ground of such a venture being made at all. Where the real object of faith does not come into consciousness, there is still warrant for calling this 'unconscious faith,' even though verbal exactitude might stickle at such piiraseology. But when this degree of lati- tude is concedeu, it ought not to be forgotten that the definition of ' unconscious faith ' is made more dithcult, not only in respect of its connotation, but of its denotation also. For the cases in which there is no consciousness of the true object on which faith rests, pass by imperceptible gradation into tliose in which there is some consciousness of tlie object, but no true perception of its real nature, and even into those in which the perception of this is markedly imperfect. But, of course, tliere are few cases of faith where this perception is anything like perfect ; for not only is our knowledge usually very far from comijlete in matters spiritual, but wliere it is most nearly co- extensive with the truth, least occasion is left, as a rule, for faith. Bearing all these limitations in mind, however, ' unconscious faith ' stands for an experience by no means rare in human life, and of very great importance in the Kingdom of God. Our object must be to understand its nature, and to realize the place it holds, and has held, in the relations of mankind to Christ.
1. At the outset we must recognize fully Jesus Christ's constant requirement of faith from all who sought or needed His help, and His refusal to give help wiiere this requirement was not met (Mt 13^^, Lk 23*- ^). Only so shall we appreciate the welcome He alwiiys showed for every sign of unconscious faith. ' He that is not against us is for us ' (Mk 9'**') is a principle which recognizes what may be far short not only of full avowal, but also of conscious faith. It is obvious that in saying, ' I know that Messias cometh ' ( Jn 4'^^), the woman of Samaria had little consciousness of the real meaning of her words, yet her imperfect faith diew the disclosure, 'I that speak unto thee am he.' Similarly the faith of the Syrophoenici,an woman, who won the help she sought, can hardly have been conscious of what she was pleading for Avhen she urged that ' even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs ' (Mk 7^^). A more striking instance is that of the cripple who was cured of his infirmity on Christ's order to rise, of whom it is recorded that ' he that was healed wist not who it was ' that had healed him (Jn 5'^). And to this the case of the blind man who received sight in Jerusalem is some- what similar ; for when the Lord afterwards con- fronted him with the question, 'Dost thou believe on the Son of God ? ' he was only able to reply, 'Who is he, Lord, that I may believe on him?' (9^'). An instructive passage as to Christ's esti- mate of faith which is unconscious is Lk Ips-sa He was condemning tlie contemporary generation in Galilee for its want of faith shown in the re- peated demand for a 'sign.' In contrast with this He set two instances of greater faitli recorded in much earlier days where less might have been looked for. The first is that of the men of Nine- veh, w'hose repentance on Jonah's appearance among them is told in the Book of Jonah ; the second is that of the Queen of the South, whose visit to Solomon's court is picturesquely narrated in the Book of Kings. In the one case it is written, 'The people of Nineveh believed God, and they proclaimed a fast ' (Jon 3^) ; in the other the queen says : ' I believed not the words until I came . . . and, behold, the half was not told me' (I KlO'). The credit given to the prophet's message, and to the