Thanks.
Why Gladstone refrained
1392. If the truth of the Catholic Church is so clear, why did such an intelligent man as W. E. Gladstone remain entrenched in Protestantism?
It was certainly not because Protestantism is true, nor because Catholicism is false. Nor was it because Gladstone was intelligent. Both Newman and Manning, fellow Protestants with Gladstone, were equally intelligent, yet both became Catholics. We must remember that religion implies much more than merely intellectual conviction. It is deeply psychological, involving a yielding of mind and heart and will. Reluctance on the part of any one of these factors can prevent a clear sight of one's obligations. Pascal has rightly said that "the heart has reasons of which reason knows nothing." Gladstone had many more motives for remaininga member of the National Church, and less knowledge of the ecclesiastical issues involved than either Newman or Manning. And I believe these prevented his giving full intellectual attention to aspects of the problem which led in a direction he was not willingto follow.