All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look into the nature of things. Search out the grounds of your opinions, the for and against. Know why you believe, understand what you believe, and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.

The passage is an exhortation to intellectual self-reliance: do not inherit beliefs passively, but test them by investigation, weighing evidence “for and against.” Its cadence echoes Enlightenment and freethought ideals—reasoned inquiry, skepticism toward authority, and the moral duty to understand the grounds of one’s convictions. The closing phrase (“a reason for the faith that is in you”) pointedly reframes religious language into a rationalist demand: even “faith” should be accountable to reasons. In Wright’s broader reputation as a radical lecturer, the sentiment aligns with her public advocacy for free inquiry in politics, religion, and social reform, urging audiences to replace deference with examination.