New-York daily tribune., 1844-01-20

of the state Protestantsn and Catholicism IN Ger
insoa Esq ran<Istos Q; schiece,S fhiIoorhy Of HIS
tory 2vols. Of London edition IL one r. DUNCAN, 10
fulton-stTee, New York. tpq. so
The title ofthis work requires explanation, and
we adopt that furnished bv the book itself. ahe
word Symbolism, or, the Germans say, Sym
bolik.' has, it is proper to observe, two-fold sig
niica'ion. Sometimes it means the science that
has for its object to explain the symbo! or out
ward signs used in the religions OF antiquity, and
in this sense it is employed By Crcuzer as the title
to his celebrated work on that subject At other
times the word is used by German Diyincs Ca
tholic and Protestant, TO signify the science Of
comparative inquiry into the Confessions, or Sym
boical writings of the different Christian Church
es, and this is the sense it bears in the title to the
book here translated
The comprehensive knowledge OF the subject
ology, and the great ability and profound learn
ing with which, is sustained throughout recon-
mend it to the perusal of every man who desires
to be fully acquainted with the evidences OF his
own faith. 1t fully meets the spirit of true IN
vestigation which at present SO widely Pervades
learned, its reasoning sound and vigorous, and It's
deductions consecutive and harmonious. 1t is
work of fair and direct proposition and conclusion,
unembarrassed by that proxty which enervatcs
and wearies, and the style of the translator is
scholarly and pleasing. The agitation of religious
day, and therefore the public mind is prcdisposcd
and prepared to receive and studlously examine
this work, than which, on the side 1t advocates,
the controversy which has existed for centuries,
and still exists between the two great religious
parties has elected nothing of higher ability
Controverted points are searched with bold ana
lytical minutcness, but yet with spirit OF essen
tial Christian charity nothing OF the asperty o t
religious partisanship sulies It's course OF argu-
mentation, and it continually aims to ailay and
reconcile the agtated clements OF religious strife
"A recommendation Of no ordinary value or I'M
portance. Another valuable feature which il pos
sesses, is the precision with which it lays down
the peculiarities of doctrine, which distinguish
the respective Churches and the means for recon
cling them, which are developed and usti-
fed with sgnaltact. This reconciliation is a bold,
although not an original, proposition, it having
been favorie theory with many eminent Di-
vines but not prominently discussed as IN these
pages, where its practicabiity is most systemati-
cally illustrated by giving, side by side, the dis
puted tenets of the Churches, and exhibiting their
relative intrinsic evidences Of concessionary fit
ness for restoration, harmony and oneness of
Christian faith-an ntegration OF universal Chris
tianty while in beautiful affinity with the pro-
position is the mild and conciliatory tone in which
its principles are explained and advocated On
this interesting and important subject the author
says
Pacific objects, also, induced me to commit
this work TO the press; and these objects con
ccivc | should be able to attain, by giving the
most precise and the most unresGrvcd deSc-l ption
of the doctrlnal differences. | did not indeed,
dream OF any peace between the Churches, de-
serving the name Of true reunion, as being
about to be established in the present time. For
such a peace cannot be looked for IN an age,
which is so deeply degraded, that even the guides
of the people have otentlncs SO utterly lost sight
of the very essence of faith, that they define 1t
as the adoption of what appears to t!:"n probable.
or most probable; whereas It's nature consists IN
vealed thuth, which can be only one. As MANY
men now believe, the heathens also believed; for
they We're by no means devoid of opinions re-
spccting divine things. When IN SO many quar-
tiers there is no faith. reunion OF faith Is neon
cevabIe. Hence only an union III unbeljci could
be attained: that IS to say, such one wherein
the right is mutually conceded to ;ilin!l what Gne
WILL and wherein there is therefore mutual TACT
understanding, that the question regards mere
human opinions, and thatlt IS matter lett un
decided, whether IN Christianity God have really
revealed Himself or not. For with the belel III
Christ, as true envoy of the Father, 1t is by no
means consistent, that those who have been
taught by him. should be unable to define IN
what his revelations on divine things consist, and
what on the other hand, is III contradIcuonto his
word and his ordinances. All things, not this or
that IN particular, appear, accordingly, opposed
to a religious union. a real removal, therefore,
of the differences existing between the Christian
communities, appears to me TO DC still remote.
But in the age III which VIC live, tiatter myself
that | might DO something towards bringing
about religious peace, by revealing q true know
lcdgc OF the great dispute: 10 SO far Us by this
knowledge men must come to conceive that that
contest sprang out of the most earnest endedvorS
of both parties to uphold the truth.-the pure and
genuine Christianity IN ali IT'S integrity. have
made it therefore my duty, to define, with the ut
most possible precision, the points OF relsl
difference and, nowhere, and at no time 10 cloak
and disguise them. The opinion sometimes en-
tertained, that the differences are not OF lmpor
tance, and affect not the vtals OF Christianity,
can conduce only to mutual contempt: for opPo-
nents. who are conscious OF not having adequate
grounds for opposing each other, and yet do So
must dcspise one another And, certainly, Ii Is
this vague feeling, Of being an adversary OF tins