New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-22
NsspIlurk Daflp Grihnpm
LETTERS FROM lHE PEOPLE
De. BUsHNELLS NEW BOOK,
REVIEWED BY ONE WHO Is NEITHER NATURAL
IST NOR sUPERNATURuIsT.

The Doctor an independent and ipgeaioGs
thinker, and both 81 ambitious and succc.sidl
.spirsnt after the highest rhetorical hOnors. But he
nevertheless not the nan to shed any orginL light
upon The problems Of human origin end destiny. He
will always erjOy an extensive psroohal reputation
bu. his Only chance thus far of securing wiser
bomsgc turns upon bis old vindca.ion Of the super
orty Of Play 10 Work, which =, alter oil, an made
quste basis for fame.
Tie uew book originated in a desire to stem the
current Of Natu-asm which s,verywhere submergiug
IN. olJ landmarks. "Ths mind Of the Christian world
"s becoming every day more and more saturated
with this propensity 10 Nstnralsn: grAvitaiing q,
Z" it were by fixed lsv, though imp reepubly or
uuconioously toward yiItua ard real unbelsf IN
Christianity ipei, for tie Chrstisny that is become
"only part Ct nature is Christianity extinct. Aud
the remedy Which the Doctor p escnhes Tor tins dis
eassd tendency is: 10 fHd legitimate piece for the
,rpernaturai m ne 'sshm If God; and sher Il as a
neees,ary part # he .ystem R'et. In other words,
the Doctor regards both Nsturs ADD the Supernatural
as Necessary parts Of one Divine system, and would
,r,st the prevalent terdercy 10 raturaism by assert
icg tie equally valid claim Of supernsturalism.
What an extraordinary ocseness Of thought all this
betrsys! Take DR.. b. e arAyss of the facts as final
Look upon Nsturaism ard Supemsturslism as mutu-
slly snisgonis,ic and deno,ing essentially opposite
conc,ptons Of Divine truth which deny, yet you
perceive that they both alike conceptions of the
f,ite intellect, and hence unknown TO God. Natural
ism meaIs at most such sview Of Nature in ito rela
ton to God SIS makes 1t primary result OF the Gro
siiye operation. Supernsturslsm, again makes II a
secondary and sub ordnae result. Both doctrines alike
corcur in Nature its,f "a an unquestonsble Divine
procedure; but one party believes that what Is thus
certainly known is the all of knowledge; while the
other asserts superior worlds amper knOgledge', and
cor trolling forces TO those which Nature reveals. 10
TAX. therefore, Of Naturslism and SupernaUrasm as
if trey were anything more tlan two opposing aspects
of the came question: enter tanned by bHie or imperfect
nind-sspecsy 10 talk of them as If they were con-
certors Of the initiate mind itself, furnishing
equally necessary psr.s Of His system to bring
the pratte Of tie Luery into the forum, and envelope
the highest questions of philosophy with the misleading
mists of fense. Naturalism and Supernaturaism de-
note st mott the opposite views Of truth characers
tic Of an impefec, iLtelgerce-an intelligence which
i. quekened only by the contrast and oppugnsncy Of
good ar evil truth and fskity. An Infinite or perfect
intelligence, accordingly, which is not quckened by
any such contrast but knows good without any back.
grourd Of evil and truth without any oppugnancy of
falsty utterly disowls those opposing states Of mind
spperdered by the contrast and consequently instead
Of taking sides either with Naturasm or Supernatural
ism risdly disclaim. them both as symbols merely OF
human imbecilty or limitation. The very perlt cton
of (od-happy for us-rerders him bessedly indiffer
ent to- and ignorant Of all these ussy and endless little
controversies which give u.s. Often such immense rep
utatons for ability. say happily for ne, because, az
long as this true o. God there Is hope that We too,
may some day emerge into an smper ether and a
serener air"
THE book il a failure then, from the very start.
By his own che wing, it was not incumbent on DIR.
Bushnell IS Christian philosopher, as student of
Providence to decry Naurasm as the prevalent tend
anew of the Christian world and endeayor 10 arrest it
by reviyng tie lspsed doctrine Of experimentation.
lie himself proves that the iH,eo'e Of Neturasm in
the church is only 80 much decrease of the super
Naturalsm in which it started and he might therefore
lust a. well seek TO srest ones advancing edoescenc-
by urging return to ones juvenile pin,Orss and dia-
pers as attempt to ,tay the tides of Naturasm by re-
mndiog it of its old beginnings 10 Supernaturaism.
The whole meaning Of the movement is, that men are
ASHAMED Of ke,e Jeginnings a. involving scientific
absmdty and the louder you assert them, the dsafsr
they become; just as the growing man, If you should
fooishy endesvOr to bring hun again into captivity To
the pnafore and diaper would ell the more resolate
fling cut his emsncipated arms and less in defiance.
The philosopher sees all this, and cordially acqui-
e-css in ii, because be discerus behind the
duet and tumult Of the finite arena, realm
of Goodness and Truth 20 positive or infinite
AZ TO be forever undst1rbed by this mean conflict OF
tie Evil and the False; and al his care Is in the IN
teryas Of the contention to nsinuate its soothing and
pacific accents Ito the ear Of the bleeding and weary
comha.snts. Dr. Bushnell is not phil gopher, and
would be very considerably agitated at fading himself
on the road to become one. He i. es'entisly dis
putar preacher, the man Of congregation, aga Il
unable to take a simply human interest in any CUES
ton, all bis energies being peocouped by tins inquiry
How viii this, that and the other solution tell upon
the eternal relation Of pulpit and pe~, pastor and
people, the New. Haven divinity and the promsing
yourg OF thunder who in endless SUCCESSION are
destined to enforce it, The doctor has an idea tnai
preaching il eternal institution, and, consequently
that some sv mus. always exist to be preached a.
HeIee the philosophers dream Of an eventual order 70
sprrg out Of our past and present disorder, Is pro-
fourdy dAtsstefal to him. and suggests perpetual ln
perth ncss and insolences on his part which you
heartily wish had some respectable source. Ia
think Of the universe being measured by the interests
Of the New Haven theology This petty anians gives
running air Of bathos 10 al the book and takes II
out of scientific recognition. II gives the book que
Of irsincerity-not in the most literal sense OF TINS.
word sdmit, but in larger sndspiritual sense-oi IN
eODscieItousDess, Of vfulness CT unamsbleness, and
frequently turns i.s most sonor5us datnbes INTO mere
grsndioqu.nce and pompcsity. / am sure have NJ
feeling Of cisre.pect to the New Haven theology a.
supplying an improved pulpit dialec.ics. / have az
utter diiespect fer il only nphiosophy or as EMIT
Eng it, adept, to abandon the congregation and ID
dIe., the great unpertu bed and unsophistcaed public