Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-08-07

YOU 70 see tc H. tltt your lutn anu Trust hlt
placed beyonI all question in Him and in Him
alone,
On Sunday evening the celebration Of tie
SOCIETY," TOR RELIGIOUS INQUIRY
Vas held. After the usual Introductory ez-
ercises, anthems by the choir and reading
of Scripture and prayer by Rev. Prof. Y. G.
Clark, tie President of the Society, Mr.
c. y Wilder, introduced to the audience
Rev. Or. J. p. THOMSON OF New York City,
the orator Of the occasion.
Or. Thompson's theme was the true thoo-
ry Of social progress. He renewed at some
length the theories OF those who protesting
to philosophize in regard to the problem
which the history of the human race pre-
sents in reference 10 mans final destiny end
capacity for perfecti0ility, leave on; o.
their calculations the power Of Christianity,
and reject that solution Of the problem
which the Christian system affords
Glancing at the events OF the nine
teenth century and regarding them
as the sequences Of those which have
preceded then, q true estimate Of their his
toric connection teaches Us, that they can 30
explained not by tie theories Of Mr.. Buckle
bur by viewing them in the light which
the revelation Of God in Christ nffords.
Events progress ever and always in the line
Of moral order with God ordains. Mr.
Buckle boldly joins issue with this. Accord
ing to bis view the affairs Of this world move
with a certain undertaking regularity, and
the progress Of mankind toward perfection
depends upon the knowledge men have Of
certain fixed laws and how far they live in
accordance with them. TheJdos Parker
held and stated explicitly that Christianity
is only tentative system that ve have
been experimenting in religion and that
there is a gradual unfolding Of mans relig-
ious nature as the race progresses Another
writer. abler than either Of th0ts
mentioned, tries to show that physical agents
control absolutely the formation Of society,
the structure Of government and the advance
ment Of nations DR.. Draper thus holds
that mans social and moral position results
from purely physical Causes
These various theories hold, in comn)n,
that mans progress depends upon some law
exterior TO himself. and not upon the devel-
oremeut Of his own nature by law Of
il, own. They differ from the Chris
than system at this point. The latter
teaches that a renovation is required, ent
that human rerfectibilitv cannot be attain
ell By progressive development. We ha7s
thus opposing theories, which have the
common -sound or idea Of humln perfect
bility, tut seeking it by radically diieren; me
thods Tic one class holds that man by =
gradual and normal development in accord
ance with an external law may reach tho
desired end Of social advancement,
the other that by the working Of
an inward law, by the action Of
spiritual forces, men may be renovated and
brought on Of an abnormal state, aud socie-
ty must advance by means ofindvieusl spir-
iruaI rcnovauon. Il is insisted by the pro
zressioni5t. that in view Of the to;alIty Of
mans nature and his many wants growing
out Of this nature, religion must be considered
as one Of the higher attainments to be gradu-
ally gained and perfected in a progressive
course. He considers man as gymnast who
improves by q Constant and normal exercise
Of his faculties The renovationist
begins ct central point, and
assuming that IN entire renovation IN
man himself IS necessary, holds that this rcn-
ovation comprchends all that IS a,tainablc-
In this view the system Of the renovati'nias
includes that of the progressiOnias. It holdi
that the moral is a whole, which for the
purposes Of human Advancement includes tho
physical, rather than rests upon it as basis
or grows out Of it as a result.
The theory Of physical forces, however,
claims % take the precedence of Chr!stiari-
ty, and holds tnat religion must grow out Of
civilization and not civilization from religion.
History shows that the views OF the pro
gressionist are not in conformity with what
we know Of the Advancement of the human
rnce. Neither reformation in society, nor
advance in scientific knowledge has proceed
cd in accordance with the teachings Of
positivism. It has been By radical change
Of idea and renovation Of system that science
has advanced 1t was not by the perfectiug,
but By the overthrow Of Alchemy that Chem
istrv was established as a science. Astron-
omy Is not built upon the superstition, of
Astrolcgy, nor has the former resulted iron
perfectjns and charging our knowledge Of
the latter. On the other hand the introduc-
ton Of mathematical formula and the reduc-
ton ofscientifc knowledge 70 ezactstatemento
imrlies the entire renovation Of the essen
tally erroneous notions upon which Alchemy
and Astrology were based. Those diyina-
tions Of the stars, dating back so many cen
turies and honored by the wisest nations Of
antiquity as the science Of the Heavens, could
furnish no one element of that Astronomy
which nay be deemed the noblest efoEt
human thought has made for the advance
nent OF the noe. The entire system Of As
trolOy, hoery with age, rendered attractive
by poetic tradition, had to be swept away &c
rubbish, before tho foundation could 30 laid
in the human mind for knowledge Of ths
true system of the material universe
Proceeding to direct comparison OF the
two classes Of theories, it appears that
the rrogressionists rely uron various elements
FOR social progress which when combined
make up tie concrete entity Of civilization.
Tt IS held bY these that Christianity like
Feudalism has answered its purpose il ru
der age than the present, ard is now declin-