New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-04-23


But the philosopher, no less than the thcologian,
must recognize the two natures OF Jesus; must
separate the human from the civiIe, and not in
his abortion confound tie real with the ideal hero
The Christ, as his character comes out in the
New Testament, must be unhcsiatingly adoied
for all sublimity paytakes of the divine and the
Christ of the Gospel is tie most glorious ineaIAa-
ton Of God in the most beautiful Of forms tnat OF
a noble man. He is really the Son Of God and the
son of Man. God in man. Tho admirable symbol,
according to which the early Interpreters Of Christ
ianty imagined Christ born without an earthly
father, and ascribcd his generation to virgins
womb and celestial influence, had profound sag
nifcance. It's mystic veil coaccals the true ex-
PLANTATION of the ideal Christ. rs to the man OF
Galilee, whom the reflections Of divinity almost
hide from our view, what matters it, if lie does, to
so great DECREE escape the researches OF historical
scieuce7 What matters il 10 us What passed III
Palestine more than eighteen bundled years ago 7
Would the Gospel be lrorc sublime if it were true
that at a certain point of space and time man lad
realized 10 the letter the features it presents to us
The portrait of noble character gains nothing "
It's conformity with or actual hero. The jesus VINO
is truly admirable is beyond historical criticism; he
has lis throne in the conscience; his beauty IL
eternal; his reign will never have an end. The
church has been left behind; it has outgrown itself
the Christ has never been oEtrrown. SO lorg as
one noble heart shall aspire to moral beauty 10
long as one elevated soul shall rejoice in The man
Hesitation Of the divine, the Chnst will retain wor-
shippers through the truly immortal part OF his
being. The local and national form will perish;
the Jewish, the Galilean costume, viii be LAID
aside with the swaddling-cioihes Of the infant
Jesus; but one part will abide; prophecies may
fail. tongues may cease, wonders may vanish away;
but the pure, wise, loving divine splnt OF Chnst
will endure for ever. Eternal truth aud beauty viii
be seen incarnate in this sublime name, quickcrins
the soul to love and alteration Of the living God.
Among the miscellaneous essays in thus volume,
the paper on William Ellery Claiming possesses
certain interest for rcalersin this county although
we think it fails to do justice to the eharacterof that
eminent divine, and TO the phasisOf American eul-
ture Of which he was a shining illustration. In the
opinion of NJ. Rcnan, the writings OF DR.. Claiming
display no literary ambition, and have not the
slightest protension TO art or style Nor can he be
deemed q man of science or u philosopher. He
lacks information and destitute of profound his
torical knowledge He has not the delicate feeling
for shades of thought which constitutes criticism;
he was prominently an honest mani but like all
men born for the practice of virtue rather than for
speculation he has few IDEAS and his ideas are very
simple AT the same time lie lacks high originality OF
sentiment. His intellectual culture, like that Of
Americans in general was AUuicd, without critical
knowledge without familiarity with the great CUES
lions that interest the human mind.
A more correct estimate of Or. Claiming, as ii
seems 70 MS would be founded on tine recognition Of
his place in period Of transition. With al innate
cautiousncss approaching almost the verge of men,
tai timidity, he had dread OF violent extremes.
Amid the conflicts Of opinion which marked the
time in which he lived, he kept a wetchiul eye
equally upon the future and tAe past lie was alike
hostile 10 the stagnant love Of tradition, and the
blind passion for innovation. Ayerse by nature 20
paradox 10 the exercise Of idle ingenuity and with
out spice of personal vanity, or the desire to gain
the reputation Of Originality, he was more addicted
to the simple search o truth than IN the indulgence
of bold theories. Still he was greatly in advance OF
his age. lie was the pioneer of ideas which have
since become tho inheritance Of a great multitude
of thinkers. Devoted 10 the cause Of human free
dom, De never failed to be his guard against its
abuses; vet he always gave a ready sympathy 10 the
foremost speculatons of his day. Prevented by il!
health from profound study after the period OF early
manhood il is true, that be was not technically
scholar: he made no claim TO erudition in any do
parmcnt Of eerning; but few men were really better
instructed, more fully imbued with the spirit OF
modern research or exercised finer wisdom In ap-
plying the truths of science TO the interests Of
humanity. His mind was perhaps intuitive
rather than reflective. lie delighted in the
lofty visions Of contemplation more than in
exact analysis; but native sobriety Of thought,
a rare clearness Of perception saved him from one
sidedness and extravaganza. lie learned much from
books but in spite Of the retired habits Of the in
valid, more from the intercourse Of man with man.
His convictions thus possessed singular koenness
and vitality. The qualities Of his intellect were re-
fined rather than SNOWY, expressing themselves in
serene wisdom instead Of fierce yigor, and nclining
always to business of thought rather than to bril-
liancy Of speculation. Presenting q strong con-
trast in temperament, in cultivation, in moral and
religious tone 70 NJ. Rcnan, 1t is certainly not
greatly 10 be wondered at that the sparkling
Frenclman should fail TO rightly appreciate the
modest but rare and genuine exccllcnccs OF his in
tcllcct and his character.
With regard to NJ. Rensn himself, the exam
ination Of the present volume confirms the i'm
pressons which We received from the perusal
Of the "Life of Jesus" He possesses q nat
ural aptitude for the pursuits Of the scholar
be he's a remarkable gift for tho acquisition