New-York daily tribune., 1866-01-04

names and dates, and other evidences OF slight
and unscholarlke performance Of an important
task. We will only allude in closing TO ono OF
two instances which are sufficient TO indicate
the quality Of the book as regards the minute &C.
curacv ,o essential to even the humbest place in
historical literature. The term Nationalist it ID
stated on page 9th, was applied By Comenius to the
Socinians in l6se; on the thirteenth page, 1t IL
said in a quotation from. Hahn that "Comenius
seems first to have used this word in l66l," which
ia probably correct the death Of Cemenius took
place at Amsterdam in 1911, seventeen yeBrs before
Mr. Hurst informs that he applied the epithet to
the Socinians. On point Of such great historical
interest il Is ludicrous To see such contradiction
occur within the space Of seven octave pages As to
I the precision with which names are cited, we find
John Arnd, the German pietist Of The seventeenth
century, and author Of the celebrated book entitled
"Tuo Christianity" invariably written Arndt;
Bruno Bauer, alluded to as editor OF Hegels Phi
losophy Of Religion" is made Bruno Baar, con-
founding his name with that of +. C.. Baur, the
founder Of the TUbingeu critical school; Edelmann
is always Edelmaa, in spite of invariable German
orthogTaphy; tho name of the author Of the Pos
tive Philosophy, Auruste Comte, is uniformly
mis- PEELED ComPte; the ilnstrious French states
man and philosopher, Royer-Collorl is travestod
into Roger Coard; Bilderdijk, the famous Dutch
poet, is anglicsed to Bildcrdyk, while Hugo Gro.
thus is now Grotius ard now De OIoot. The grea.
Locke whose work on the " ReasonableneH
of Christianity" is of standard authority among
theologans OF every name is confounded with
/ the English Dests, and is said to have discarded
the proof Of Christianity by miracles and supernat-
ural observations Sheftesbury is spoken Of as
" the disciple and follower OF Locke" while in fact
his once well known, but perhaps now almost for
gotten "Characteristics,' contain most eloquent
defense of ideali5m in opposition TO the philosophy
Of sensation maintained by Locke and with regard
to revealed religion, of which Locke was always u
consistent advocate, shGftesbury wGs Jealous
champion of iuhdclity. Tho assertion that "phi-
losophical Ra,ioullism in England commenced with
Samuel Taylor Colcridge" and that hissentiments
never partook Of an evangelical character until
near The close Of his lfe" we.eave to be settled by
Professor Shc3d. DR.. Cheeyer, and the disciples Of
the lato President Marsh, who have endeayored to
blend the system Of Colcridge with American or
L IlplpAN. ne lht'tl t"tf4 libA thhA ''i'lht'
timents did not partako Of an evangelical character
till near the close II lis hcis however, set aside
on the authority Of Mr. Huns. himself within few
pages OF his Gr,t statement. Mr. Coleridge died
July %, 1894. But We are informed by Mr. Hurst
that in his " Confession of Faith, written Noven-
Der 3, 1916 NOR, than eighteen years before his
death. he ayowslis adherence to some OF the
prime doctrines of revealed tmth.' He ecknowl-
edges mans fallen raturc," that he "is born a
child Of wrath. that Christ Jesus was the Word
which was with God from all eternity 'aDdassumed
human nature for the redemption of man. Mr.
Hurst has evidently placed hmsof.in an awkward
dilemma. For either Coerdgc held "cyangelical
sentiments nearly twenty years before bis death,
or his pdmoyil "phiiosophlcal Ratlonalism" has
strange resemblance 70 Calviniam. AZ oil events,
tho attempt ito determine the exact theological
position Of Cocrdge from bis own definitions is
unsatisfactory" as Mr. Hurst tells us; especially
We may odd, tho positive declaration that his SEN
tirnenis wore not evangelical till late in life.'
The great objec. Of the work we have had under
review is 70 guard the American Churches against
the si.althy aud insidious approaches Of Rational
ism. Not always however, it would seem, does
tho enemy appear in this furtiye manner. most
direct ami ontspoken organized attack Of American
Raiionalism on evangelical Christianity lately oc-
cured at our very doors in the city Of New-iork.
The leaders of the assault united in happy FRA
tcrnity from the different garrisons of Unitaanisin,
Uniycrsaism, and swedonborgiansm. Among the
foremost in the GiTray were the Rev. Drs. Osgood,
Bellows, Chapin, and rockingham BlrFott, Peters,
sf NJ
and other well known citizens 0. this community.
Nothing Mr. Hurst intimates, could have better
served the interests Of bold and unmitgated
system Of Rationalism.' The alarm thus sounded
from a trumpet. clearly not Of liver, appears for
nitablc, and might well cause al excess Of confu-
sion and trembling; stl NJ. Huist, as We have
seen, has no p,ctcnsions 10 inalhlity; and il his
description Of things at hand are IS deeply stained
with error ns of those afar or, wo may yet take
courage and continue, for a season. "s' ease in
Zion
THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER. JAsrAhr. New York
James Miller
For the space OF almost half q century the
"Chrstian Examiner" has been tho vehicle Of the
ripest thinking and the most refined culturo Of the
liberal scholarship of Massachusetts. Among its
editors have been several Of the most eminent d.
vines, as President Walker DR.. Greenwood, Mr..
William Ware, Dr.. Putnam, Dr. Hedge, Dr. Ellis,
| and Mr.. J. ii. Allen. II has numbered among its
contributors many Of tho most eminent American
writers, and has always been distinguished not only
for the breadth and freedom of It's gous ideas the
elevated character Of its ethics and its sound and
comprehensive learning, but for its admirable tone
Of criticism ia uniform good taste the purity and
frequent eloquence of its composition, and moro re-