New-York tribune., 1871-09-08

cesseless evolution The endless, Transformation Of uu-
known primeva forces The fatal defect In every form
of this argument is that they all profess to reach
necessary conclusion But the notion OF necessity is
logical notion OF the intellect It exists In thought alone
Hence, whoever would escape from that ideal sphere
must forego the evidence OF necessity Real existence
synonymous with necessary existence For
necessary existence Is always ideal Is reached by
formal process. 1t lie the product Of pure thought
III. The theological argument which from the marks
OF design the universe infers the existence OF de-
signing mind. This is the stock argument OF British
natural theology In Illustration Of which whole libraries
have been written. As Kant remarks "it Is the Oldest
clearest aud the most adapted TO the ordinary human
intellect" But the objections TO this mode of proof are
almost innunerable Even admitting Its validity to
certain extent il falls short Of the conclusion which at
temps to reach For the effects which examines, and
from which infers cause, are finite while the cause
1t is infinite But the infny Of the cause can
be no valid inference from indefinite number Of finite
effects. At the utmost only reach artacer, not
creatOrnne who anged the phenomena OF the world
the originator Of s substancethe architect OF the
cosmos the maker OF the There is no m
alogy between human artisan arranging finite mech
anism and divine creator originating world Nor Is
there any parallel between the method Of nature and the
process OF mechanic, working according to plan Inc
only real parallel woud be perception by sense OF
world slowly evolving from chaos, according to plan
TO infer producer only after having similar pro-
duct formerly produced. But the product which sup
plies the basis Of this argument Is unique ana nhpara
ellcd. "a singular effect" as 1t has been cailed
by Hume, whose reasoning on this point mas
never been successfully assailed. The argument
from design applies TO the arrangements, ana NOT
TO the origin OF the universe, and is therefore worth
less as proof Of an Infinite Creator The only valid IN
ference from the phenomena OF design would be that or
phenomenal first cause. The inference OF personal
Divine Agent the mechanism OF the universe Is un
authorized no link between the traces or mlnd
that are discprned nature and agent who produced
them The divine personality thus remains nnattested'
Sor can oven martial validity be conceded to the argu
ment The phenomena Of design not only fail to lead us
TO personal First Cause but they conne us within the
network observed designs and do not suggest the e1
,tence being detached from these designs and there
fore able to modify them with an infinite reserve o
power These designs point only 10 mechanical agency
working in fixed FORMS according to prescribed law
Thc phenomena Of universe do not in the least s
ses an agent exterior to themselves We are not war
raned in aScIbing the arrangements OF means 10 ends
in Nature to anything supernatural These arrange
ments as far know, may be due to principle OF
life muanent in Nature, the eternal evolution and de-
yelopmrnt of the world itself. Thus the theological
argument must he pronounced faacous 1t is isve as
well as incomplete to admit its relevancy
IL would afford no basis for worship or the recognition
OF the Being which it nfers. The conception OF the
Deity as workman, subordnating moral character to
skill in contrvance could never lead to reverence OF the
alteration OF the architect.
". and V. The arguments from intuition ana the
moral nature Of man. These afford the only impregna
bic grounds for belief in the existence OF the DIVINE
Being. The God OF thcism Is no inference from phe-
nomena hut postulate of intuition Although we can
not reach him by any of induction from the facts
OF the universe do so by giving intuition OF the
soul free scope rise towards its The theist can
not be dsodged his position except by proving that
this intuition whose root springs from region beneath
phenomena, and which in its flight outsoars phenomena
baseess dream The scientific principle OF the cor
relation forces which is entitled to rank as one OF the
greatest Of modern discoveries demands archetype
for the various types which manifested In the phe-
nOmena the universe This archetype must he sought
not IN nature but in man not in the lower plane OF
cosical forces bat in the human WILL the root OF our
personality 1t s only through the consciousness OF force
within ourselves that we have any ntelgible notion OF
it in nature Our personality supplies US with the
archetvpc of which we search. We thus throw the
plank between and nature We interpret the latter
by the former the Hence the discovery OF
correlation Of forces and the conservation OF energy
becomes the scientific equivalent Of the doctrine OF
philosophical theology that ore Supreme viii pervades
the universe The moral nature of man, moreover
affords direct attestat to the same doctrine The
moral law within is the index OF another power q
higher personality from which 1t eanafs anu o WHOSE
character it the expression This law carries with II
u
clearness with which the infinite s given as
the correlation OF the finite.
The course Of reasoning pursued by the writer In the
British Quarterly" of which we have given brief and
imperfect but we trust ntel be summary II set forth
by one of prominent scientific physicists OF the day.
would arouse a OF hostility and Indignation In
another age might have doomed the author to the
fago or the scaod. The conflicts OF science have called
forth few more revolutionary productions. 1t places the
common faith of humanity basis which shrewd, prac
tcal thinkers accustomed to stignatze as visionary
and romantic The ideal instincts Of the SOUL although
serving as basis for transcendenta speculatons and
suggestive OF pure and lofty philosophy, like that OF
Plato CudwOrth Nchte, Jacob and Emerson, find little
favor among the hard and prosac realities OF modern COM
mon sense II the conclusions Of this writer are correct
the doctors OF divinity must change the character OF their
tactics The ancient landmarks must be surrendered as
untcnabe, and firm foohOld for religion must be es
tablished Oh new base One may be curious TO know
what manner Of reception will be given to so radical
theory from so orthodox source. But whatever opin
ion may be formed of the doctrine maintained by the
writer no one can fail to recognize his rare power OF
analysis the ptess of his logic and the depth and
subtety Of his philosophical insight as well as his pro
found religious and the and excellence
of spirit article in the Review forms almost
solitary monument in recent periodical literature