New-York tribune., 1871-09-08
rHR BRITISH QUARTERLY REVIEW. July Leonard
Reprint.


The paper on "Theism" which occupies a
large space in this number cannot fail to arrest the at
enon Of the student Of speculative theology especially
a. II comes from quarter of such unquesonaDle and
aecdcd orthodoxy In the present condition OF natural
theology in England the writer insists. there nothing
sreditable to the critical insight OF the British mind
There has little earnest graphing with the problem
in the light Of the past history o. op1Mons ana ira
atonary proofs been relied upon with peril
pne compaccncy The majority Of theoogians trust TO
m utterly futile and treacherous argument from what
has long been termed final When beaten from
that field by the rgOr of thought and the march OF SCI
snce the refuge that taken in our moral nature s no
ess insecure while the character Of the argument for
the existence of God drawn from conscience suffered
TO remain In obscuty which has always shrouded IT,
The writer divides the proofs Of the Divine Being into
ave classes most Of which. he afnrms are absolutely
poverless to establish the ransceudnt fact which they
profess TO teach.
l. The ontOogical proof set forth especially by An
,em and Descares, which argues from the subjective
notion of God in the human mind TO bis objective exist
,nce This proof always had peculiar fascination
Tor speculative thinkers 1t would accomplish much II
II were only valid 1t would be powerful II it were only
conclusive But II demonstration had been possible, this
argument would have carried conviction to the
majority of thinkers long Tho historical failure,
Aoweyer has been signal. In every FORM In which it
has been presented. it is altogether begging OF the
question 1t reasons from the necessary notion OF Goa
70 his necessary existence. purely subjective neces-
ty OF the reason is carried from within and held to be
conclusive in the realm Of objective reality But the
Very essence Of the problem b the discovery OF passage
from the notions Of the intellect TO the realities OF the
apverse We have no right identify the two' and as
tume the existence Of the one as demonsrave OF the
vher The argument in order to show any pretensOns
10 validity must prove that the notion though neces-
,ary in thought has real counterpart In the realm OF
things 1t passes thought to things as 1t passes
tn
.opst rest coutented with an ideal conclusion deduced
krom it's ideal premiss Accordingly the only valid
~ the ontoloccal argument systemOf absolute IDEAL
rm OF which the theological corollary is psntheism
But a. this the Deity the argument undertakes TO
,each IL must be pronounced illogical throughout
H. The genealogical argument which infers the exist
suprene sefexisent from the fact OF the
xisence OF the world by the application Of the principle
Sf causaty The germs Of this argument are found IN
the scholasc philosophy though Its elaboration was ert
20 the rst second periods OF the modern era lntne
Anal cumming up 1t reduced to the thesis III the con-
nneent cxiss the necessary also exists Myself tne
world the objects Of seuse, are contingent exstences
and there must be cause Of these which cause must
,lso be an effect Go back, therefore, TO the
aanse Of that cause, snd 70 ns cause again.
ron Wi finally rise First Cause and thus escape from
the contingent 10 the neceAsay" But this argument
no lea falacious than the onteoea We are not war
,~nted In the that because We cannot think out
anna q first cause. The assumption OF an uncaused
s.nse after we have mounted the steps Of the ladder
Df nnite agency just AS Illicit as s It's assumption while
are stsndinR on the fret rSand Of the ladder. In
rosuR the cbaSm the LONG series Of dependent
sAoueuces and the uBCrested cause, the speculative
reason takes wing, and -suddsniy scales tne hgnI
urtfve course 1t crosses by an unknown pain 70
:, unknovn nource assumed to be necessary. But tbs
.s.rmpt,ou IL mere leap in the dark BY the observe
,top Of what IT, or what has been. We merely ascend
baekvsrds in tIme through the eveEchansns forms OF
,hsooep.I energy but we can never reach IN infinite
an uncsusoA source. That reesrveA for the nEns
ths .pseuluve reAsOs vAiDy ssArins into tne
beyond the very atmosphere OF thought Easu'e ',n
~ra.,n, : t.,htnIe.. snyss telling nothing OF its
eeree and Ubtther II tis stin tAs fountais head Of
,u.erutabIe mystery, witch OTersAsdoWs ana over
mA.tes u.s. Ru anTshaDE in tins argument 70 tDe
satsaEy thS ulavssss nay hsve bssn sssrna
a sz3mnss wi,Ata taesak - u hislaU sDA s@s