New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-23

a man whose thoughts and life are pure. His most
powerful appeals are TO our honor our love of tho
good, our sense of right Less trne than Goethe to
HIS main speculation. he is more true to the moral
convictions of mankind.
DR.. Manning includes Theodore Parker among the
most vigorous representatives of free thought,
although as il seems TO us, he fails to make ont any
case of Panthestio tendencies in his writings In
deed, he does not pretend that Parker made any
open declarations Of Pantheism but argues that the
drift and tone of his thinking was in that direction
In proof of this he falls back upon certain theoreti
cal considerations which though ingenious. are not
conclusive Assuming that there can be but two
sources of philosophical infdelity. that all 1ree
thought has its logical ultimate either in Pantheisn
or Positivism Dr. Manning insists that as Theodore
Parker had lost his hold the authority OF ChTlst
and had no inclination toward Positivism, he must
necessarily have been imbued with Panheistic ideas.
The human mind. ne maintains, wlthont the re-
straining power Of Christian faith, steadily crawl
tates toward Spinoza or COmte Ii the original
bent is transcendental, il brings up WITH
Spinozs; if empirical, with Comte. But the genius
Of Parker was not empirical, but transcendental.
He found the germs of the absolute religion not III
the philosophy of the senses but in that OF con-
sciousneSs But there is a wide chaSm between this
fact and the inference of the author that his rehgi
Gus system was a form of Symbolism. This Is con-
tradiCted by the whole purport Of his writings, and
the tenor of his conversation. Indeed DIR. Manning
appears to have gained sense of the untenabeneSs
of his ground before he arrives at the close of the
discussion lie admits that Parkers religions theor-
izing may not have come to its logical conclusion.
and reduces his statement to the assertion that its
tendency was the same as that of SpinOh Hegel
and Emerson" Devotion to reforms. and regard
fnr ba NJ NVlO 81 nv a0VpT-
sity blocked the wheels of his logic that he never
clearly and openly reached the goal at which alone
he could legitimatoly stop
In discussing the character and tendency of Pan
thesm from more general point of view, DR.. Man
ming evinccs the discrimination and impartiality
which characterize his mind. and which are con-
spicuously displayed i'll the prevailing tone of his
volume. He deals in no wholesale dcnunciatiOns.
He makes no appeals to the preudices of the narrow
minded nor to the terrors of the timid He is en-
nenty fair in the representation Of opinions at va
rance with his own seeking to place forced
construction on the language of his opponents nor
using the controversial articles of dressing
up doctrine in disguise before proceeding to its
demolition. His arguments against the system OF
Pantheism are manly aud forcihle if not always
effective. He deals only in direct blows at the fore
head without the aid of lIehas evidently
"a
either directly IN the perusal of their works or i'll
directly in the calculations of their legitimate in
terpreers. His statements are addressed TO the
understanding of his readers. not to their ignorance
presumption. or religious bigotTy. Even those
whose sympathics are mainly with the writer's upon
whom he passes judgment will often he gratlhed by
the clear and attractive light in which he presents
their opinions and the admirable PASSAGES which he
selects from their books in illustration of their ideas
Although DIR. Manning subjects the doctrines of
Panthcism to a searching critical examination, yet
in fidelity to the principles with which he starts, of
recognizing the "halftruths' lhatlurk in erroneous
systems he does not fail to point ont the attractive
elements which have given it hold on n certain
class Of thinkers in every age. One Of tie chief
sources Of ITS power is the doctrine OF the divine i'm
manence This is the secret, TO great degree Of the
charm in the writings of Theodore Parker lie met
the divine in all things, and seemed to dwell in
an ocean of Deity. The apotheOsis of nature
was celebrated in his sermons, and especially
in his prayers. He thus TRANSPORTED the
whole world to thee imaginatiOns,of his disciples
who mistOok poetry for piety, and the cnchantmcnt
of their own minds for philosophy. The fascination
Of Goethe il Of a similar character. To him the
divine and the natural were the same Terminated
the universe with God. Under his treatment, the
world was made to take on a strange beauty. The
bich and the low were alike idcazcd and paintedas
q part Of universal nature until the reader rapt
IN an ecstasy Of worship The most delightful pages Of
Emerson are instinct with the same power lie pOnrS
a food Of divinity through the world But the charm
is dissolved when the immancncc OF God Is made
an cycuso for the wickcducss of man. The spell Of
rapture passes away; our minds cease from Their
ulnp and thc moral sen ncnts utter their strong
pfot,ri. Another source Of power in Panhcism,
accudiup 10 the author ~ the intellectual cmincncc
and IN some nstanccs. the moral purity of its mas
tcre Ncu often grow weary IN their search for i'm
mortal Truth and ,cldto The influence oian cnticng
| name.
While V" fully appreciate the tpit OF candor.
mud the comprehensive Judgments that mark this
volume We ought not 10 bc blind 10 ts defects rs
literary production. lbs statements Of opinion. III
many nptanccs we think are admirable, lucid, cN-
net aud mcstninR the lights aud shades Of doctrine
In true pcTepcotiyc The author haa peculiar rift in
shaping the fragments from the writings of an origi
nal thinker into syumctrlcal whole. aud inspiring
them with genuine vitality. But IN the statement
of his own ideas We often find ack of rigid logic.
ihourl never of fair play. His method not seldom
bocooa ,ceultory aud the course of hs reasoning *
disturbed hy irrelevant episodes. His cNcm-
siona Of tina nature hcfay full and active
mind hut do not speak =" well for his
faculty 81 profound and continuous thought.
A morn FCtlOu' doloot, nolNalS' u ms l'hu'u'! w
piece ont his argument hy appeals to sentiment II
Ia uksomc ~ the earnest seeker of truth 20 Toe IN
formed that hc must accept doctrine because II Is
favorahlct Ia the tucr emotions and inward rcpoSc.
Pence Of mind is doubtless good thing, hur the
peace at mind that comes from false perception Of
f,cts IL oulv a fools paradise We viii not take
l,avc of the author. howcycr IN fault finding
srint ls book is entitled To the high praise Of pre-
,crt,up novel specimen Of religious discussion in
thc rare Christian charity with which il treats the
.A-.-l - ..A...n ,,.,u.1.. lDnloDnlns Ii fhls