New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-23
BOSTON RADICAL CLUB.

NETTING FOR FEBRCARY-THE REV. SAM LONG
FELLOW ON THE UNDERSTANDING IN RLLI-
GION-DIsCUssION BY MR.. ALCoIT, DR.
BARTOL, Mr., WEISS, MR. POWELL AMI
OTHERS.
rprou A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OP THE TRIBUNE
Rosrov. Feb. 2O.-NIr. Abbot's discOurses on
the God OF Science and tho Darwinian philosophy
were succeeded, at yesterdays Radical Cluo' ny
their III antldote in essay by the Kew. sainuei
Iongfellow, on the peace Of God when paSse'h
Understanding" Understanding IL certainly III 10
danger OF being undervalued in this age 1t Is
developing the resources Of the material "Orlu'
huildng railroads BRIDGES. linking continents py
telegraph wires carrying all the multiplied activities
Of our outward life. This, moreover, Il the age OF
science and Of physical science the understanding s the
instrument and organ. What wonderful world OF
science II has built up It destroys susperston cheeks
fanatcisu kpeps feeling within bounds Yet remains
re that there are seas this plumme Of the understanding
cannot fathom the deepest and most precious reales
Of life are beyond ts ken. 1t has 10 DO with what PM
losophers call the phenomenal the contingent the con-
dtoned but with the Infinite, the Eternal, the ADso-
ute IL has nothing do II know the actual which IL
can see touch measure but IT has no place for the
ideal II has outsght but insight The understand
ing never painted great picture or nodded greaO
statue or wrote poem. And how the mere under
standnr or practical compass the idea OF Duty
II ran give us no ground for virtue save calculation OF
ia rewards To its reckoning OF loss and gain martyr
dor, eczema folly and recanting Calico wiser man
tban suffering Huss or cruced Jesus. II reduces love
n heat of the blood affection TO motion OF the nerves
II expains benevOlence as unitarian calculation OF
resuits 10 ourselves or others raining 'huS
IN take cognizance Of human affections, what can
Il report OF religion What can 1t know OF
sancv and awe OF holy aspiration and revereDt trust
In world where the senses and the understanding dis
cover nothing but finite and imperfect things where
pain and misery and wickedness abound 70 reiute lhe
Inference OF any supreme Justice or love- wha eau the
understanding do with the faith, and trust ana nope
which have shone through the darkness OF all ages but TO
ceeut them az primal facts OF our being 10 Dc received
on their own evidence and reasoned from, not reasoned
N LET II attempt 10 explain religion rom lts point Oh
view 10 examine II with It's own Instruments vi o"'
and what do we have result Either II gives US an
idea OF God ~ a mighty mschanlcian, VINO uiaae tue
pvord with his hands or his word at certain fixed
epoch OF the past who resides apart from H. governing
IL by his WILL interfering with its affairs py specia
proydeuces and sending prophets ON the earth lfom
time 10 time 70 explain his devious ways ana prove ~
mower BY miracles or else II declares renslon W
superetition born Of fear-or juventy OF the worm
yorth a, n tves us for God Of Science the Unity and
permanence OF Force in the universe q matter Inero
IL IN the life Of the sonl deeper knowledge Anu 'n0
axnartences OF sanity souls OF the sanity moments
of an souls properly verified, are the iacts upon
Mr. Abbot wac not there. aud there seemed 70 De no
one present who cared TO ft up ms soies snts and
sage dscoursed rather than discussed MI Aco ,hs
thai II we have for stock In housekoepins oZ
nnd. which deals with facts emitting ianry
and ina and the sweet subtle senee -, N ~
s may cet bread meat, indeed; but we aok s
diyinil.s life Instinct includes all the faculties N s
Sryo the instincts branch out the tree OF Ire
IT Hartol remsrked that the essay brought up tne
question between the idealsts OF
aliss and nlateralists There something Hs,cn
ihan observation-disclosures. Where there Ia no ~
the people perish We are not altogether ut
IT, perceptions OF the senses else msas
The insect with million eyes know more than We VINO
-, n mnteriaIsm srrayed against III
tniiiona ism shall we not gay on one SIDE unders'S'
| Lut an the other, upper-st&ndluR . - -. -.h,ah
NJ Wees told OF Little part VI the human ear when