New-York tribune., 1872-04-09

ho n u
the reader which we hope will bo supplied in tho re-
naming volumes.
THE INFINITE AND TIIR FIHITB nv TuEoPnmus Parsons
anu i2mO. pp io6 Roberts Brothers
The literary accomplishments which are
brought by Mr. Parsons to the eiucdhtoh Oh .io oOo
trines OF Emanuel swedenborg will command an interest
onono cultivated readers even II they without sym
notIv with the religious teachings OF tho Now Churoh'
Tn tho treatment of subject Mr. Parsons aims NJ tno
problem of presenting the peculiar system Oh thcoio9 70
which c "a attached attractive light to thinkers WHO
ore imbued with the spirit OF modern science Tic makes
NO nppcal TO the authority of his MASTER but enae'orS
IN demonstrate that his revelations are IN accorucc
with The conclusions Of right reason, and are hehce
worthy OF acceptance by every intelligent MIND. In his
yiew the test of truth Is spiritual INTUITION rather ~
external authority, and he accordingly strives 70 pre-
sent It In form tlat shall challenge inc spontaneous
assent of the highest intellectual faculties Hence MS
satements are usually of original character bearing
the decided rr.6ss Of his mind, the frut OF MS
own mature reflection and Judgment aithough tncy may
coincide with the results arrived at py thinkers
OF an earlier day. His doctrine OF creauon' ior in
stance is at war with the prevalent conccptoi Vi
the Church. and would naturally shock the rcader Vi
limited compass OF thought. The totay OF Des' rays
Mr. Parsons, consists Of creator and crcated bu' no
creator whom we will call God, did not create out OF
nothing II what he created consisted OF nothing !.
would be nothing God therefore created from hlniSci
and is himself tho substance OF all that eXSs lor no
created all things from his substance ana Is IN al
things that are Although the author alleges hat ths
oncen,iop s rot omen to tho charge OF Panthesn nas-
mucb as II supposes the existence OF God prior 10 Inc
creation OF the UNIVERSAL priority WHICH Ho CN-
plains as q priority In degree ana in natuIc-Dut
not priority in time, 1t Would DO dlHicuit
to show the difference between 1t and the Infinite Sub
stance Of Spnoza tho theory Of creation set iorth
with such singular force Of expression by victor COUSIN
In unfolding the doctrine greater length Mr. Parsons
appears unconsciousy the ground OF the phil
osoplers lust named. Although, he contends the ere
eted universe and especially are perfectly distinct
from God fhev are no less dependent him for their
continued existence than they were for their creation
at the beginning of their being The eternal ana infinite
hear no relation 20 space and tine Creation ID work
that is never completed but tho constant everpreseh
product Of an ever-ereating, everimmanent GOd our
whole being-every part and clement Oh our peng-S
perpetual gift We do not by the light which came
TO us Yesterday do VIC live to-day by the sht whch
came TO us Yesterday We always by the light Which
comes now, and VIC live always by the lie winch
comes now Every feeling and every Thought comes 10
us from the Source OF fe at the moment OF It's posses
son Whether not this doctrine be as souhd as IL Is
beautiful do not undertake TO decide but IL certainly
finds no less forcbe illustration in the metaphysics OF
spinoza and the poetry OF Goethe than in the transl
cent prose of the author-Wit lard to the connection
of his views OF this point with the latest conclusions OF
! physical science, Mr.. Parsons presents q series
| of sngulary felicious expositions The material
universe he regards the euence Of the Infinite Sub
stance of the Creator. The totally OF being consists OF
God who Is Being himself and the source OF all being
of spiritual substance created by him, and of mate
| rial substance created by him. The material sub
stance is created for the of spiritual being but OF
what this substance is in ITSELF irrespective OF the sen
sations which it produces know absolutely nothing
But the most important recent discovery OF natural
science shows that all the forces Of Nature, electric mag
netic or actinc, heat and light, and even motion ITSELF
| are but the manifold forms OF o single iorce. The
| complete comprehension OF this new TRUTH
| says AIr. Parsons will extend its application
| upward until it embraces every thought and
affection all the life and activities OF the spiritual world
and finally, the infinite energies of God. The eternal
love of the Creator is the primary, original FORCE which
manifested in every form being and which is deter
mined In its manifestation by the inmost nature OF The
things which its forms and fills, which 1t forms for that
purpose and fills with that efect."-But We have no
space TO follow Mr. Parsons in his fruitful suggestions
| on only one or two OF which We have merely touched
His volume abounds with luminous expositions. Of d.
dactc rather than dogmatc character furnishing large
material for thought although they do not pretend to
complete system Of truth The style Of the author
have heretofore had occasion to remark possesses
a charm that is rarely found In the productions Of
theology. Always betrayng high degree OF literary
scientific culture is absolutely without pre;enson
the graces Of polished composition with col
loQuia and simplicity and above all is pervaded by
to writing than depth Of thought originality Of
conception In this respect Mr. Parsons presents an ad
mirabe example of the religious school to which he be-
longs the manner Of whose writer's ia often charm
ing lend persuasion to their words even when the
| intellect Is not subdued by their arguments
| CYCLOp -DIA oY EfBLICAL THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLEsI
AST1CAL LITERATURE Prepared ~ the Rev. JOHN MctLI
j.. d., and JAMES STRONG, D. L. d. Vol w. sVo pp W.
| Harper x Brothers.
| The present volume, embracing the letters II.
Live suppose just half completes this great undertaking.
Before 1t was finished the death Of Dr. McCllnock took
place. and Dr. Strong his associate, here pays apprO
pirate tribute to his memory His loss was great, but
rreparabe. This fourth volume Is prepared with
the same care and marked by the characteristics
which distinguish those which preceded it, 1t contains
something than 1900 separate articles with about
pictorial illustrations. These articles have been fur
nshed by seventy different writer's not few of
whom of the highest culture in their respective
denominations. The rule appears to haze been that
every phase of thought should be set forth by who
represent that phase Hence, while the editors Of this
areM Methodfsfe n third OF contributors