New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-07


and ever small be- Il not considered as Motley in his
that the belief in the uniformity Of nature
Is not principle OF such intellectual rigor
as to exceptions and. stn moro injurionsy for the
Christian cause IL not considered that the reign OF
order which the exclusion OF Divine Wo
stamp with dismal and eternal uniformity; NO's .hat
revelation Il in tho highest and pes, se1se m ~
and indication OF law, thstGnding tho ~ ghe
atheist the pantbeis and the moral skeptc must adj
init, and with which living 600 IN Woso 'noaoted
eregn and righteous win is included may oe pes in
TO deal and Notwithstanding that the highest nags
philosophy even OF such OppoNe heuop' shiiity and
crodiIig ~ noirlcics positiOn which IL taken WIN
less decision by equally enheu iO, ratr5,ce ~
neTV can DD 90 10 e~ctng miracles lies deep at the
foundation OF much OF our current unDoii' - ,o Ia
.ran1cd Nth b.fo-n revelation can be received ~
ia NOT allowed that any thing has Deen ~ NJ, I,den
econs of Hume this point. The essay Oh M ttb
Powell nm Essays and Revue VS." simply realuims WIN
prolonged utterance the uniformity O ~, see how
present science reveals It, But IL - III ~ ,ticDaI
minds not strictly fixed on the conlessoIy , -
character OF miracles and on inc uJll'u " 90 -rjsd
scqn rxceptons not less than rules may DC ctrIleu
away by the appearance of absolute uniformity anu o
this ground may wildly refuse Christ as Eo'ei''OH ~
In thus rtpresenng the prejudice against revelation
as the prevailing intellectual habit OF our !les SnSu
generates indley may seem 10 some TO De OVeii0o-
ing the Intellectual difficulties IN CHRIST hlnsoi WndJ1,
when looked At from onesded point oi Wy" e
edlv strengthen the previous bias against " Ihero az
such doctrines at tho Trinity ana tne Sl
probably to the mere intellect are Tue & dGi,ni,ss
though undoubtedly they have some aaysrSe Iai,
aoetnst an1 reveIation They are in some respects
nero continuation OF that original 0llcuty uuu II vo
overcome they do not emerge difficulties since Is
stlV feIt 10 be revelation which really Is ana must
involve thngs as incOmprehensDle as lne ua ~ az sy
granted of religion And hence In point OF taQt
where revelation as q pOstulae or amino granted the
hardest mysteries of Christianity are gehera reI9sou
and the other Unitaransm, which less Iogicay aloMeu
revelation and excluded the Trinity and the lncarna-
tiOn with the other mysteries OF ChflSt ms Oi soe
time been approximately more ana more WIN the
continental ratiOnalIsm, TO the entire negative OF
revelation in genuine and etectual sense WhateEeI;
III. Ifnow turn to the moral class OF pIelu1,,ces
against Christ which either neuraze the force OF lts
other evidences, become the sources OF poSltSo O
lection 10 1t and the causes OF us ODecOn We s All
lind them be Of character, but pernapsa
reducble classes on, such FEELINGS ana hsimehLs
morally wrong in themselves a1u w suCn & u
aud sentiments right in Themselves nut ere
wrongly directed against Christianity. We m4y can
these the darker and the brighter OIL 'no iloiS' po
dlspOsng causes OF nndenty. 49,.
III To the darker class of moral preJudlSes agllnst
Christianity revelation we must reter tioss shIu'
lusts and passions which Christianity 50 stfonEly con
dennis. No doubt many un6eheyeTs nave Desh ana gre
men Of outwardy pure ana ueceIt Ihe h ~ 20 49,
true that muttudes or nominal Chrstlhus nave hoI
been urged TO inhdey by the oye Oh l9fo!9d9n
indulgences which they cherished or disphAed' Bun
the natural landingplace Of al SIN whlcl Chilstlan3
denounccs Is open rejection ofiis authority ana ~ NOu
be aecatOn and false charity 10 conceal the uee tuat
as ia other ages IN our own, vast masses arc Io
cptated tus result by their conscious honc0hlOrm
ity 20 the Christian standard lhe lhhumetaDe ~
and trangressIOns by when The moral state Oh tIe
Continent Of Europe and also OF Great BIltA1 ana
America is defoT1ned furnish soil in which unbe0f IN
Christianity together with atheism maerialism and
denial Of Judgment 10 come must arise as me Tenea ~
doctrine OF license N practice nor Is tHe eH'. 10
confined TO The less educated soctOh % sOcey AS ~
the last century, so IN inc presethanies vi
ing place IN the world Ot letters. anu 5opaltDeu uJ
strong disIyowals from all distnellFey ChIiaiian
belief, have revealed in their hycs the secret OF tEs
antagOnsm, and nave shown now lhpossiolo II III
the Christian demand OF selfcruchNlon 10 meet IN ther
case with anything but violent antatly ana recon.
Where the reception OF christianity nAy ny 10 Oh
strnced by the prevailing tendencies OF human
nature hnderance not less iormldabe Is Iouhu III our
day always, by the protest OF Auuan pflae aEast
scheme humbng and adverse 10 every IoIh OF SELF
righteousness This the Pharsac as the other IS the
Sadducean, origin or unbeef Tue heod OF IeFeiaton
involves reflection on the Inherent capacities OF our
nature present state, which Is not easily borne
aud the whole structure OF genuine Christianity lnclud-
ing as IL does such stupendOus provisions Tor the par
don OF guilt aud the renewal OF the soul by the atone
ment OF Christ and the grace or te Holy sphltdemands
such RECOGNITION of the deadly evil or sin ana the
lost condition Of world or sinners as Is
most unwelcOme and mOrtfyng 10 human
pride Hence Peaganism is an everlecursnt
corruption Of Christianity, and where 1t exists,
as II Ways does beyond the Christian pale 70
profile source OF mddey. In our own times there Is
much that specially iavOrs these Pcdganlzug tendon
ces The advance. rapid and wonderful, Of science
and art and progress Of education and diffusion Of
literature tine selias5erOn by long Oppres sed nation
aities of their rights and liberties, the approximation to
commercial aud political unity or the human race, all
foster the idea OF mans inherent capacity and 10
moral regeneration, irrespective Of Christianity. The
| dream OF independently morality mas countenauce
Theories OF spiritual development more exaggerated
and fictitious by far than these OF physical Development
are accepted The march OF Intelligence or tho rey0lu
tIOnaTy impulse IS 10 make al things new MEANWHILE
the sad humbng aspects Of the nineteenth century
hideous vices and crimes, its luxury selshness and
creed, set against paupers dcbasement and dis
content its wars and international feuds with evorin
creasng conscrptons and standing armies - are over
looked The remedial influence Of Christianity IN abat-
ing many of the evils Of the century ana acceeratng
best triumphs is dsregarded The very victories OF
the Gospel claimed as the evidences or the needless
OF revelation. The stones from ITS quarry are
allied chief place in tho temple OF reason and the
Christ of God Is converted into the GROWING witness OF
the inherent capacities Of and the leader in the
of natural periectbty. However We may rejoice
the progress OF the nineteenth century, this perverted
application OF IT, in aggrayating the natural reluctance
accept divine remedy for sin and evil is most deeply
TO be depOred. 1t is proclamation Of the same kind
when the Roman Empire, proUdentialy raised up TO
prepare the way Of Christianity, was served heir by
J0sephus 70 all the prophecies OF the Messiah 1t il
fresh ygrhcatOn OF the words profound and arreac
ing, which prove their author to be no mere human
teacher but Divine Healer "Ihey that be whole need
rot physician, but they that are sick"
As moral intolerance 10 the reception OF Christianity
on the abated sense Of the obligations OF truth which
unbelieyers s indicate. Christianity has exalted be-
yond all parallel IN ITS successive maryrologies the alb
sOlute claim OF truth on the human conscience. But
while IL would be uncandd 10 deny that some unbeev-
displayed also sefsacrce and while tho
penal laws against unbelief which disgraced Chris
tan statuteDOORs may be pleaded as some for
the suppression OF convictions adverse to Christianity 1t
also be commended that the history Of unbeef
whole has been barren OF manly and ayowed confession
and fertile OF I'M huatOns IN words, ana accommodation
Christian phraseoogy, almost without precedent
literature bnch state OF nhd IL not open To Christian
Hgnt anu eNutIct Inc ubent anu almost adlnlIlng
strain in which Rome treats Lords alleged accom-
mOdatlJn 10 jewish errOfs reveals an ODnqny
paDegyrst which units for all genuine apprecation
and the appeal 10 the skeptcal among the French clergy
suppress their doubts and keep their places indicates
moral paralysis on which the sublime appeal OF Chris
tany 10 fOTsake all for truth and for Christ can fall
with no quckening power. IL is but fair to add that
from this degradation OF truth the stOca nature
OF Strauss Teo aud that unbeever OF age Is
OutspOken and resOlute; still the widespread re-
taxation OF this supreme law Is without doubt great
hnderance 10 the acceptance OF the gospel and the an
gud and shallow waters of that indineTeutisrn which
OverspTead much Of the ancient territory OF faith
also sprung from this source.
2. If now speak OF tho less consurabe moral prelu-
dices which give rise to unbollof snail find them
think chiefly in tendencies TO make too much OF sup
posed deyatiOns OF Christianity, either In the mere fact
its being revelation, IN It's special doctrines and
records, frOm those moral laws and principles which
pure theism nculcates. The Christian advocate never
can cOncede that these deyatOns made out or can
be suppOsed % DO without some working Of