, 1874-11-22


vers,ty Of Tuebingen, but gave It up after
three seasions, in ordat to devote himself to his
work. The frat volume appeared in 1885. From
the day Of its appearance, Strauss position IN
history vus determined. His standpoint when
bin first Lite of Christ appeared Was that OF
Hegel's philosophy, and he had not entirely re-
fected the Christian religion, since he still maln-
tanned the doctrines OF tho Incarnation and tho
Atonement. Superior as 4 piece Of didaetio and
critical writing to anything which German Itera-
t,1e had yet produced; embodying al the
difficulties which destructive criticism had hlth-
erto prevented; captivatingly clear and sur
prisingly acuto, the book, on its appearance.
produced panic in the religious world. "The
heart spoke forth its serror at tho idea OF losing
its most sacred hope. the object OF its deepest
trust,-an historic Savior"
The yesr 1885. in which tho book WAS pub
lshed, w2s = Religions 1848. It made'uo con-
verts but it sent many back to Lutheran Ortho-
doxy; many others forward into Positivism,
pantheism, and Matetialism. The Tuebineen
scholars had been discussing what kind OF his
tory The Gospels we're. Strauss boldly asked !:
.tA1e they history at all ?" Ths Goapel-history,
be claimed, had lts origin In the jewish expecta-
ton Of Messiah. Tho prophecies we're to ba
fulfilled in him. Hence tho Gospel miracles.
Hence the miraculous life OF Christ An idea.
not An individual, was ths root and foundation Of
Christianity.
The publication of his book Of which new
editions rego rapidly called for, uecesstated
Strauss removal from Tuebingen. He accepted
position ~ preceptor In the Lyceum Of his mr.
tive town But his new occupation could not
please him long. Feeling himself + master in
philosophical criticism. he could not be
satisfied to confne himself. week after
week, to tbs instruction Of few scholars In the
clements Of learning. Besides, living in Lud-
wigbbu1g. he could not avoid his father. who
wonld willingly have resigned the honor Of being
the parent Of the author Of the Leben Jes1s.
Strauss accordingly left his native place and
went to Stuttgart, with the intention Of deyoting
himself exclusively to literary labors- New
editions of his work being called for, he took
occasion Of the demand to add to aud perfect it.
For time be undertook to defend the position
he had assumed In his work, and even to act
upon tho aggressive !: but, growing tired Of tho
dispute, he.wroto to his friend Zeller that, when
the third edition Of his book had come from the
press, he would have nothing further to do with
theology. And, indeed, for = number OF years
after this, he confined his attention to subjects
which had scarcely any theological Significance.
What his; views we're about 1840 may be
gathered from his F4edliche BldeRer and other
smaller works. He maintained that the hope
Of reward in another world was not, and should
not be, to = man, reason for doing good; that
reason could not afford us q ground fer balief in
Christ, eTon II our accounts Of Elm were his
toricalIy more certain than they are; that the be-
lief in redemption by suffering is not cqnsonant
with our ideas Of morality; that neither the
supernatural birth Of Christ nor His Divine
nature could be reconcilsd with cur vsys Of
thinking; and that the worship OF Genira was
the only ono which tho modern man could tol-
erata. He still, however, clung to = modified
belief In Christ; and maintained that, inasmuch
Is men would never be without religion, inso-
much thsy would neEer be without Christ; that
the less re hold to opinions and to dogmas, the
more will We hold to Christ Al tho highest ex-
pouens OF religion ~ Him without whose
presence in our minds 10 perfect piety ia pos
sible.
Strauss frequently felt his isolation from al
men, aud therefore hailed with delight his Ap-
pointment 10 Professorship in the University
Of Zurich By the Liberal Government. His
pleasure, however, Vac Of short duration for
the people rebeled against the action Of the Gov
4tQR60Es x1U ku9 u14u46tHI9 k1tlAa5AF9a AaA w
sign in consequences. For time after thus,
Strauss felt himself N outc2st in = world which
had no place for him In this Way he had to
make atonemept for his early SUCCEEDS. To the
pain caused him at this period by his conscious
ness OF "moral uselessuess," Was added that
produced by the death Of his mother. Two years
later, III 1871. his father died He now removed
to Stuttgart, whore he lived simple md retired,
:. I. .1.5 t.xf an14 l.;
taate,-his sole recreation being walk. . yisitto
the theatre, or thh intercourse Of his friends,
Tho results of his labors during this period Was
his Glanbens Lehrx, the frat volume Of which ap-
pea1ed in 1910, the second in 1871. After this,
although he wrote little, it WAS without any
zest- He even remarked to friend thai to n1ite
be must be provoked TO it By anger.
Shortly after the appearance Of tho last
named book, Strauss mot Agnese schebert, an
acsress Of great beauty aud talent. He ras
married to hor at Hei1bronn, in 1842. in the
presence Of = few friends. This marriage was
not happy one. While bachelor, Strauss
could find no oongeniI occupation outside
Now he had no peaco At home. His wife aud
himself had contracted marriage not made in
heaven; and, after five yehrs Of endeavor. to get
a!ong together, they separated, and Strauss again
became W2nQeTafs remaining Ii DO oue P13c8
longer than few years- LII bis happiness Was
conferred in his two children, whou his wife had
left him,-a boy and girl.
In 1864, after Strauss had been silent on
theological questions for quarter Of a century,
be published revised edition Of his book, for
the German psople- In this book he Is An out |
and-ont Rationalsk and Deist Ibis position very
much Altered from what it had been in 1885, and |
sven in 1840.
Finding little companionahip among his con-
he reverted back into the past for |
sympathy, and studied with unbounded pleasure
The lives of his great precussors,-J Rel |
maurns, author OF the Wolfenbuttel Frag- ]
ments;" Ulrich Won Hutten, and Voltaire. |
These were tho companions Of his aocial banish-
nent These occupied him at intervals for \
long series Of years.
Radical - Strauss WAS in religion in politics |
be was IN extreme conservative. OF universal |
suffrage he Was q constant and consistent oppo-
aent When be Was sent to the Parliament Of !
frankfurt, in 1348, he Was always arrayed against
.ha neonIe and On the side OF the clergy and the |