The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-11
Che Rutland Daily Glube.
JOHN STUART MILL.
THIRD PAPER
HIS RELIGIOUS VIEWS.


facts. In the fist place he had peculiar
ly receptive mind; that u.s. ne was infu-
enced to an unusual extent by the persons
with whom lie associated. This is seen in
the fact, that his views changed with each
new acquaintance. Thus, his first &C.
quaintances were Benthamites, and we
| find him Jealous advocate of the great
est happiness" theory. Then, little later
he fell in with st. Simon and his co-work-
ers, and became socialist, and,
still later, meeting with Comte, he en-
braced in the main, the views of the
postivists.
Now, it will readily be seen that per-
son with tins cast of mind could he mould
ed almost at will by a man of such decided
convictions as Mr.. Mills father.
Then, if we remember that most of his
father took special pains to educate him in
his own views, and to guard him against
everything like religious influence, we shall
not be surprised at his future infdeity
But upon this point Mr.. Mill shall speak
for himself lie says
at would have been wholly inconsistent
with my fathers ideas of duty, to
allow me to acquire impressions
contrary to his convictions ana teel-
| ings respecting religion
And again ut will be admitted that
man of the opinions, and The character
above described, was likely TO leave
strong moral impression on any mind prin-
cipally formed by him, and that his moral
teaching was not likely to err on the side
Of laxity or Indulgence
Thus, it will he seen that statement of
of the relSious views of Mills father will
not only embody hi, own, but in the main
account for them.
Upon this point he says My father
educated in the creed of Scotch Presbyte-
rlanism, had by his own studies and retlec
tions been early led to reject not only the
belief in Revelation, but the foundations of
what is commonly called Natural Religion
His aversion 10 religion; III the sense
same kind with that of Lucretius, lie re-
garded it with the feelings due not to a
mere mental delusion, but Ia great nI,a"l
evil. He looked upon 1t as the greatest
enemy of morality first, by setting up
fictitious eXcellencies-belief in creeds, de-
votiona feelings, and ceremonies, not con-
nected with the good of human kind-and
causing these to be accept as substitutes for
genuine virtues but above all, by radically
yitiating the standard Of morals making
it consist in doing the will of being, on
whom it lavishes indeed all the phrases of
adulation, but whom in sober truth it de-
picts as eminently hateful.
This ne Plus ultra of wickeAness he consid-
cred to be embodied in what is commonly
presented to mankind ms the creed of Chris
tanity.
He thought human life poor thing at
best, alter the freshness of youth and UNI
satisfied curiosity had gone by. This was
topic upon which he did not often speak,
especially, it may be supposed, in the
presence of young persons; but when he
did, it was with the air of settled and pro-
found conviction. He would sometimes
say, that it life were made what it might
be, by good government and good educa-
ton. it would be worth having but he
never spoke with anything like
enthusiasm even of that posi-
bility. lie used 10 say, that
he had never known happy old man, ex-
cupt those who were able to live over again
in the pleasures of the young. For pas
sionate emotion of all sorts, and for every
thing which has been said OF written in
exaltation of them, he professed the great
est contempt. He regarded them us form
of madness. "The intense was, with him
bye-word of scornful disapprobation liz
regarded as an alteration of the mora
standard of modern times, compared with
that of the ancients, the great stress lait
upon feeling.
l am thus one of the very few examples IL
this country, of one who has, not throw
off religious belief but never had it;
grew up in a negative state with regard t'
It. | looked upon the modern exactly rs
did upon the ancient religions, as some
thing which in no way concerned me.
Thus il will be seen that in Mr.. Mill
education, nature was simply outraged
The intellect was cared for while heart wa
neglected. He was taught to think, bu
never to love. The exhibition OF teelin!
e was an Indication of weakness aud all th
tender sentiments Of social lie We're neithe
creatures of the imagination, or fancifu
dreams, out of which half crazcd men man
ufactured poety,
No wonder then that at the aye of TWEEN
ty he became tired of life llefelt that Tia
world was selfish and cold. lie saw tina
he had no object in life worthy of his hes
efforts He was in trouble, and had N
friend to whom he could go for counsc
and comfort His father, his natura
friend and counselor. he had looked upon Il
kind of god, and he had regarded lin
with reverence and awe, rather tnan wit
love. He never speaks of his mother, un
it would seem that he was a stranger to al
Is those kindly feelings which grew out o
the family relation.
Il His mind was so prejudced against Chris
" tianity, that he looked upon the religion o
Jesus as matter which in ''no wa
concerned him. He has words of prais
- for heather philosophers, he never tires i
extolling the virtues of Socialists, but til
name of Jesus he passes over without eve
a mention.
He could not believe in the existence q
God, but yet, could believe that the me
Id who have been the great reformers of tn
world, who have brayed the greatest daI
gers, aud endured almost unheard of hart
= ships to raise up and save the degraded an