Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-21
Tyndall Again.

i-m, il not quite sustained By the exact text of
what be said on that occasion. At any rate, he
has deemed 1t requisite TO make q disclaimer Of
that Interpretation, and the following Is given
A. his precise language, taken down by a short
hand reporter:
IL hsve stood ~ he said, Gin the spring time
and looked upon the sprouting foliage, the
grass and the no Eers, and the general ioy of
opening hfe- And in my ignorance of ii all
have asked myself whether there is no power,
being or Thing in the universe whose knowlsdge
Of that of which / Am ignorant is greater
than mine. have asked myself, Can 1t be pos
sible that mans knowledge Is the greatest
knowledge; that mans life 10 the highest life?
My fTiencs, the profession or that Atheism
with which | AN some lines 80 lightly charged,
would. In nay case, be sn impossible answer TO
this question; only slightly preferable 10 to It
fierce and distorted Theism which 1 have hat
lately reason to know still reigns rampant in
some minis as the survival OF a more fsrOeioas
age"
MI Conway, the London correspondent of ths
Cincinnati Commercial, writes 70 that paper the
particulars OF interview between the
BrahmO preacher, Probat Chunder M1zoom-
dar, and Professor TyndalI, a, which he ICON
way present. MOzOomdar, who is de-
scfibed scholarly and eloquent has bssn
preaching in England, using has own Brahmo
Scriptures and service, and il is said TO be not
unlikely that he has succeeded in establishing
the germ Of a gulsr HindoO TheIstic Society
in London This would be a curious turning OF
the tables upon the Christian denominations
who have sought by Jealous missionary Efforts
to convert the HindoOs. The conversation a.
this meeting between Tyndsl aud the Indian
preacher Il interesting serving TO show with
what readiness the "hea;hsn" Hindoo mind
sought the weak points in Tyndlll's belief, or
want CT belief, a. where he suggested the necss-
ssty tor some isions basis for morality, and
gave the results of his observation that
young men in casting off religious faith sbsn-
doned themselves TO lives Of mere self-induI-
genee. Professor Tyndslr5 reply, though
frank AZ thoughtful does not really supply
sn answer. We quote to show the train OF
thought followed IL the rem ark able meeting OF
these representatives OF the earliest and latest
conditions OF ths Arysn race. Says Mr.. Con-
way:
After we were seated there was a little al
lenee, which Was at last broken by MozOOmIsr,
who said in 9w tones:
81 feel The need OF a few sxiOns of religion"
81 can quite understand that, - said the pro-
fessOr, geUtiy, but l. il best % call them by so
precise word asiOms? lie would appear
wise TO keep our ideas on such subjects, as En-
eTsOn would say, fluent"
''Let d cay then principles We appear TO
heed lev fundamental PIinciples-such IS
God and The soul OF man"
"You will easily See" replied the professor
that one In my position has TO he very careful
In asiDg such terms AZ those. so far a. the or
CtnsIy sense in which they are used IL con-
Cefned, fear shall be found an atheist,
though believe should value as much "a anv
other any realities associated With them. /
Temem Der once when taking with Carlyle he
used tie expression, That long paranhrase
which We shorten in the word Cod but We
have TO Know something OF the parsphrase
SIN what form, them" asks MOI }Oniar,
"W0uid you express those ideas Or pIIncipIes!''
"Thst i = very difficult question. But il it
necessary just a. present 10 put them into def
nite form ~ all?f
~ think that in India we DO stand in need of
some strong and clear form, in which to EN-
N d Il ia FIR ha
cake OF morality. Now that the old religious
systems are breaking up, the young meB eman-
clP=ted from them disclose tendency TO csst
or also the morality they enjCiued, and which
though hot tue highest stiil abs to supply
important restraints There have been some
FAD instances OF young men mo have cOms out
OF the uLiyer>t e. not only with their old beliesS
gone, but ~tth nothing 10 prevent their sinking
into lives Of mere sef indulgence. We appear
TO require some religious basis for NOR tlity
stronger than that which ha- bssn abaadonadS
Your stat meDt abOut those educated youths
Is surprising, and requires careful probing. Ii
might be tOunl that when yOIug heretics are
CONCERNED everything sgalnst them il brought
70 h2ht, which, while they were orthodox. is I
husht up. But N, indeed, they 90 sink into }
hves OF mere self Indulgence, yO1 may rely on /
~ those young men are not properly taught | I
feel very certain that ii they we're properly an /
peaisd to, their Eesrt-striBgs would respond"
" u = true, = rejOined NOzoOmdar 'sthat they !
are nos morally taught at all. Some intellectual
instruction l. given them for two or three hours /
each day, but they are then left entirely to /
themselves But how shall they be appealed 4
"Csp you not cultiy ste ia them the live of |
ruth, tie sense OF honor, honesty, benevoence,
charity? i cannot believe that the human /.
3eiIg exists who requires theology to show him I
ne superiority OF an honest man 20 a rogue"
our words do give expression aud form to 4
rengicir," suggested the Indian.
az remember%Sn." continued the professor
Gwhat feeling and enff0s.ssm were kindle ed in
ne when young nan, by achaptef Ct Ficate's. +
IL was vague enough, certainly, liberated rrUtr 2
ell formulas OF doctrine, and feel very sure
that torn al expressions of religious conceptions
are by no means the most potent"
In pursuance of a suggestion as 20 the pow
erful influence exsTted in slI ages, and on air
race, by their Sacred Book, Professor Tynt3n
said.
- believe that such writings produce great
erect, by arsusiDg and stimulating the emotion
or moral power already existing potebti4 ally in
those brought under their influence. Ii seems
comparable TO the action OF a nerve upon mus
Gle. The muscle OF the arm, for instance has
its force stored up, but il sleeps, a. 1t were
until the nerve unlocks its power, awakening
u 20 action. Every human MUD and character
have in them the accumulated force which re-
lated influences from without touch into effect
i've activity"
The effect of transitional condition of re-
hgious belief Oh popular morals having again
been referred to, the Professor while main
tanning his conviction, before expressed, that
only defective Instruction could render the
educated liable to any Danger from the casting
aside OF superstitiOus, agreed that the same
security could hardly be felt As regards the
masses OF ignorance.
Ger them u can lot he denied tn t q state OF
transition may be very serious IN its moral eff |
fects- The throwing of Of the old restraints OF
Tear however fictitious, unattended by the !
means OF forming new and true ones, which /
culture supplies, may naturally be attended in
some cases by particular consequences OF an
unhappy character.
''This reflection REQUIRED TO NE while reading
lately an attack uIOn myself by a Canon in
Dublin. Among other things he uttered words
sueh a. these: 'if Jesus Christ was not God he
lived the live Of bastard, and died the death
Ct an iuPCstOr.' Now L can well understand
that n gersOn has built up ideal whose
alternative l. such q feeling that, when the
foundation fails-as fail u must-the downfall
must Re terrible, involving, IL IN Az be- the most
EsCted feelings ia rum"
To these words. uttered with solemn en-
phasis, the HindOo responded n hearty feel
ing:
However much may cherish my rel gion IL
must be such a. can undergo the strtctest in.
vesugstieD, and IL must conform TO the highest