The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-03

Renaissance aud the Protestant Reformation
down TO the widespread break up OF definite
religious systems and general drift toward de-
mocracy In politics which exists today II
there has, indeed been one such inspiration,
what has been It's true nature and character
aud what IL nkey to be its further effect
These are tho questions which an ardent and
unquestionahly able champion OF tho Roman
Catholic Church. ST. aBoRGB MIvARr, under
takes to answer in his latest work, Contemporary
Erolut,oH (Appletons).
After citing numerous survivals In modern
Europe Of pagan superstitions and practices.
Mr.. Mivart LAYS down the principle that the pan
thelstlc spirit with which the Aryan mind was
once saturated continues to modify and actuate
not the minds OF tho poor only. but OF the rich
and educated, who, from wh1tevcr cause, have
either failed to master, or. having mastered,
have deliberately rejected Christian philosophy
and theology. He thinks It not to be wondered
at, therefore, that when, after centuries of COM
parative neglect, the study OF nature was re-
sumcd with energy and passion, an accompany
Inc depreciat on OF the Christian supernatural
should have manifested itself, such revived
naturalsuc tendencies, harmonizing with one
Of the deepest chords In the comp 'sitiou OF the
Aryan race-the universal. ancient, and persist
ent worship OF the powers and forces OF ma
ture.
TO tits view. which Is at all events recon-
mended by a certain novelty, most perso ms will
interpose an obvious objection. II may be said
that the so-called modern re Rod has been large
" religious, and that the movement OF the
Reformation has been here uniustly and unrea-
sonably ignored. Mr.. Mivarts ability a. con.
troverslal writer IL exemplinel by the acuieness
with which he parties this objection. Two
distinct currents, he thinks, are manifest
IN the movement Of the Reformation. One Of
these flowed In harmony with that previously
initiated by the humanists OF the Renaissance,
as lie effects on the Catholic Church were sim
ply disintegrating. "ln 80 far IA It tended
more or lcss completely to the negatiou Of
Cbristianity,i II certainly aided the great pagan
revival, and may justly claim place OF distinc-
ton amid the AGENTS Of such restoration" but
1t Is the other current with which good people
In England and In this country associate the
Reformation-that, namely. by which certain
"reninants Of dogma were drifted together In
definite but unstable aggregations, labelled
Lutherapism, CsLvinsn. or what not" THIS
second current. however, was, in Mr.. Mivat's
opinion. a mere backw ter" and has resulted
IN no developments. The materials It stranded
have remained stationary. or, "a in Switzerland
and Prussia, have utterly disintegrated, falling
into and directly aiding to give imDet to the
" great stream OF the nlturilistic pagan rev-
val" Notwithstanding the distinction here
taken, our AL thor does not deny that doemAtlc
Protestsntism, as such, Is essentially anti
scientific and profoundly suti-paturalistic, pro-
claiming, as 1t docs, the utter deprayi,y and
helpIessness Of our human nature and he ad.
mlts that Geneva, for example, has gained its
scientific eminence only since II threw Oh its
orthodox Calvinistic ch rAoter.
Many readers will anl 1t difficult TO entertain
with entire seriousness some OF ths doctrines
put forward In this book. Thus we are told that
this pagan revival, OF which Mr.. Nivart detects
so many traces, may be carried on to a far
greater development than 1t has yet attained,
and assume a far more distinctly relic ous aspect.
The new religion. however. Will be something
different from the "inine worship" Of abstract
humanity devised by Comtc. We learn with
surprise that new pagan cutus should its need
be felt may be one day evolved IN connection
with tue philosophy OF Mr.. Spencer himself
Such an evolution IL possible. since Nr. Spencer
"is essentially Brah AMI his creed Brah-
manism," potentially containing a whole pan
theon OF cosmical diyinites. the worship
of which is not incapable OF being justified to
the reason and conscience OF many OF such as
really ACCEPT hts philosophy. Let Us see how
Mr.. Miyart reaches this curious conclusion. We
are reminded that Mr.. spencer - never tired
Of telling that everything Is some form of the
UnKuowable. while of this First Cause itself wo
must pr dicate nothing save bare existence.
Now, IN BrahInanlsm. para Brahm" Is literally
an unknown God; he has no qualities no
attributes. no activity. He Is neither the
object of hope, fear, love, nor aversion"
All things, however, beauty, light. sound,
morality, love. justice, &c, modes OF
the Uuknowaole-forms of Brahml. The Un-
knowabie cannot be thought, but its modes can,
and they are worthy OF reverence because they
its modes. Thus. If the reverence which
CHRISTIANS show TO God. and which Mr.. Spencer
pronounces unworthy OF the tirs Cause. we're
transferred. TO the modes Of the Unknowa able.
we should have a God OF beauty, a God OF light.
a God of harmony; Ia other words restored
polytheism. After identifying in. this way Mr.
Spencer's philosophy with tho doctrine OF tn O
upanshad, Mr.. Mvart assures us with much
solemnity that the revived paglDism Of the fu-
ture may be calculated to starte the nationalist
OF to-day fully us much as the revived pagsni m
Of to-day would have startled reformer Of tho
time OF Luther.
Whatever we may think OF the somewhat
paradoxcal assertions and fantastic parallel
above mentioned, the greater part OF this vol
ume Is well worth reading. II Is principally do
voted to a discussion of the effect on CHRISTIAN
ity OF the further development Of the great
movement we now witness, and an attempt IA
made to predict he result OF tho renewed con-
hct between such modified Christianity and
screwed paganism. The contest between
science aud religion Is examined from tho sew
eral standpoints Of political, scientific, and
philosophical evolution. We need not say that
throughout tue book the destiny of Christianity
Is assumed to be bound W. with that of the
Church Of Rome,