New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-14

oUT4INEs, or TIE RFIIGI0N MND hiIL9soIi a6
PIP. 3lS. ROBERTS Brothcfs
The application OF an eminently legal mind
to the exposition OF profound system Of religious .a'h
presents "A rare and snguarly ntc;ctin2 literary pine
nomcnon. In the discharge OF his functions Of Dane
professor in the Law School OF Harvard University the
authcr has always cyinced remarkable ccoTness q per
cepon an analytic power in discussing the principles Of
jurisprudence and strict adherence 10 the logical Sc
ouepe OF reasoning combined with classical elegance
OF EXPRESSION of which there few examples among
the writers in any branch Of literature at the present
day The soundness OF MS Judgment Is held rs nigh
esteem as the lucdity bis style. His freedom from
theory is no less remarkable than Ills adherence to Iact
The opinions Of such thinker viii not, OF course always
command assent but they c3n fail to challenge at
teatOn Professor Parsons may not persuade rs that
the doctrines OF SwcdenboTg afford the ma
teriais for the foundation OF New Church but
bs exposition their claims must ssay be received
with the respect that is due to earnest thought and SIN
cere conviction In the prcsen: volume, he starts with
the postuatc that all churches far their religious
tcnets have eny truth founded upon revelation AS
tho human mind the exercise Oi the faculties that re-
late 20 tho objects of sense, form no concc ton OF
God or life after DEATH il necessarily follows Aat IL can
gain no information those points except by teachings
from tie other world Whatever may be the advance
ent OF seusuous thought It cannot take step beyond
the present life II may embrace all the kingdoms Of
Nature and penetrate the material heavens But con-
tnues TO be scnsuOus thought as entirely as II
was in the earliest and lowest actiyities. man may
master all tho truths Of natural science and still
employ sensuous thought exclusively as the
savage who makes his Ratchet by hammerns
one stone with another The human mind, argues the
author possesses higher powers or at least can use al
its powers in another and higher way. We begin lie
In this world but after have ceased 20 i've on caih
we shall live another life IN another world AS we nave
faculties adapted TO make tins lie Of enjoyment so
Iaua s.Irt fnH m vtgE a la
life one Of happiness, and revelation from that "oifd
nroyides Us With the Of attaining this end by the
rightal use of these faculties Bat Professor Fions
ureeq revelation IS not abnormal thing intended 10
supply an exceptional need Il is regular part OF
the method Of Divine Providence. IL Is as essential
to any knowledge of spiritual lfe the senses
| 10 any Inowlcdge OF earthly life Revelation makes
known 10 us tie fact of another world and the being Of
God Religion builds this foundation, using logic, in
ference analogy, and deduction IN arguing nom gen
eral truth TO It's particulars and conversely II uses III
dueton in arguing from particular truths TO the general
truth which includes the reasoning IN these and similar
ways as freely science But religious truth has passed
through succcssige phases Revelation has always
nounced the two cardinal facts Of religion, the existence
OF Gcd aud Of another life but with different races and
I'm different ages hcsc truths have borne very different
sspees one reason the law OF unendng life must be
the law Of uuendng growth for growth is Of the essence
| OF life The moment when Improvement comes TO an
end is the moment when that which f. most valuable u
life has come end Goethe said that the thought OF
endless life was sometimes oppressive. because there
| must be a period when further progress Was in
possible But be treasured on this point when lac
looked up TO the The author suggests that be
might have found the relief when he looked through
the microscope. For in these days II the telescope has
disclosed the indefinite in the great and distant the mi
croscope has disclosed ii in the little aud the near
Goethe had known where 10 look for II he might have
found not only consolation hope and joy In The pros
meet Of never ending growth Of power, and the exercise