New-York tribune., 1876-06-02

.+@N'
TRUTHS FOR TO-DAY: Second Series By DAVID SWING
l2mo pp. Z0I Chicago: Jansen MeCiuIg, d 90.
The reality of the religious sense, the limit
alton human knowledge and tire fulness OF divinity
in TIE person Of Christ tne cardinal IDEAS which have
given in .paton these discourses. Mr. Swing insists
the sentiment OF dependence. tie c0nseoushesS Oh
superior existence, which form integral element In
the nature OF the human mind The yarnng after Goa
is universal in its manifestations. IL las given birth
alike 90 religion and TO suprftition At tne time OF the
Advent there was no valuable Religious faith IN toe
world. Men had sought for Cod but knew not where
they should find him Pliny prayed FOR "a new conso
iaon great and strong Of which he had not yet head
read" Latin sage has said: need God, who can
speak to and can lead me- Cicero had declared tha
the Academy could prove nothing" The Roman.
Empire lad all forms Of greatness but religious iaI
One OF the sages said: what God is, know not: what
He is not know" In TIC midst OF this dont and dark!
ness Christ stands the Of all alleged dvinins to
any historical fact. OF all the embodinents OF the
divine, Nc stands furthest from myth and nearest o
reality The realty Of Jesus defntc the realty
of Washington Franklin. All the other incarnatons
belong the atmosphere of legend His was the FIRST
incarnation lying within the field of evidence But the
divine quality of Christ cannot be fully understood he
cause we do not fully understand the nature OF Deity "
we knew the nature OF Deity as We know
the nature OF earth, air, and water, we mishi
pronounce decidedly the question OF the incafha-
zion. If human knowledge were not limited I'D TINS re-
Spect we ht declare the heavenly element present or
the chemist takes ore. and after an anaYsS
declares the presence absence of gold Hence as no
,ne knows what God is, no hasten to anirm his
absence or pTescuce. We are such strangers TO the
quality of the Influte One that we dare hot declare
him absent from Christ. Tie principle o skepticlSm Is
thus ngeniousy pressed by the auAor into the service
of faith The influence Christ letters and art is the
subject OF an admirable discourse. Ii is great injustice
AZ CustuO IA
escape from future hell future heaven. The fhn-
ence of Christ manifest in all the relations OF the pres
ent life His name is blended with all tho annals Of chris
an lands and has given color TO a the days OF the
Christian era III cannot say that Christianity IN
vented the Steamboat and the railroad we may say that
il hls remodod literature and the arts and left its iui
nrcss on the whole aspect of civilization MIR. Swing II
Snulary fecitOus the selection Of his topics and
illustrations from the interests OF common life He
never lakes Us into a world of dreams and shadows
less the land of the shadow oi death-but into
sphere Of ri2h and glowing vitality. vein of intense
realism pefva0cs his reasoning, although its expression
prefers the costume Of poetry the forms OF logic The
method of his mind is mtuitive and suggestive rather
than dda tive but his discourse abounds in constant
surprises snging from fresh and original sources which
present an exhaustess field of instruction. His present
calling appears TO be the union OF religion with the
daily experience of life without dvesting its prinei-
pes of their solemn mystery divine sanctions he sets
em forth not as images phantOms. but as essential
clements I'm the history soul lie clothes the SUI
nernatnra In the garments Of the natural, or rather
blends taen both in aiucabe synthesis His teach
Digs will probably fnd little favor with those who would
rcegte Christian truth within tC limits Oi rigorous
creed but they make powerful appeal to sympathy 10
imagnation the religious instincts Of humanity