New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-03
PHASES OF MODERN THOUGHT,

LECTURE BY THE REV. Dr.. WILLIAM NJ iAii|'"
The Rev. Dr. William NJ. Taylor delivered
the closing lecture OF the Winter series before the New
York Association for the advancement OF Science ana
AIT last evening at the Rev. DR.. Rogers Ch"cb al
Eyfth-ave and Twenty drst-s; He spoke OF some
Phases of Modem Thought"
The proclamation Of any truth, he sad was Always
mot with doubt from some quarter; and h''uT'h!'
Therefore minds to he found that dd not Dee'e
what Christians accepted divine truth such douplerS
were 10 be taken into kind consideration ana MOI 10 Nc
rutllcssy denounced 1t had been wisely put by the
Laureate:
"1Tere lives more faith in honest doubt,
Believe me, than in lalt the c!eeis'
Rational doubt often led to rational faith anG was he
ter than blind crcdnlity The Lord spoke kindly to
rbo,,,y And while an douDtcrs wore moi Thomascs
still the unbelef present day differed ilon tha' o
Votairc and Paine
One Of the most conspicuous phases of modern thought
was that now upheld by much philosophical opinion ana
scientific experiment. The emPirlcsts asser'ed tL"'
man could know only phenomena aud facts; That he
must take laws simply they were that the mlhd h'd
no power to go beyond these and TO inquire for
final cause The lecturer held TO the contrary opinion
lie believed that even from their own point OF
argument the phenomena OF human consciousness shoua
also I've investigated. and there were relations between
man ana the universe that the could not anayH
Another phas OF skcpticsln was t.at "nlch I"IN.ei
N the supernatural The miracles of tire Bible srrnei
to some maids absolutely opposed 70 cause and ect
Ii the douber wOuld only aIjnl tht personal Astl1
of a God. the difficulty at once began 10 I5uJ iWu2i
Mnn himself the speaker said could ana lad ciiiScu
the laws OF Iatigre il particular instances Oou ei
liar mower DC then denied to God Had be made nue.
machine and shut himself forever 1l"m hl'I;
fe.ing with il, matter What the enc E.hcy
might bef But the lecturer declared himself ltaoV 10
let The miracles stand TAIL by the character oi tHsI
II His character supernatural, then the hhiic'S
were natural Him. The question nart0WtG. I-eh
down to this point What THINK yeot ChiISi Nhc!h5
comes Hell Was His character the prodnct OF sciec-
tom The speaker could not believe thai an Inc modest
minis OF Tie world before Ills time could, by any dh
gInaton have developed Christ. Was He The pro net
OF His agcl No. Ali tho good since HIS u.c WIS "Y
TIE deyeopilent OF Him. Suey He Vas Cod INA MS
ocfs his miracles wcr, probable they were natural 10
HIM Akin 10 TINS phase the doubt oi the tEcnt! OF
prlvtr II a man would not, III the hisj pace hcAhoNl-
% cd as The Father OF the Universe then he luSt ne
me, ON the mound OF The elIIl1Cst; but u ne bcheFfi
IN God AS Father, then h" naturally must DtitNe III
IN, t1cacy OF prayer. ANY could 20 easily tnoh%iI
Tie Lords Prayer when they accepted INC Two "V.u'
win which ii began" oar Father" II all rested Oh ih'
f,1,ind of personality. Personality Fescd Oh Will.
Gould not an oInnipotelt VII then through his own laws
Lrant pTdyeri