The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-30


fading behind the western hills while another
star OF transccndcnt lustrc WIS gliding the
hattz mountains. Herman LOtze was the
prophet OF the now era. and the weight OF his
incilabic wisdom had been flung into the scale
OF the thcistic philosophy and the ohio
dox creed. In that land OF intellectual
giants from which the lecturer hud come it was
adiudgcd n sign Of mbccility to accept the doc
trinc Of evolution. and proof Of defective edu
cation TO hold matcraistic views II was n silly
error to suppose the DRIFT of modern acicncc in
any respect counter to the letter Of Scripture
and the truths " revealed religion. With
Lotzc's aid and the resources VI his own accom-
pshcd intellect. he would undertake 60 demon
strate from scentinc data alone the Immortality
Of the soul. the Mosaic theory Of creation. and
even the doctrine Of the immaculate conception.
For men who had watched in terror ana per
pexty the tendencies Of Unitarian theology
and the uncanny demonstrations " the Boston
Liberal Club. these were. indeed. glad tidings of
great JOY. and we are bound to add that the Ice
turer fulnllcd his promise In four powerful
pulpit efforts now printed under the collective
title OF " Does Death End All 2"-to the Infinite
relief and contontmcnt OF tho audiences gath
cred in the fremont Temple.
To appreciate Mr.. Cooks achievement wo
must recognizes tho magnitude OF the task
lie had to purge the mind OF the average New
Highlander OF the unwilling but rooted venera
ton for a roenant Brahmin cantc. and to con-
vince his auditors that the strange philosophy
supprscd to he preached at Cambridge and
Concord was but empty rubbish long discarded
hy the wisdom of the larger world. He had to
brush aside n mass Of unfoundcd prcconccp-
tons. and to snow tnat the suio authentic OK
Founders OF science in America were the lee
IA 10 a .t~.t.
fled his views and acknowledged his apostolato
lie was constrained. moreover. to prove that with
very few exceptions. the whole body OF British
scientists were utterly Enthusiastically, their
methods unsound. their aims wicked or mis-
taken. and their conclusions drowned in self
contradiction or absurdity. These somewhat
arduous lahors once happily performed. the
path WIS clear. Inasmuch probably not one
in u hundred among his hearers could read
German newspaper. and not one in a thousand
knew the relative rank. or even the names. OF
German scientists. he could challenge their at
tenton in this direction with we'll grounded
confidence. Here he could address himself
with serenity to tho business In hand. assured
that. in this Held his people would not run after
the wrong guide but receive with mockncss
and alacrity the teachings OF their native min
istrant.
Mr. Cook informs us in ono NJ his first leo
lures that the small philosopher Is n great char
actor IN New England. HIS fundamental rule
Of logical procedure il to guess Mt the half and
multiply by two. God save us" the lecturer
adds with delicious Indifference to the max
i'm 0nOthi seduioH. from the evils OF arrogant
scosm in democratic ages" He goes on TO
say that Massachusetts,. where popular cnlight-
eminent is more widely Infused than elsewhere.
has probably Just now moro small philosophers
Of Lola th.,
globe. The best used book he tells us. Of your
small philosopher is the newspaper. and the
obvious inference is that large minded people
read newspapers less and Mr.. Cooks lectures
more. Let not the audiences. however. IN the
fremont Temple imagine that any short
comings on this score arc imputed 10 them
selves. For their collective and indivd-
ual intelligence he processes supreme rev.
erence. DO you suppose" he cries.
Il think this audience can lie cheat
ed? l do not know where in America
there is another weekly audience with "a many
brains in IT. at least | do not know where in
New England shall bee SO likely TO be trippel
upif were 20 make an Incorrect statement
, u-...-.- ---a--s~| ~. f.ll.S.r- from tho
scope OF his structures he hastens to give the
latter their proper application. There is
school" We learn. Of rather small philosophy
in Cambridge yondor, among a few young uen,
who very uniustly To- Harvard are supposed by
large portions Of the public to represent the
university. Now" continues the lecturer.
am Harvard man. If you please. and ought 70
know something Of my Alma Mater. There is
not. " he adds with pleasing hut indlscriminato
fervor, paving stone or an elm tree in Cam
bridge that s not u treasure 10 me-" And then
he puts this query To- his excited hearers. over
! loyed 70 Had themselves made arhtcr- IN su IA
Il matter. Who does represent Harvard p
Hermann Lotto is the answer. and Frey
and Beale. rather than Herbert Spencer and
Hackel. are the authorities which the strong
est men Cook j,dicd at Cambridge revere
The lecturer does not specify 10y name
the victims OF his castigaton. but it is
gratifying to find that he expressly excerpts
! Prof. Gray. less, however. on the ground OF the
latters conspicuous distinction IA a botanist
| than because Of his avowed adherence 10 tho
Niceno creed. OF Emerson. too. the lecturer
speaks with considerable respect but this
would seem to be because he can read the mind
Of that philosopher much better than Emerson
himself. II you will listen to the inner voice"
! he says-and here the faces Of his auditors must
have assumed portentous look OF penetration
-" II you will listen to the inner voice of Emer
sons latest publications you will find this man
whom you have called panthelst is no denier Of
the immortality OF the soul"
Having thus cleared the field at homo. Mr..
| Cook proceeds to expose the futile pretcnsions
Of the more noted British scientists He tells
his audience he is acutely sorry they should
have heard OF Herbert Spencer. whose pres
| tige, he says is declining. and he reiterates the
statement in another place avcrring that Ger
many regards Spencer as setting star in
philosophy. Elsewhere we are informed that
Spencer is not thoroughly acquainted with
phys iOlOgy especially the latest resoarnh 80