New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-13
SPENCERS RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY.
HIS CONCLUSIONS DISPUTED BIZ PROFESSOR Is.



HIS CONCLUSIONS DISPUTED BIZ PROFESSOR b. N.
MARIN.
Professor BENJAMIN n. Martin. of the CniveT-
atty OF the Cy OF NewYork. lectured last evening be
fore the Academy of Sciences at Association Hall, on
the Religious Philosophy of Herbert Spencer.
The philosophical of Herbert spencer. said Pro-
fessor Martin, neither consistent nor original His
first important work, Social Statics." aimed TO esab
lsh system of society and Of morals and deliberately
laid the foundation of human liberty and human
rights in the fact that God has given
10 all men faculties, aud that this i'm
plies the right and borty of using them. This is the
original form of sp,ncers spccnatons, aud 1t rec"g
nlzes God movable and thlnkable, with the utmost
disiiuciness. Now, however, Mr. spencer evolves dir
frrent view. He claims that Gotcan not be known
by the human mind; that We cannot say He has any
designs or intentions whatever, even rnnger Of IN
tecnce. The foundation principle OF his first work i
due 10 tho influence Of Sir william Hamilton who
serted that the Infinite canuot be philosophica.ly
10 deny the idea Of the Infinite to human THOUGHT aud
feeling. Carried away by his earnesIness ia argument
Le declared the idea Of the Infinite unthnkAbe; and
spencer following in his footsteps organized u on Ham
iltOns oyerSigls ana mistakes hls own dogma that
This error is the moro to be regretted, II
only needless, but really AT variance with the bold anu
fine reason!ngs on wGch the foundation OF his sys-
TEN Is lad. The fundamental physical doctrine
Of our day r is that Of the GSrre alton h OF
dependent realities. but interchangeable aspects OF one
s SnSS the S'STsf Of e G G%HHs S
time the bearing OF this great conclusion upon ee
OOytgal
knowledge OF The OF this universal force aid
on that ground claimed harmony between the uih
OF science and religion. On what grounds Is tins H.
finite, OF whose reality we are certain now cut OH RON
kuOWlrIgtI
The lecturer here went into an extended examination,
des gncd 10 snow the weakness Of nr SpehCegs aru-
ment IerccrIed TO the statement that there can only
one irst cause and all knowledge cons 6 Ia chasing
there be knowledge Of tbat Whlcn cannot ne
Chased; but the same argument the Lecturer affirmed,
pDples The nst WhQc.bdIluW or TIE Dr,t siVaupO
thtr. can be only first Of everything. When
/, thing clussed. When IL Is described by "a general
name Tor this is only the name OF genus. Now
/, OBVIOUSLY general term. The first cause therefor,
can be- q asscd, and is cls,ed with other causes.
The objection, therefore, fails 10 the ground. Al
knowledge consists IN chasing. But the knowledge of
the class always derived nom knowledge or the
ndNLluals which compose H. Tne idea that tho InHne
cannot be cassed is detrusble oay overlooking the
exists only IN oar thought and the con
crete Infinite VI reality The ideal Infinite cannot he
cassed, because II does But wnen II uee0ms
realty OF some definite kind ike clnsc OF power tI,se
aru class they render classification possible
10 SHOW that the lninlte can b: kno"t s On heces-
sary 10 ask what Is knowledge. Il consists III e inAS
Certainty OF the existence OF some ottt ana ~ tue us
criminal mat object from other things We know
wen We arc sure that tLIlg exists, and can dis
inuusl n by definite marks from Other things. Win
ms view then OF knowledge, let Us see whether the
IniIile IA nos knOwaDe. It's reality Mr.. Spencer MIN
.e foremost Is this reality "dIslihgushaOc
thpni For the proof that IL Is, We need only refer 10
MIR SDencer's FIRST Principles" He there describes
lie Infinite rs " Omnlpresent power, au ultimate
cause the unknown cause. lilo declares that our con-