Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-07-10
SOME HOME MADE THEOLOGY.

time fear. Since the famed SOllIOquy OF
Hamlet but little has been produced in the
way of solace to the brooding minds that CON
tinually question the future. Science to the
superficial view has seemed to disturb the
most solidly grounded religious Beliefs and
to offer various authoritative crlt8rin for I'M
plying the groundlessness of any religious faith
whatever A late article in the Contemporary
Reriep by an English churchman treats
briefly but mastery of the general attitude
which ought to be maintained by the Church
of Christ relatively to the supposed under
mining of Christianity by the scientific concu-
sions now current.
The writer finds general relief for the
d, ub ing human mind in that comprehensive
and yet simple attitude of the advocate OF the
so-called Revelation, which accepts instead of
repelling every well ascertained scientific truth
nnder the provisional hypothesis that not only
is all truth Harmonious with itself, but har-
monious with those more particular and theo-
logical truths that seem thus far to rest only
upon the authority of alleged revelation.
In the development of this general idea the
writer very cleverly appeals to that every day
reason which actuates and guides hu man OPP
erations in every other department of life,
whether in mental speculations or the routine
through which We pass III more physical re-
speets.
His argument may perhaps be comparable
to that of Paine from a standpoint however
which antagonizes the purpose of the " Age OF
40 70 that S11hlimity
and perfection of human thought and concep-
ton which calmly recognizes the limited and
imperfect nature, intrinsically, of human ca
liabilities, and takes the bold inference that
that mind and science in their combined am
pltude will ever and more and more assert
the eternal truth of that infinite creative In
telligence which is in some senses conceiv
abe and yet unknowable, and which is the
satisfactory and consolatory gro und work of
that conclusion that this heeting life is at last
a dream, which we are hereafter to remember,
Be the pleasure or the pain OF that memory
what it may, it is much to be enabled to in
dulge in a reasonable belief that this exist
ence is not the enclosure of all we are to know
and realize in the revolving cycles of eternity.
And speaking Of this reasonable belief, We are
reminded of remarkable paper by Mr. Glad
stone, IN one of the late English Reviews,
wherein he developes Bishop Buffers we'll
known postulate as to the reasonableness of
human reason, not only as to our daily affairs,
but in respect to those judicious conclusions
which seem to be allowed US relative to the af-
fairs of the soul and eternity.
Mr.. Gladstone's paper is upon the theme
of Probability Us u g'tjde to human action
1--WE do not quote tteratjm but substantially |
His inquiry, although different in method
from that of the first mentioned writer, is |
nevertheless a powerful reassertion of the |
claimed truths of the Christian religion and
theology, and leads to the same character of |
consideration relative to the nature of our own |
human powers of investigation. He leads the
reader to a new and most admirable view of
the trite but profoundly wise Greek maxim,
I" know myself The cOmprehensiveness
and nicely of his summary Of the nature and
scope of human functions in the contempla-
ton of that which is infinite, are so complete
as to enable the reader to indulge in happy
NohOOptlOA VI MS Dhh pOAiolD4lIIy as nCil do
dependence or responsibility, in those mighty
matters that effect his future, and in which,
of necessity, finite powers must deal with an
intelligence having all the attributes known
TO theological terminology.
1t is one thing to occupy the mind as it
were in the pastime of investigating and re-
cognizing the phenomena of the material uni
verse, including, if one pleases, the phenom-
ena of the mind itself But it is another and
a nobler thing for that same mind to expand
to the proper reception and appreciation of all
things true that are presented to it.
1t is this aptitude of mind that enables one
to perceive the grand symmetry of all Truth,
and to embrace as reasonable inference or
conclusion, that doctrine of Immortality which
is not only probable in itself, but singularly
adapted to the nature of the simplest as well
az the most exalted of human intellect.
1t is interesting to observe that the more s
advanced minds of the orthodox clergy are (
buckling on anew the armor for that more {
profound controversy with unbelief which the
scientists of late years have formulated and
that all believers of intelligence, whether lay f
or clerical, are preparing for the battle upon S
the broadcast plains of Truth