Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-07-02

University Lectures.
THIRD LECTURE, BY PROF ToIEEY.
The third of tine University course OF lee
lures was given in the College Chapel, 10y
Prof. II. A. P. Torrey The chapel was
filled with an attentive audience, and the
lecture was one of the most interesting and
scholarly of the course Prof Torrey's sub
ject was Thomas Aquinas.
THE LECTURE.
| on Sunday, March 1th at the call OF Pope Leo
| Kill was convened at Rome an assembage OF four
| thousand doctors of philosophy. eminent in the
| Roman church. The chief object this OF convention
was 10 hear from the lips OF the Pope. the endorse
ment of the views expressed in the encyclical let
| Ter of last wear concerning the present state OF
| science, and especially the recommended study OF
| ST. Thomas Aqunas. His Holiness dwelt on the
| importance of the philosophy OF ST. Thomas and
| its great utility means of combating the skep-
| ticsm of the present day. II Is prooaole that IN
consequence of this action of the Pope consldefa-
Bile interest will be awakened IN scholastic phlioso-
ply. There will be much busting OF old folios'
| and much searching for the 'golden wisdom de-
| clared to be hidden therein.
| St Thomas Aquinas was horn Of noble lineage IN
the wear 1925 1921 at the castle Of Rocca Slcca
| near Aquinum in the territory of Naples. He Join
ell the dominican order in early years, and remain
ed true his profession against threats anu Dian
| dshments alike. He studied partly al the famous
Magnus Of Cologne, the Doctor tniversalis. the
great eclectic and encyclopaedia oil the schoonel.
| While studying with this teacher Thomas on ac-
count of his silent tongue went by the of the
| mute OK" But Albert read him better Boz
mstus' is he? That OK Will make his lowings
| heard throughout Christendoml But even Albert
| did not dream that those bellOwings would rever-
berate through six centuries and he heard IN I'M
discovered lands beyond the sea. Al the age OF
| twenty-six Thomas was made Doctor of Theology,
and in the remaining twenty years OF his HE COM
posed the works which I'LL seventeen folio volumes
NJ IA
| abors. which occupied his last nine years was the
| Summa Theologi&, book which, as Milman says,
| II would take most men a lifetime TO read. Aqu-
mas was busy teacher as well as writer HIS lee
| ture room was thronged. AZ one period he taught
both at Paris and Naples His great abilities were
| sought in affairs OF government. and he was fire.
quently summoned 10 the council table OF the king
Ii is related of him that once as he was deep in the
Summa" an order came TO attend upon the mon
| arch He obeyed, but his mind remained with his
problem and AS he sat absorbed at the royal table
he suddenly struck his fist upon it, enchanting
hit upon the conclusive argument which noored
those heretics. The incident IL significant That
power OF abstract sequacous thinking explains the
Summa TheolOglG. On account of the remarkable
powers OF intellect displayed by him he received
the title of the angelic"
But il one would Know how Aquinas was estma-
ted in medieval times let him open his Dante and
in what sphere OF glory the poet has enthron-
ed him, visit the Spanish Chapel' IN Florence
and the same thing expressed In painting
Fourteen virgins sitting in row represent the
sciences, natural and theological. AT the ieet OF
each is the great who interprets her. while
high above all surrounded by prophets and apostles,
sits ST. Thomas king OF all sciences
And this great champion OF the FaIth IS
again summoned 10 the front. In Thomas Aquinas
The most sanity of the learned, the most learned
of the saints" the prince of theoogians, the su-
preme dialectician of the schools, we have a shin
ing example of the spirit and power OF Scholastic
cisn that mighty system which for nve centuries
held the intellect Of Europe within its grasp. The
subject matter upon which the scholastic was 10
employ his mind was well defined. The doctrines
of the church formed at the principal subject
Inf hia ipuu rieaa mi y TEST
These doctrines had also 10 be reconciled with the
reigning philosophy. That philosophy IN the thf-
teenth century was the Aristotellan. Aristotle was
recognized by the scholastic rs the one dlvlncly
appointed philosopher whose principles and meth
od were 10 furnish form and system 10 the whole
body OF sacred doctrines Thus we may Imagine
the Angelic Doctor debating 10 his amanueusi5 the
great work Of his life. the SuInma Theoogle, with
one ear open TO the Saints and the other to the
Stagirite.
The great work is an admirable example of the
principles and forms of the Aristotelian legic. The
entire mass of sacred doctrine is distributed INTO
distinct questions which are subdivided into nu-
merous articles Each article Is a question for dis
cnssion, which is argued nrst IN the negative then
in the affirmative. A conclusion Is reached, euci-
dated and defended. In precisely the same man
As the first article of the first question OF the
Summa is treated. every one of the numerous artl-
Giles embraced under each Of the I'VE hundred and
twenty-three main questions Is separately discus
sed. What severe mental effort this implies
What command OF the learning OF the times.
What power of patient and subtle analysis What
answering diligence! What invincible energy OF
Intellect We can hardly refuse TO this mind the
In view Of the Papal induction of Aquinas into
the Office of Doctor Of philosophy for the nine
teenth century 1t will he question OF interest to
mcguire how far the science OF the thirteenth GEN.
luz, Is capable Of adjustment TO that of the nine
teepth? What light can scholasticism throw upon
the difficult problems which present themselves TO
modern thought The philosophy of Aqunas IS
Aristot .i!anlsln .pure and simple. To reinstate
Aquiuas 10 reinstate Aristotle, and 1t would be
well for If men Of science would consent 10 take
some lessons in reasoning from the Father OF Logic,
# they would use their better instrument OF m
ductive argument with somewhat more of the
precision with which Aristotelian schoolmen used
the deductve syllogsm. And there Is nothing in
the loffest flights Of u scholastic. say the eXplora
tons OF Aqunas into the Angelic world, 10 match
in wildness of speculation some of the theories
which are presented for the serious consideration
of this enlightened age. OF the inductiye method
Aluinas properly knows nothing. Induction supplies
us with HYPOTHESIS from which conclusions are
drawn The error ofthe schoomen consisted N this
They neglected observation and were not careful TO
verify their conclusions. They drew their premises
too much from authority too little from Nature Their
data were often imaginary. but there was seldom
flaw their logic. The study OF Aquinas Will con-
tribute 10 mental clearness, II Will not subserve
the main object OF modern science, the discovery
OF Natures laws. In metaphysical doctrine. also,
st. ThOmasis close follower OF Aristotle. The
Arstoielian distinctions of matter and form, po-
tentality and actually, substance and accident.
are constantly present 10 the mind Of Aqulnas and
shape his entire view of God, man and the uni
verse. The effect therefore, Of renewed attention
TO the scholastic will be renewed attention TO Arts
totelian metaphysics.
The lecturer remarked that owing To lack OF tune
he should Ice obliged omit that part OF his lee
which treated Of the great cOatrOyertei ques-
ton of the Middle Ages. the mode Of existence OF
Uuiyersals in order 10 consider a topic 81 more
Mr.. 81. George MivaTt, who is i Roman catholic.
claims Tie powerful support OF 81. Thomas Tor me
lie proceeds 10 show how far that support
is really available. He finds slender support
II any for the current doctrines There Is rad
ical difference between the two. Aquinas allows,
without. however, decisively committing himself to
the opinion. that the deity may be conceived have
brought into potential existence those forms OF life
which became actual in the first living Individuals
from which thereafter all others descend OF trans-
mutation OF species Aquinas appears to know moth
ing OF the derivation of the higher from the lower
by the preservation Of small inherited notifications
the theory of Darwin, or even ''of an internal law
presiding over the actions OF every part OF every
individual, or Of every organism q unit. and of
the entire organic world rs q whole, by which from
time TO time new species are manifested by ordn-
AIRY generation" Mivart's theory, 81. Thomas
seems never TO have heard To attach these mod
ern speculations to the Summa Theologie seems
like putting piece OF new cloth upon an old gar
ment
The lecturer spoke Of the many things which hai
necessarily been passed over. The metaphy siclan
would he interested in his theory Of uniyersals and
his doctrine of ntelgible species, and of matter
the principle OF naturalization; the psychologist in
his views upon the nature and distribution of the
human faculties and in his admirable treatment of
memory the morallst IN his combination Of Artistic
titan and Christian ethics; the political economist
In his condemnation of usury the theUloglan IN his
proof of the being OF God
II must be said, however, In conclusion that the
complete restoration of the philosophical system of
Aquinas Is not for y moment TO be thought of.
Scholasticism can never be renstated. The SIX
centuries which have rolled away since the subtle
spirit Of ST. Thomas meditateI upon the profOundest
themes within the compass Of mems thoughts have
not been without influence upon philosophy. A
single generation, indeed Is enough 10 affect its
whole aspect. Questions which never arose before
come to the front. The work OF philosophy is one
of continual REIMBURSEMENT toa changing environ
ment.
Scholasticism the world has long outgrowG. What
was true in those systems has not wholly passed
away. Much Of II has entered into the very sub
stance of modern thought and still survives IN the
structure and terms Of modern language.
But the day Is forever past when any how
ever revered can be subdltuted IN science for the
authority of nature herself Scientific men Will
continue to listen with the closest attention for her
.Rcspondeo dicendum" while they will scarcely
heed that of the Angelical Doctor and the
question AT issue, the nineteenth century.wil hard