New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-28


work in of the quality reviews and taken money
for doing it out of our pockets" "Endymion would
| have liked to hare gone GorthD LADY Roehamptou
had really intended TO hare been pres
ent." This is a sort of faulty construction
for which Lord Beaconsfeld has fatal propensity
Nobody would care about reading the book for the
sake of its contents or ITS style. thousands VIII
read II once because famous man has written II,
and then will laugh at the author.
Professor in tn Thcoloeical Seminary Princeton.
Nj BY his son, A. A. Hodge. New-York: Charles
scrihneI's sons.
For many years Dr. Hodge was recognized without
dispute as the foremost Calvinistic theologan OF
America, and one OF the Leading theologians of the
world AS the master spirit in the great seminary
of his Church. from which during his services a
professor for than fifty years 5000 men were
graduated: the principal Editor for t0rty-Six
years of The Pr'RcCtOR RCrC,C, the accepted organ
OF Presbyterian orthodoxy; as a commanding figure
in the ecclesiastical courts and General Assemblies
of powerful section of the Christian Church of
this country, he welded power which can hardly
be overestimatcd. The measure of this controlling
influence can hardly be appreciated IN these days,
when systems of doctrine contained in Church
standards are considered of less Importance than
Christian character and practical Christian ac
tivity. Fifty years ago, however, polemical
theology absorbed a large share of The most acute
an aggressive thought of the country. Questions
Of Christian doctrine and ecccsastical pOity. like
the great struggle which eliminated in the diSrup
ton of the Presbyterian Church. not onlt con-
vulsed a single denomination of Christian believers
but agitated all classes of society. DR.. Hodge was
the ripe and peculiar product Of these times. AID
rs such he exercised an exceptional influence upon
ne y n w ~ W or which
he was developed.
Although something broader than a mere thcO-
logan, DR.. Hodge was theologian primarily. His
influence felt in all the stirring events Of his
time but he did more than bring to bear upon
them the powers OF mind specially disciplined in
his chosen field Of activity; he treated all ques-
tons political, social and moral, from his stand
point n theologian and according to their sup
posed relation to Christian doctrine and Church
poty. He confessed rather bOastfully that the
only treatise on logic he ever read was a book
about as large an almanac which he won't
through in four Rotations at college, and vet he
was born logician. His thoughts were naturally
formulated in methOdical expression, and joined
together in complete and harmonious system.
Hence his great work, the d" Systcpatic Theology,
though built up in times of heated controversy,
is not only a monument of profound study, subtle
analysis and the rarcst constructive ability, but
as well OF candid. charitable, temperate and
judicial statement which will make it a classic in
the Churches. After all, then. it is as pure thco
Logan that his influence will be most enduring
RELIGION is, has been and must be the chief con-
Germ of man. 1t is the central fact around which
the great events of mans history group them
selves. 1t is more powerful than art. or science,
or philosophy. The great theologian like Angus
tine or Calvin, is the master spirit among men, and
it Is rs a thcologI9n that DR.. Hodge will continue
tn exert a formative infucnce--a power which
mOuds and moves.
In an age which delights to style itself progress
sivc. there is mnch refreshmont in Chc sober con-
scrvatism of such man as the Princeton pro-
fossor He was familiar with the latest and most
"systems OF pbilOsOphy,' but he
never exercised his ingenuity in the line of novel
ties or Originalties. lie stood fast in the faith
once delivered to the SAINTS 1t was his boast that
- a new idea never originated in Princeton Semi
nary" This conservatism was strikngly manifest
in the attitude he took and held in all the great
controversies of his time, religious and political
He often planted himself on what he considered
solid ground almost alone and apart from the great
body of his friends Time ana again in the stress
of the conflict his friends would drift by him lcav-
ing him in his original position but with their re-
aions to him entirely erScd. In the disruption
Of his Church he was in full sympathy with the |
Old School party OH points OF doctrine and Church
policy, and he shared their dstrust of the spirit
and conduct of the opposing leaders, and yet he |
radically differed from the majority of his party in
heir efforts to bring about division. His Unborn |
conservatism rcvOted at the idea of a change He
could see no crro prevalent or dangerous as !
10 make the disruption necessary, and he disap- |
proved OF the methods of the Old School majority rs
muolitic and unconstitutional. Thirty years later.
when the dOctrinal elements Of discord seemed |
10 have been eliminated and the two branches |
seemed to have come into harmonious adoption |
IF the old CalvinStic articles of belief, he brought
Town upon himself the inpatient censure OF his
trends by opposing the popular scheme of reunion
IS strenuouSly as he had set his face against the
original separation. The Old school Church had
AIKEN its place IN history as protest against what
le considered loose Interpretation of the West
Minister Confession. He did not set himself up TO
IitIcise the orthodoxy of the New School brethren
T to dcnOuncc them as heretics. He appreciated
he advantages ana glorics Of united Church.
tut standing on the old ground uDmoyed by the
gns of progress" all about him, he maintained
nth consistent conservatism that while as a
latter of fact the two branches differed in the
altitude of their liberation AMI their Interpretation
the dvctrnal standards, there was nothing TO
IStlfy such change IN Church relations as would
e brought about by reunion. lie had wIthstOod
be Old School men in $50. when they were bent on
ivdiug the Church, because the New Scnool
rethren were too bad to live WITH and in 1866 he
pposed the same men. burning with sudden
esre for reunion because the New School brethren
ere too good to live without.
His orthodoxy was uncOmpromslng. hut he never
ilizeC it as disguise for intolerance, ana more
ian once his strict loyalty to what he considered
10 essentials Of Cayinistc doctrine led him to ex-
else wider charity than tho councils of his
hurch would adopt. The General Assembly Of
$40, by vote of 100 to 8, Illuminated the
,ctrine that baptism administered by a Roman
atholc priest not Christian baptism. Against |
is almost unanimous dcliverance of the repre-