, 1880-10-31


Ut sympathy in trials, for aid in their mis-
luttules, 1or announcement in the day of
sy aayyers1ty, for charity when fallen into error
civ. Sr nma Tor hearty good under all the
3iMIuence over the Christian, making him
oetter and nobler man.
DHIsM AND THEISM.
IMPRESSIVE PHASES OF MODERN RELIGIOUS
FAITH.
ioHslol Spectator.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, in the
charge delivered at Dover, does {: consider:
aoie injustice to modern Thcists. He pro-
1esses himself unable to explain the differ
eftce between TAeist and Deist, intimates
1nat tile names are interchangeable, and
entcrtains belief that there is danger Of
England sinking into a. "coid'' Deisln or
Ihelsn, like that Of the eighteenth century.
We need not say We hold Theism to be only
q part Of the truth, and a faith which by
Itself does not satisfy human needs, while it
almost certainly would not as compared
with Christianity, conduce to human prog
ress; but DE. TAFT is, nevertheless, scarcely
]ustto Theists. The name by which they de-
scribe themselves may be philo1ogica1ly a lit
tie absurd, the distinction between "Deus !"
anu Iheos being Of the most subtle or illl-
perceDtlble kind, but they have sue
ceeded in imparting to the; words in usage
very different shades of meaning. The De-.
lst, in usual theological parlance, is man
who believes that God was the Creator Of the
universe, and still exists, but, having placed
his creation under fixed laws, He las ceased
to Interfere with His own work and disap-
peared from the ken of His own creatures,
with whom, except as original law-giver, He
maintains no relation. That, indeed, is a
S'cold " faith, scarcely distinguishable from
the Atheism for which it was mere cover,
and only separable by philosophers from Pan
/ theism, in which the whole universe is itself
the God. The difference between Godhead
which meyer existed and Godhead which
is suspended, though very considerable in
reality, inasmuch as it God was Creator, His
laws, when discernible, are divine, and not
even potentially blunders, is theologic-
ally very tritling, and if the lat
ter is accompanied, as is customary,
with disbelief in o future state, is
course of events here is immntably fixed, and
there is no hereafter, God disappears for man
into phrase, theory through which he
avoids the intellectual trouble Of searching
into the origin Of things. The Theists repu-
date this view altogether, and have changed
the word ssDeist" into "Theist," !" in order to
express their Reputation. They told that
God not only was, but is; not only created
the world, but governs it; has permanent
pend or modify Ills laws, having, like az
other thinking beings q free will, and is at all
events cognizant of their prayers, aspira-
tions, ana efforts to approach Him. That
faith, carrying with it as it does some belief
in the utility OF prayer, a strong inclination
towards worship, and stronger desire to
obey all that can be ascertained Of Ills will,
is, though we fully admit it to be insufficient,
not by any means necessarily ''cOld lone.
On the contrary, it. may be e yery a9t on;on one:
strances when We say that the very spirit Of
Theisfn, dominating and sometimes Suppress
ing Christianity: appears in al forms OF Cal
yinism is prominent in all Scotch theology
sands Of Scotchmen hold right and wrong to
be distinguished from each other because
God has distinguished them,-and is the very
soul and vital principle of the theology Of
New England and the sterner division M OF II the
God the Ruler-that Christ sinks ont Of sight
The faith hitherto has not appeared, except
in individuals, unaecompan'ed ~ a be!lef
that God has directly revealed Himself to
man; but is appearing nov, and itwould not
necessarily be i cold one. On the contrary.
it would probably be very warm one, would
be obeyed by its yotaries, SO far as they could
see Implicitly, and would gradually. II mat1l-
tanned for any length of time, form race
with tempers of, iron, ready to prosecute to
the death all who disoelieve, and therefore ore
rebelied, pitilesly moral, though the
morality might not be ours, and "a, at once
as resigned ard as stern as TIE trne
Legltimists usually are; The danger OF
Such o If oahass ased aa hfGuER RsoPbs b
ardent in the maintenance and diffusion Of
d9etneS Syoyed from the h eel1Gxers 9wn
God, grows hungrlly anx10ns 70 discern Ills
WY, these men, Ie]eciS GnriStlanlty, I'M l M Ut any
other external revelation now N Iea! or SUP
posed eSIstencc, would oe sure 10 nnd tnls
laW at iaso III elr Hell Own aGepfSs G0nvlgtlons
and make o. then terf'ole instruments OF
coercion and oppressloo'n: o'
nj, Ine ArcnDlShop o. M O. GiantelouIy Is Isl tearing A .
Ihelsm which IS old Delsnl, and We Wonaer
if his dread has m much :! Foundation. {; L,t We
should think not; NO ;1 individual, nr Eroqp
OF indiyiduals, can quite tIace e. an ne a.
1ect1ons III which M the n mind d ot j. nation Is
drifting; but we sonia sax nat tne pnaSe f,o ot
indifference TO- rel!glon ;yhich appears from
time to time IN Engllsh M I'VE IS lnst 9ow
very distant, ana and that wien M t;a II arrives ny
it Will not be DASeu upon Tile nOClOn OF q