The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-11
From the New York Herald.
The Reaction in GERMANY

thought has always been vigorous and
independent, and consequences have had
no influence In holding 1T back 1t has
certainly not been as reverent as one could
wish and never hesitated to attack the
gravest matters and to subject them to the
same phllosophic and scientific tests which
were applied to truths of a different and
lower order. Strauss and Bauer were in
tellectual lconoclasts of the most daring
kind They came into the field at time
when Germany had grown somewhat in
different to religious concerns, and at
once captivated thousands of scholars
and half scholars by the novelty of their
methods, the startling character of their
denlals, and the plausibility of their logic
| They founded a school of rationalism
which attempted to rob Christianity of
its supernatural element and to reduce
its originators to the level of thoughtful.
well meaning, but greatly overestimated
and In many respects greatly mistaken
teachers. So great was the influence of
tins rationalism and so cogent were its
arguments that a new impulse was given
to the philosophy Of doubt in England,
and for time it seemed as though the
Book from which the world has for cen
tures drawn It's inspiration was about to
be relegated to the dusty alcove to take
its place by the side of the writings of
Plato and Socrates. In America Theo-
dore Parker, Emerson, and Charming
sprang from the head of German philoso-
ply as Minerva from the head of Jove.
Each OF these scholars, in his own pecu-
mar way, gave expression to the general
doubt which began to be felt in all com
munlties, and which is easily traced to
German writer's. The rationalism which
found its profoundest expression in
Parker and Emerson, its feebler expires
sion IN the Unitarianism of New Eng
land, and which still finds an inane eX-
preston IN whole army of bitter NAL
contents and vagarists throughout the
length and breadth of our land was and
is but the feeble echo of the command
ing voices which were heard in Halle and
Zurich.
During the last twenty years, however,
very decided change has come over the
religious convictions of the German peo-
pie. We can plainly see the progress of
reaction toward belief from this reac-
ton toward unbelief This reaction from
an extreme conservatism, not wholly un-
mingled with superstition, drove the ma
ton to infdehty; and the reaction from
that infidelity is gradually leading them
back to Christian faith corroborated
by scientific investigation. Infidelity.
as dominating order of thong ht, has lost
It's crown and its throne and rational
conservatism, freely conceding the super
natural as component part of Chris
tianity, is gradually taking possession of
the national mind and heart. Not ONLY
are Strauss and Bauer dead, but their
influence, if not quite dead, is so weak
that 1T need awaken no alarm. Parker
is also dead, and he left so little behind
HIM In the way of vital doubt that New
England IS swinging back to the faith of
the fathers The authority of all these men
Is thing of the past and their arguments
against the supernatural have been buried
under mass Of still stronger arguments
for it,
In proof of this are innumerable facts
but we have room for only one Twenty
years ago the theological department Of
those German universities in which ra.
tionalism was taught were crowded with
students, while the few conservative mi
versities had little more than an array
OF empty seats. Such, however. is the
g OAOOCOu III puDlIC opinion during
the last twenty years that to-day the sue
cessors of the great teachers of doubt find
1T difficult to gather an audience to lee
ture to, while the more conservative pro-
fessors deliver their lectures to scores in
stead of tens The catalogues of the
renowned seats of learning show how
surely Germany is finding her way back to
a belief in revelation. The tide of in.
fidelity has had its period of food, years
ago reached its high water mark. and is
now, at the very least, at the half ebb
On the other hand, the tide of faith.
which reached its low water mark with
the last generation, is on the food and is
likely to reach higher point than ever
before. 1t is great satisfaction to know
that rational conservatism, which ac-
cepts the great dogmas that have been
tested by centuries of experience, in
cludes not alone that class which is oov-
erned by tickle emotion, but the LARGE
body of the worlds best and profoundest
thinkers, who have dug through the
stratum of doubt and are building on the
solid foundations of faith
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