, 1880-06-13

On nOtSeleSS ntQScS open VIDE.
In tenderness He makes repiy,
"Communion may indeed be bIest
But If thou lowest me- nrise
And by thy deeds thy love attest
Thus strengthened By His grace divine,
! find each act of service sweet,
And wait, expeCtunr Of the Joy
Eternal, at Ills blessed feet
ERNEST REMAIN.
HIS RELIGIOUS RELtEF AND His PRIVATE LIFE.
London Truth.
Ernest Reuan was born hf1y-seyen years ago,
and was destined by his parents for the priest
hood II was while terminating his studies at
the seminary OF St Sulpice, iii Paris, that he be
san to oentertaip scruples to the reality of his
vocation. He was already an excellent Hebrew
scholar and we'll vcrsed in Arntuac and Arabic;
while be had few rivals in his mystery Of Greek
and Latin The Church Of Rome considers the
knowledge OF this lust tongue as alone indispen-
aable 10. those who arc to follow the ccccsinsn-
ca profession. being wise in her generation; for
man Eho has never read the Scriptures In the
original Ia less likely to he assAiled with doubts
asto tho precise nature Of their historic bearing.
Still the Church encourages those Of her servants
who wish to 60 further, to read ST Paul and
Isaiah in tho languages in which they dictated.
All she asks OF theul however, is, that they shall
implicitly accept her solution Of any difficulty
that may occur to them.
Unfortunately Renan WAS not one Of those
ypu;hs who are content to take their religion on
trust He asked puzzltng questions, and instead
Of eceiying satisfactory answers, was bidden to
be'iaro Of intellectual pride, md warned that
tb search after truth might be pushed too far
r aus spoke the preccptors- He turned sadly
fuM them. and tried to soc If any OF his brother
'npils could help hin, but he was too far the In
electual and moral superior Of most Of his
souug contemporaries to gain much assistance
n that quarter. He fell back at last, we have
most Of us 10 do, on himself; gave up uil at
Hupts to believe thut which seemed incredible
tohh unaided reason; and finuiiy abandoned
aagson tue pfsuaast tenet OF which insists on
comprehend the scheme Of the universe. and
must, therefore, submit his Judgment TO tho
One must be candid; and, while regretting
tchiety for his own suke' the position which
Renan has taken up, must ad,nst that he shows
none Of the bitterness nf the renegade. Indeed,
the term cannot in fairness be applied to him.
He processes, with perfect sincerity, to honor
the communion he has quilted, aud to admire
r. % IF iisS 3, s nm
oclast. Nay. he has been ut paius to assurc the
world that the spirit Of Christ's teachings is the
best medicine for tho ills OF our aye. In
the Life OF Jesus. he bids the workmen OF
Pnris dismiss the ideu that society can be re-
UTEANILG4l OT1 l11E 1hSIS III 1UANIlHllStl
What, then. is kenen's quarrel with ortho-
doxy? Simply that ht: denies the possibility OF
miracles; and therefore rejects what humble
Christians consider ~ among the most striking
proof OF the divine mission OF Christ In the
famous Life" he makes no serious attempt to
disprye any alleged miracle. finding it more con-
them must, Of necessity, be fabulous The story
Of the resurrection Of LAZARUS puzzles him lit
tie. the evidence being obviously Of the strong
et: but he di5poses vi 1t to his own satisfaction
hy declaring that OH this one OCCASION tho Fouu-
DER Ut our Faith was probably guilty Of fraud
md conspiracy
are, mny be resolved into two, both purely lite
sary. The French is excellent, and the descrip-
i've passages though too often nlarrcd BY grave
faults Of taste. are vivid and pictures4uc. The
critical value OF the book is Slight THAT jetof
rose -water,' growled Strauss contcmptuously,
viii not e1ttnguisa the altar fire Bunsen
" Jesuits. :. They just .nanaged,S he said,
ITO spoil him for u scholar There is more
ruth in this remark than appears at first sight,
3or Renan has fought with the weapons of tho
3esuits He can scarcely be termed Il fair cou-
troverstalst: perhaps it would be juster to say
hs M cannot @ always be so considered Occasionally
taly which. spr1nging, us It does, from the con-
met Of q multitude of noble sympathies, is |
among no the highes, manifestations of genius.
tive logical Strength @ Of Catholicism and Frotest-
sa1ssm I Is an admirable specimen OF temperate |
saa @ lucid exposition, whether we agree or not t
L4E NTIIEF. HIS OPINION U} LuG HA5, Ii ]
ee11edy this: AS ag1inst the Professionalism OF the
1ns1y-nine Articles, or the Westminster Con-
,ess 1tsson- Rune eau claim the victory. But the
oeF Prutesta ntis1n. which follows the spirit
n1her than the letter, the creed of the Arnolds,
.s aa 4aurices and Stanleys, seems to hum to be
soaen sasea On stronger foundations than those of
matte Catholicism
Kenan's own faith seems to be vaRue PAN
= ss1aelsm, With hulf-hope Of the immortality Of
~ tue soul soul and fancy that Justice nay possibly
1e done to mankind hereafter. This you gnthcr
41uIn nla pFiSAtG conversation much from |
eis oooks~ Indeed it is iu a tste-a-rete inter
XIV XIV That be is seen at his best; for be then
Meanng ~: g and elicit your own opinions He is
s ot olt Proud and will listen as conrteously to
e ~ crude uttcranct.s Of Il lad fresh from college
;;o*ett or Dollinger He knows that the opin-
sas OF youth have their value rs well as those Of
BE is absolutely frank in conversation. reveal
~ 3s 9lnself as pure skeptic, in the true sense
y q 1hat much abused word. He suspeuds his |
Iissagment on the great problems OF natural re-
33e,on. 3s,.Ha He doubts Of God; doubts OF his own
,;ouot, and jealousy ecrltinizcs the causes Of
as unbelief. Sometimes be startles you by such
hs;ss! hpafaoox as the following: !" viii believe In
'@oes" @ He will add: - know several very good
nJ zen I Tho call themselves Christians; but each
~ sa ~ would find it necessary TO explain away
Iaether 70 they strictly followed their Masters
functions No, Christianity Is IN ideul dreamed !
T. oy poet-never realized. But what is the
AS ~ dAIhtf1 ~ WkAL ~aACA CfNA |
seneon and Lacordnirc could not reach?"
~ Inc .s answer il sufficiently near at hand, He
~ 9, Will probably have pointed out the weakness
! aas own argument before you have time to I
= sa. 50. Then. huying restricted the orthodox
Il. asR uar better thnn most champions OF religion
o91d} he proceeds to assuil 1t frum another side
J.. gu depart from this intellectual feast con-
need that the giver Of it is Il man Of the quick
y susceptbities, of the kindicst feelings. and
H., tne keenest Wit; but perhaps: too. recalling
~ me words from d greater book than any our 1.
se has produced about him that doubteth,
*9o Is like wave of the sea-, driven with the I
,t lao snd tossed and feeling that not from ! |
Ct ,Sh comes the regeneration OF q country. :
~. nne events OF Rcnan's life, apnrt from the
aoncadon Of his different works, have been
" ", and uneventfui, His nomination to the =
alr OF HEBREW in the College Of France qsts9 t
ofoked such disturEances-libera and cleri- :
Students yelling at one another and at the
ldress- Renan adopted the simple ex- +
:a,ent Of keeping tho peace by giving no more 4
ea1fes- The leisure thus gained he devoted | T.
bringing out the Life OF Jesus;
en- n: Duruy cancelled h,s appoint g
eoh The Minister Cared nothing about