New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
AZ RENAN IN LONDON.

The lectures which VI. Reuan delivered last April
IN London, and which are here brought together
consist Of series of four conferences" under tue
auspices of the HILBERT Foundation, established
for the purpose of aiding the progress OF enlight
ened Christianity :" and of an incidental discourse
on Marcus Aurclius," given at the invitation OF
the Royal Institution, day or two afrer the close
OF his more important course. The subject OF the
conferences is Rome and Christianity" that is to
say, the historical connection between the Roman
Empire and the ongu and early organization of the
Christian Church, and tie manner in which the
Church made Use OF tho Empire for the conversion
of the world. 1t is perhaps unnecessary to premise
that NJ Rcnan treats this topic IN strictly secular
spirit His methods those of scientific research
or at least OF scientific specuatonand in consider
ing the causes winch have produced certain results
he excludes supernatural agency If the name of God
Is not literally banished from his book, the idea of
divine interposition the establishment OF any re-
ligion is certainly omitted. Judaism, Christianity
and various other forms of worship are treated as
intellectual movements" which could not have
existed or could not have lasted except under specific
favorlng conditions. The Mosaic law was the Gre
alton of exalted Utopans possessed OF high social
istc ideal. The religion which Christ meant to es-
tablish was also impracticable and founded on er-
roneous notions. and the Christianity really set up
by the apostles and apostolic fathers was quite uu
like his design. III Christianity had not taken the
lead the Mithrac worship would, perhaps, have be-
come the religion of the world. The Mlthrac tomb
of the Catacombs of Rome Is as edifying and deeply
,Dy sterous as the Christian tOmbs.
In the first conference on The Sense in which
Christianity is Roman Work NJ Renan seeks
to show how Rome obtane Christianity through
Judaism. "Tbis extraordinary movement 30 which
10 other can be compared. came forth from the
bosom of Judaism. But it is dolbtful il Judaism
alone would have conquered the world II was ne
cessary that young and bold school, coming out OF
its midst, should take the audacous part OF re-
nouncing the largest portion of the Mosaic ritual.
Itwas necessary, above all that the new movement
should be ported into the midst of the Greeks
and Latlns, while awaiting the Barbarlans and be-
come like yeast in the bosom of those European
races by which humanity ac30mpilShes It's
destinies." NJ. Renan gives the following sketch of
tue condition of the religious system Of the empire
az the birth of Christ -
In the Roman worship, as in most OF the ancient
Itaiote Worsnips, prayer was magic formula, act
ing by it's virtue, ipdependent OF the moral DIS
positions of him who prayed. People prayed ONLY
foI selfish end. There exist some registers called
iRdgitdmentd. containing lists OF the g0ds VINO SUD.
ply all the wants OF men, mus there washo heed Oh
being deceived. II the god was not GddresseI by
his true name by that under which III pleased Dln
to be invoked, be was capable of misapprehenSlon,
or of interpreting capIicoHsly. Now these gods,
who are IN degree the forces of the world are
innumerable There was !ittle god who made the
infant inter his firs6 cry tpdficaaus; there
other who presided over his first word (FabuliRWs;
another who taught the BABY to ear tEducdl; an
other who taught him to d ink (FOtad; another
VINO made nm keen quiet in his cradle lCHtdl In
trnth, the good wife of PetrUnius was right when.
In speaking of the Campagna. She sad: " his
country Is so peoped with that 1t Is easier
TO fluid god than man." Beside these. there
were uuendng series of alle9Ones, OF deltl'd alb
straciions-Fear, the Cough, Fever. Many Fortune,
Patricaa Chastity Plebelan Chastity. the Security
OF the Age. the Genius OF the Customs tor OF The
ociyO0, aud above all listen, tdaC one who, to say
the truth was tae great god OF EOm'). The Safety
of the Roman People. II civil Religion IN the
full force OF the term II was essentially the re-
hgon of the State. there was 10 priesthood dls-
tinct from the functions of tie state the state
was the vertable god of Rome. The father had
there the right OF e and death over his SOM ont II
this son had the least junction. ana the father met
him IN his path, be descended FROM his horse. aud
bent himself before hil1.
The consequence of this italy political char
acter was that the Roman religion renamed al
ways an ariStOcratic religion. man became pom
tiff as he became pretOr or consul. Wien man
desired these religious func tons, he submitted to
no examination he went into no treat III sem
mary H. did not ask himself whether ne mad the
ecclesiastical vocation; he proyed mat ne had
served his country well, and that lac had been
wounded ia certain battle. There was no S,cGI-
dotal spirit. These owl podtiii5 remained cold,
practical men, and bad not the least lGca that
their functions should separate them from tle
world. The religion Of Rome l. IN every respect,
the inversion of theOCTGcy. ClVl law rules acts;
il does not trouble Itself with thoughts tiiS dI
the Roman lei gi0n. Rome never mad the least idea
OF dogma. The exact observation Of tie rites com
manded by the divinity, III which II od not readfsl
pletv or the sentiments OF the heart if the request
was III form, all mat was required Even more
devotion was a fault calmness order, regularity
only were necessary ; more than THAI an excess
(superstItiOl. Cato absolutely forbade tnat slave
should be allowed 10 conceive amy sentiment OK
plety "Know," SAID he. that it is the master who
sacrifices for ali toe household" 1t was not necdfu
TO neglect what was duo To the gods bnt 1t was
not needful TO give them more than was due that
was superstition. OF which tie true Roman had as
much horror as OF InfietY
Was there ever, ask you. religion less CAPABLE
Of becoming the religion Of the human race than
thatY Not only was the access to the priesthood
for long time forbidden 20 the plebelans but they
were also excluded from the pa bile worship. IL the
great struggle for civil equality which fills tbs his
tory Of Rome. religion is the great argument with
which the rcyolutIoDists are opposed. How" say
they, could you become a prtctor or CONSUL
You have not the right to take the oneps
Above all. the people were very htiIe attached to
religion. Each popular victory was followed, as one
NAV saw by an antI-clercal reaction on the con-
irary the arstocracy remained always faithful to
worship which gave dlvihe sanction TO It's PRIV
Ieges
The matter became still more pressing when the
Roman people. by their manly, patriotic virtues.
had conquered all the nations upon the borders Oh
the Mediterranean. What interest, think yOu, an
African. Gaul. SyriaI took IN worship wnlch
concerned only a small number OF nigh and often
tyraun.cal families The local religions were con,
tinued everywhere; but Augustus, who was still
more religious organizer than great politician,
establishment OF the Roman worship The affairs
of Rome and of Augustus became the centre Oh u
berarchical organization of Flamens and Augustan
Seylrs who served 10 found, more than one I'M
AGNES the ia visions of the dioceses and eccleslas
teal provinces. Augustus admitted all the local
gods as Lares he allowed more tban the number OF
lares in each mouse at each cToss-load an 6ddI-
tiOnal IaTe was placed the Genius OF the emperor
Thanks tn his fellowship, all the local gods aud all
the special gods became "Augustan gods" IL was
a great advance. But This grand attempt OF the
worship of the Roman state was VIGOROUSLY IN
sufficient to satisfy the religious needs OF the heart
There was elsewhere god VINO could not accommo-
date himself in any way to this fraternity; II was
the God Of the Jews. IL WAS impossible 10 make
Jehovah pass fol LaTe. and associate with the
Genius of the Emperor. 1t was evident that con-
fiict must he established bet veen the Roman State
and this interchangeable aud refractory too, VINO did
80 haud IN tho comulaSant TRANSFORMED eX-