National Republican., 1881-09-01
PHYslos AND MErApHYslcs.
To the Editor Of THE RrruptIcAs,

To the Editor Of THE REPUBLIcASi
A profound change has taken place In the world
know the most OF nature believe the least about
Ne0iogy The sciences are regarded as inhdels and
facts as scoffers,-Robcrt @. IngrsoH.
other way. Itisnot true that "a profound
change had taken place in the world of Thought"
unless Q more rapid sprcad;of the gospel and
can be called so.-Jeremidh s. Bldck.
The "pious and profound" Christian philoso-
pher, Frederick Henry Jacobi who has been
called by his disciples the Plato OF Germany,
holds the following significant language In dis
parngemcnt Of a too Jealous study Of nature:
Natiire conceals God, for through her whole
domain nature reveals only fate-only al indis-
soluble chain Of mere efficient causes, without
beginning and without end, excluding with equal
necessity both providence aud chance. An indie.
pendent agency, free original commencement
within her sphere and proceeding from her
powers, is absolutely impossible. working Win. h.
out WILL she takes council neither OF the g00d nor
the bcautiful creating nothing she casts up from
her dark abyss only eternal transformations OF
herself unconsciousy and without an end; iur-
thering with the same ceaseless industry, decline
and increase, death and life l-Ion den Godtchen
Dingen Werke band Ill.,, p. 425.
Sir William Hamilton regarded by many os the
prince of modern metaphysiclans," warns us
to the same effect In still more dcspondent terms
When men first turned their attention on the
phenomena Of nature every event was viewed as
miracle, for every event was considered MS the
operation OF ntelligenSe' Asscienee a1yanoeo no
after the sublunary world had been disenchanted
they were left for ascason In possession the starry
heavens. The movement OF the celestial bodies
In which Kepler still saw the agency of free in-
tcllgence, was at length by Newton resolved into
few mathematical principles, and at last even
the Irregularities which Newton was compelled 70
leave for the miraculous correction OF the Deity
| have been proved to require no supernatural In
! terposition for La Place has shown that all con,
| tlngencies, past and future, in the heavens hnd
| their explanation in the one fundamental law oi
| grnvitatfon. Should physiology ever sue
| coed in reducing the facts OF Intelligence to phe.
nomena of matter philosophy would be subyerted
In the subvorsion Of its three great oblects-God
free will, and mmorality.-Lectures on Metaphysics
| Loct. H., Am. cd, p. 20.
The study Of physics, in scarcely more than two
hundred years since its emancipation from theolog
ical schoasticlsm, has revoutionized our ciyilza-
tion has slowly delivered man from thousand be-
| numbing supcrstitions; has extended his empire
over the forces OF nature TO degree which only ro
nance had imagined has ameiorated his daily life
aud has added uncounted wealth and comfort K
those communities where 1t has had reest scope
Scientists-the true philosophers of naturc-ir
| pursuing their high and bencfccnt career have
quietly ignored the very existence of such theme
as ontoogy, the nature of ideas, the divine attri
butes the reality OF matter original sin, yicariou
atonement, imputed righteousness, Justification
| sanctincntlon, aud angelic minlstrations
The study of metaphysics, In more THEN A. m
thousand years. has made aing,c discovery
auuee no g,nsd A.th to the treasury of INTEL
mas gwen Rb :: clearer insight even into that
lIee neGess Consciousness" to which as to Its orac
VI Sphinx 1t ever bows in egotistic reverence VI
the misused title of philosophy" its most
tinguished votaries have amused themselves
- drcary iterntions ofbootless conundrums respcc
,se , the unintelligible, with shadowy shibbolett
i,ss sterile neologisms, and with proprietary del
,a o tions OF the absolute, the transcendenal and
:, ~ inconceivable.