New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-10


Friday 1t has been because they have supposed Delo
the non essential doctrines to be nseparaby c1nneGs
with belle I'm the essential doctrine. In spite ol m Hs
however II ia trne that IN the mind OF the unclyed
man the great central truths OF religion hre , ~,
Overaid with hundreds Of trivial notions RESPECT ng
dogma and ritual that his perception OF ils , ,,deed
truths is obscure These great central liuiis'
need to be clothed In dress OF little rites ana sei
ton in order 10 take hold OF his duh and untraneo
Intelligence. But I'm proportion ~ men Deconp LIZ 10
civilized and learn to think more accuIhey alu w IT,
WIDER views OF Ire, lust 40 30 they cOno Lila tbev
essential truths OF religion more highly, wiliS 'no'
attach less and less Importance to superficial dejas
Having thus seen what Is meant ny te t tt,tdo ~
OF religion, 10 Is very easy to see wlht tno vi
the doctrine OF evolution is toward these esseh,'
truths 10 asserts ana relterates Ileh Dot ~ 49, h
1t asserts them not dOgmas handed down 10 Us by
pricstly tradition. not mysterious intmtVe
tons Of which render no intelligent account 70
ourselves but scientific truths concerning ihe liloI
disclosed by observation and reflection, IKE oie scS
t0o truths, and that accordingly harmonic atuiay
doctrine of evolution asserts tho widest anu uees
truth which the study Of Nature can disclose 10 s ny
conceivable, and that all the phenomena OF the In,
verse, whether they be what we call nteIal OF w" ~
infinite aud eternal Power Now this assertion wnleh
Mr. Spencer has deliberately set f0rth rs scu ,
truth.-nay, rs the ultimate truth OF science as We
truth upon which the whole structure OF human khoWi
edge phO'Opblcally rcsts,his assertion Is lucn'Ca'
that forms the speculative basis OF all religions Nneh
Carlyle speaks OF the universe rs In very truth te s
crystal and through every grass blade. but most
through every living SOUL the glory of present Goa S
spencer means save that he speaks with the language OF
poetry. with language cOored by emotion ana lot wa"
tho precise. formal and cOlOrless language o -
BY many critics who forget that names afS pu l, a
counters rather than the hard money OF Thought
lions have been raised TO the Of such phrase AZ o
Unknowable whereby to describe the power thdI ~ H.,
uested IN every event OF the unlyets 1et Iid the
Hebrew prophet declared that by Him were ihlu Ilo
foundations Of the deep" but reminded us M XX
searching can find Him onti ne means PLS'y nnwer
what Mr. Spencer means when he SPEAKS OF 10 Po"ott
that Il nscrtabe I'm itself yet is revealed from m9He
to moment in every hrob Of the mighty rly thhc nlo
And this brings me to the last and most important
regard TO the ethical side OF the wofod assertion that
ftbom tho noture OF the insrr1able Power that ami
the world, We know nevertheless, great many
things that does Does this eternal Power then work
for rgrosness Il there a divine sanction for holiness
and divine condemnation for SIM Are the principles
Of right living really connected with she intimate con-
sttuOn OF the universal II the answer OF science 70
these questions be affirmative. then the agseement with
religion Is complete, both on the speculative ana on te
practical sides and that phantom which has been the
abiding terror of timid and superficial minis-that
phantom of the hostility between religion ana IL
exercised now and forever Now science began 10 re
turn decisiyely Affirmative answer to such quest rs
these when it began to explain moral Dehes anu Iy
YOU say moral belief moral sentiment that IL Is
product of evolution, you imply that u Is so9m5
which the universe through untold ages mas pen .aU0r
ing to bring forth and yOu aScrlOe 10 IL Ntlue ploi
Tomato to the enormous effort that 1t mas cosl 10 e
it, otill more. when with MT spencer we siiy t ~
cpes Of rght-vng part and parcel OF the WuOe Ioc
trne OF the development Of life upon me earChi WIN
we see that In an ultimate analysis Una! IS IiG i%
tends to enhance funess of life, and that Is wrong Wcn
tends detract from fullness of fe-we thcn see '
the distinction between right ana wrong Is t3oteI 9
deepest foundation Of the universe we see hat Ihe EG
same forces. subtle and exquisite ana Proiou9 WIFI d
caused them unfold, which through countless ages OF
struggle and death have cherished the e ll couu yo
more perfectly ana destroyed inc ne nay 02 t oy J
loss perfectly. while humanity with Hu Us hopes anu
fears and aspirations has into being NJ te crown
OF all TINS stuprndols WOrh-We see tn". a., 80
same subtle and exquisite forces nave wrought luo ue
gy Wbicb II Is mans highest function to put into
practice. The theoretical sanction thus given 10 rgn
BEEN assigned In any philosophy Of ethics Human re-
spOnsihlity Is made more strict ana solemn IMAM ever,
universe thus to be in the deepest possible sense
the author of the moral law that should gude our
and n obedience which lies only guarantee OF Tue
happiness which is incOrruptble-wmch neither II
eytabe misfortune nor unInerted ODioq! can o'el '
SPEECH OF HENRY WARD BEECHER.
The chairman then introduced, as the last speaker
of the evening Mr. Beecher, who spoke as follows
The old churches used to have two minister's one was
considered as doctor OF theology and the other reVl-
vat and pastor The doctor has had his say ana now
the evangelist will have his Laughterl Paul complained
that Alexander the cOppersmith did him great harm
Mr. spepcer has done US harm. don't believe
that there IA an active htfu minister in the United
states that has not been put TO peek oil trouDieS
and a great deal more than that by the
intrusion % his views and comparisons
with the old views can't for the life OF me reconcile
INF. notions with those OF IT. Augustine. cant ger
along with Calvin ana spencer DOM lLdus"teI'i
'' i,1"s The other laughter, aud 1 have
often been .posed 10 lei them fight II out themselves
j. to h. borne I'm mind that whom man is driving team
Of horses that just all that he can manage anyhow,
hi WIZ bt hi. side who is undertaking bring up
Gecate domestic matters ausnterl A man tnat
that he does Oc a god-spectaeled 3Wyer-
fat one but i2ns i fs enS one
he - cot to IT, ke OF himself first Laughter tie
therefore expect not to come IN IKE an ePnnYoqn
I, vvi1lp No In
wi" Itt ope ming Is certain Mr. Spencer IA coming,
whether men him not, and coming 10 stay MI
,pc,in du,nter Iney TX. tine climate flaugnterl
911' they' are working their way steadf1stly
i'm this c1utry When Mr. Spencer speaks OF our being
sa indnstrious be speaks ike insular gentleman.
You haven anything TO do IN England You nave but
about 300 miles diameter one way ana SUI INC othet
Ne nave got this whole continent TO take care OF.
fIaughter1 We are rather an ambitious people We
nave learned from the astronomers that they are hve
hours ahead Of every day I'm England ana we nave TO
yor& win all might TO make up those nVe hours
Now let say, with a ttle lnore approac,n 10 So
briefly think that the doctrine otev0utOn ana lts rea
ton 10 The work OF Mr. Spencer which taxes IN that ana
great deal besdes-to speak IN PLAIN language,
It IS going reyOlutonze Theology from one end to
good walk waking Where's we have had very muddy
bridge over rivers. which we have had TO wade.
There maay point; o In W To1 lbo rd the
but n does not answer reasonable questions
and the moral considerations That are brought to
New New re5sament idea is that religion is the art OF
uniting men on anvil aud haInmerlng them
9Put into perfect mvlnhood There Is no difference
between that tendency in Mr. spencers WORK
mr. Mr. Darwn's or galaxy of eminent writer's that
thine in the East aud ourselves that subject On the
other hand, the whole business OF religion Is
in the other world tughterl-Dut to create an IN
snrable interest him. Laughter and applause The
business before the making or themselves while
they are maAng also the world IN which they dwell.
The dOctriuo OF immortality was not known IN
the Old Testament day Here We have Professor Park,
OF Andover, and a great many good and cody men
in New England, discussing to-day Whetner q man VINO
don't believe that everybody that dies impenitent Will
bs dlnned forever and ever, Is ut 10
ureacn te Gospel Five thousand years ago there was
NOT man on the OF the earth that knew there
a future. We have explicit declaration III the New
light by Christ.