New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-30
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

DARWN.-A large hummer OF TUE iolS
Journals devote considerable space TINS week 10
critical estimates of Darwin and his system.
Speaking of the doctrine that all forms OF ne
nave sprung from common origin thit Tue
wide varieties OF life are due not 10 separate
creative acts or prOvldentlal lnterterences' out
Ia the gradual operation OF natural causes
operative through ilmitablc cycles Of epochs,
i'll short OF the two great factors when nave
produced every form OF animate lie, the sur
vival of the htte,t in the battle for existence
and sexual selection, Ihe Christian tHW"
saws " Whether this theory Is true scientists
are not vet agreed. At one time the trend OF
scientific thought was strongly IN TINS dliec-
ton lately there has been, II not "a reaclloH'
ut least an eddy. 1t l. yet too early TO pro-
nOunce the final verdict, for the jury are sun
taking the evidence; but We are lncllneu 10
forecast, a. the final result, the scientific con-
clusiCn that the survival of the tttest anu
sexual selection have been vastly cincieht loiTeS
in the worlds development, but not the eXciu-
slve forces which Mr.. Darwin practlcauy re-
garded them. But whatever this llnal Nerdlcl
may be, the religious world may quietly Walt
tor Its rendition piOUs horror OF Dar"lnlsm Is
equally without good ground anu barren vi
good effects. Darwiuism is anti-eccleSiasfcaI
and perhaps un-Bibcal; bat 1t certainly Is
not atheiStic, nor even un Christian. Inc con-
clusiOn that man is descended from "A harry
QuadruDed, furnished with tai ana polhleu
ears, probably aTOOrcal in It's habits, ana an
inhabitant of the Old World, may be- ana we
are inclined to think Is, founded on msuluclent
data for Mr.. Darwin WAS stronger III us
powers of observation than in his powers OF
generalization. Ii Is certainly inconsistent
with the ecclesiastical traditions OF creation
and the fall, founded upon the acceptance OF
the Mosaic narrative a. an lnfaulOiy accurate
historical and scientific record But, since
Biblical critics are now universally agreed mat
the first chapter of Genesis l. not history, there
Is nothing fatal to Christian faith IN coucedlng
the ADDITIONAL and poetic character OF the I'M
npfIp fll gf I d. 4
ian hypothesis, that nan las descended from
lower animal Is not necessarily more dcSIad-
Ing TO man or dlshOnOrng to tod than tAe an
cient opinion that he has descended from
statue of clay into which a life was breathed
10y direct creative act OF Darwin influence
upon religious thought the same journal says:
" But though Mr.. Darwin has not directly at
tackled current religious Opinions, 1t l. doubt
tul whether any man of this generation has
done so much 10 change them. We are not
aware that he has ever discussed biblical III
depreciation but no man has done more 10 I'M
derminc the doctrine of verbal inspiration. and
of the scientific and historic lnfallb,llty OF the
Old Testament records. he ChUrchDIdR Il
OF the opinion that Darwlns researches aud
conclusions, whether contained IN his own
works or taken up and applied 10y his followers
to every class Of facts and phenomena II the
social and political world, Is well a. the
material, have been chiefly instrumental IN
bringing about the spread of Almost cism.'
that no scientific principle established 10y Oar
win ever las undermined any truth ot the
gospel. His system, Inc Ncc- Ork OOScrrer
says, though received with great eclat aud
regarded by many modern scientists Is beng
demonstration and a victory over the Bible ac-
count of creation and Providence finds much
less favor at the present day than u dld when
Mr.. Darwin first published his views III iulI;
II fails altogether 10 satisfy mind thlt Is dis
posed to look through creation up 10 a divine
ID
since Newton or Kant has, In the opinion Of
The Christian Register. cXertcd such powerful
influence upon hUman thought - Darwin
His theory has powerfully peuneatcd
tional view of this doctrine thclsn l. fortified
rather than weakened. and the dignity of man
is lifted TAR above the plane on which dogmatic
theology had placed it, The Ncr- York Chris
tan Adroc1te Is less liberal lnidcl
parrots" it says, may repeat what they hear
in favor OF evolution a. basis Of materia.I-tic
philosophy theological parrots or bigOt> may
illuminate against evolution the few original
Investigators who are lnhdcls VIII project
conclusions bevond their facts the few original
investigators who are Christians viii accept rs
much of evolution As a working hypothesis
as may seem proven or probable; but the great
mass of rational people Will rest In me luhda-
mental assumption, IN the DeSihllihS pou
created the heaven and the earth; an a>,ump-
ton demanded and supported 10y conscience,
and which Is the only enduring bl~, of virtue.
the only foundation Of dlgnliHd conception OF
human nature and the only ground of tie hope
Of Immortality.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY n Rrs>M.-IIow i, re-
ligious peace to be conclgded on russian soil -
the GOiOS asks III view OF the i.ct tliAt millions
are officially entered on the records OF tle stale
Church every year, while III reality the num-
bers thus recorded do not acknowledge them
selves as adherents OF the Orthodox creed.
Are tie temporal powers 10 step ln-tlat Is are
police regulations 10 be enforced where the
spiritual powers have cXpO>tulated IN vain
How are these difficulties to Ike overcome
The liberal spirit Oiberal certainly according
to Russian ideas III which the GOtos answers
these questions Is worthy OF note. Here are
expressed opinions which formerly, ana thdt
not 80 very long AGO either, would have pro-
voked a storm of censure ANA would have
caused most probably the suppression OF tine
journal that published them. In many IT,
spects their publication may he SAID To be
hopeful siyn tor the future Here l. what the
G0i0s ,;lvs According 10 our deepest con-
viction there j. only Que path Opcn-vlZ, the
establishment of religious liberty and iHc llb-
crtv OF conscience. il j. icct ~-Jrt TO reuOunce
the Old times of the Moscow Byzantine period
from the traditions about the maintenance of
the governing state Church with the &id ~
police measures, and il l. necessary t. obtain
10 a conception of religion a. beng matter
for the indI Nidual conscience OF the man, into
which the civil power has 10 ground 10 inter-
ferc. The remuneration OF THESE uluiu"he re-
itself not only 10y general consider
tons but by more punsent ones based on prac-
teal experience. la, police interference IN
the region of religions CONVICTIONS ever pro-
duced any good anywhere ia, IL ever lchueu
once out of hundreds of case, when applied, 10
alter such convictions In reality, such have
been tine results of thi, system OF the protection
of orthodoxy by external measures that these
have injured the interest, ol oriho-
doXv. have produced GOODNESS toward u, a. TO
a faith founded on brute. material force; they
have, been lct To that sad fact that the Church
resting on external support has borrowed from
,uch support it, official. formal. red-tale char
acter I'm this borrowing support our Church
Lo. nvhibitcd another lamentable feature. Size