New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
NATURAL RELIGION.


"a sc;encs is needlessly intensified by "the
~ of party spirit" which exaggerates
s,e.rences and overlocks points OF agreement
.rhere are truths, he maintains. outside the region
90 marty dcbatv which are more important than the
oo,teuding parties will easily be induced to admit
and II is with kind of despair that he watches the
Gradual surrender OF the whole area to dispute ana
denial His purpose here is TO find ground upon
which both can meet in harmony; religion winch
will satisfy the modern disciples OF art ana cuitu'e
who complain bitterly Of the yoke OF tho reigning
,r,holoxv the primness and suspicousness OF It's
,uo,altv and the modern devotees OF natural
sci.nce whu rebel against the sentimental ana
,,,aal Wow of the universe which theology I'M
,osas os dogma and to MAINTAIN which 1t letters
the frecaom of inquiry. Both these reoellonS the
rebellion of the artist and the rebellion OF the man
of science appear to gain strength irresistoy from
nge to age and both appear not nreligous' out
religious in the spirit than animates them Especi-
ully of late years Art and Science have proclaimed
themselves TO be not mere rebels against tue reign
,nr RELIGION. but rival religions. IL the Christian
priesthood is unable to answer them' that Is JUG
penaltv which Christianity suffers "ior having
allowed itself to believe that the Eternal who uSed
in old time TO teach man by successive revelations
has long since ceased TO do So" Under the heDre"
dispensation God made excessive announcements
of His will aud new revelations OF truth 'no
religious system not fixed and stereo'ypcu' ou'
II was developed through many centures' tpo
Hebrew conceived the vision of each prophet 10 10
limited so that he would be left behind oy Tue
prophet Of the next age. Christianity too' was III
tended TO develop ITSELF but something arrested H.
The prophetic spirit, that is the spirit oi develop
ment did not continue sufficiently vigorous III 'ho
Cbnrcb. and hence the dangerous gulf which we
,or see between the teaching of Christianity and
tie needs OF the people.
But the evil is not irremediable; and the remedy
may he found in return to the old Hebrew doc
frine of development. "The mOnkish asceticiSm
and horror of nature against which Art protests
the dread of free inquiry which seems so contempl-
BILE TO Scence-these are not to be found In the
original Christianity. they are but vices winch
mark the failure of Christianity to adapt itself to
new and trying conditions. There is no reason why
Christianity should not now recognize views OF lie
which are really kindred to its own, though they
were beyond the Hebrew culture OF Its trst
preachers" We have only to admit that revelation
is progressive and continuous; that all prophecy
that is all neutrality-suspicious. an admlXture OF
fasehood to be corrected by subsequent disclosures
md we discover means of formulating religion
adapted to modern tastes, religion which must DC
wider than Christianity, just as Christianity was
wider than Judaism. This principle, remarks the
author lowers somew hat the value of the ancient
still making" In other words, we give up the
theory of a rev elation which is true but very Ga.
for the sake OF revelations in part false but quite IN
the latest fashion We are not sure whether our
author thinks that we gain or lose 10y the ex-
change.
Now. admitting the principe of development, or
continuous revelation. let us see how we can ar
rive by the process OF eliminating disputed points
ut a religion which Will accommodate the modern
spirit The religious sview and the scientific view
OF the universe are opposed essentially in this that
science holds God to I've an unprovabe hypothesis
which men have mistaken for a demonstrated
reality; while religion attributes creation to Per-
sonal Will and holds that that VIII is perfectly
benevolent, and has sometimes intcrfered by mira
cles with the order of the Universe. That God Is
perfectly benevolent is indeed maxim OF popular
Christianity but it Is not necessary to theology or
religion as such, and perfect benevolence Is not
quite consistent with some of the Bible Vows Of
Gods Justice and Vengeance this point. therefore,
we can surrender. Miracles need give no
trouble. In the majority of theologies other Law
of nature except the will of God is recognized and
miracles are not distinguished from ordinary occir
rences except being Tarer We can surrender
miracles then and thus two out of the three prop
ostions III the theological view of the Universe
are shown to be unnecessary. But surely the
third Is essential. Surely all theology implies that
Personal Will is the cause of the Universal Well,
but howl Theology teaches that Nature is an
ordinance of God its laws are His laws 1t is His
revelation. Aud when science denies God 1T denies
the existence OF any power beyond or superior to
Nature. 8" Ii believes i'll certain laws of cOeXlst-
ence and sequence in phenomena and in denying
God it means to deny that anything further can be
known God and Nature then express notions
which are different in an important particular.
But it is evident enough that these notions are not
the oppostes that controversy would represent
them TO be. On the contrary, they coincide up to
q certain point. Those who believe in Nature may
deny God, but those who believe in God believe as
a matter of course in Nature also, since God in
cludes Nature as the whole includes the part" II
does not to that the author has said anything.
in the somewhat vague chapter from which We are
Quoting. to lessen the radical divergence between
Those who believe in q Personal Creator and those
who deny Him; but he goes on to urge that even
after we have rejected the supernatural altogether
we may still have God. different indeed trom-the
God OF theology, but nevertheless object of wOr
ship;
But it, on 'he one hand, the study of Nature be
one part of the study of God, is IT not true the
other. that he who believes only in Nature is "a
thest, and has theology? Men slide easily from
the most momentous controversies into the most
things, and not merely at words, shall soon see
that the scientific man has a theology and a God,
most impressive theology, most awful and glorious
Cod / say that man believes III a God W no feels
himself in the presence OF Power which is mt
himself and is mneasnraGly above himself !; a
absorbed in the knowledge OF which he llnds safety
and happiness. And such now is Nature to the
scientific man. / do not now say that 1T is good or
satisfying to worship such God, but say that no
class Of men since the world began have ever more
truly believed in God, or more ardently, or with
more conviction, wOrshipped Him. Comparing
their religion i'll it's fresh youth to the present con-
fused forms of Christianity, | think bystander