The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-28

= II - ~ ~ :, - nsas ~
sseasno1 II = 81 IN q De naanlfsstatioA
end soshins q 0od. and. though dependant
upoa him for snbsiseones. yet - being real !
and Substantial. II nevsrtheless, had begin-
ming. and will have an end. II Il mover had .
beginning. the process OF perfecting II must
have long ago been completed. and II can en-
dure forever only upon condition that pcrfec-
tion never shall be attained. For. the goal for
which both God and man arc striving being
tho obliteration Of all conflict between the d.
verso functions Of the universe. It's attainment
involves the obliteration both ofthc distinctness
OF the universe from God and Of the seli-con-
sciousness Of God In the univerpe; and thus
again the end OF the universe n reality.
That this latter point may DO more clearly
understood. II must BE- explained that. accord
ing to Hartmann's pessimist philosophy. the
sense OF our consciousness Is o sense Of our
separation from God. which Is the essence OF
all OWL. We are what We arc just 30 far rs We
differ from God, and because we differ from
God we are sinful and unhappy. We desire to
DO happy. hut since there 10 no happiness 40
long rs there Ii . want Of perfect unity with
God. We can attain tho object Of our desires
only by process which merges our Individual
ity in that OF God. and whom this takes place
wo ccase. OF course. rs individuals. TO exist.
The same thing holds good OF all created things.
and In what seems TO hive been In the mind
OF the Apostle. when he snid that tho whole
creation groaneth and trnvaileth together In
pain until now" Further. with daring that
has n touch Of sublimity In It. Hartmann says:
" To tho religious consciousness tho worlds
movement Ia great tragedy In which single
actor plays all the parts. hero md villain.
hgurant and chorus. yet In such wise. that In
each part he really fools and lives through the
represented suffering. When the actor reaches
his tragic end In each particular part he closes
At last the whole piece NJ n tragedy. and be-
takos himself delivered from the suffering OF
acting. to rest"
Entirely In harmony with Hartmann's view
OF the transformers OF tho universe. is that
which he holds Of n life after death. Existence
here being nothing but n struggle between con-
iicting forces. which render man miserable. its
continued duration hereafter. 20 far from being
desirable. is quite tho reverse. and death. in
stead of being q calamity. is only q well
como deiiverance. so long a. no thoo-
retical proof OF immortality exists. II Is
permissible to the grace endowed man TO
SOC In natural death. which the natural
man fears ns the end Of his individual being.
tho gracious providence Of God. bringing well.
earned slumber to one wcaricd with honest
toll. and adding tho real to the ideal deliver
ance from evil" Elsewhere. also he condemns
the doctrine OF immortality IA tending to
distract attention from the duties OF the pres.
ent life and to make harder the task OF sanctih-
cation. "A man afTicts himself moro cheer
fully In the belief that 1t ia not for long and
cxerts his strength moro vigorously for days
extraordinary march than for one of an I'M
ending SERIES"
Consistently also with tho doctrine OF the
II a A..
current idea OF divine providence as gov
eminent of the universe by God in the
same manner that kingdom is governed by a
king. Miracles. OF course. arc impossible.
since the laws OF the universe are the fixed
laws OF Gods own being. Rewards and pun
ishments are not considered otherwise than rs
invarable consequences OF human actions.
Revelation 10 made to each individual d.
rectly. and not by the mouth or the pen OF
third person. Prayer Is an nbsurdity: since
God will not and therefore cannot Interfere
with the normal order OF events; and oven
thanksgiving Is an impsrtinence. as implying
that God might. II He chose. withhold possible
blessings. In short everything in religion that
isult with 10 also rejected IN Hartmann sys-
tem. and nothing Ia left but the striving OF mon
toward perfection BY self-exanination and
The practical conclusion Of the whole treatise
Is that the prevalent churchly forms OF religious
disappear; and nothing will remain but .
pious withdrawal OF the religious conscious.
the ss God within. Prayer isr blessings desired
alike DC discarded, Reieious music. painting.
thetie tasts and fsmnant " e.stns
b b. empioyed as means Of instruction and
OF awakening and strengthening the. religious
xha fS1 w Fl
citSment through preaching to the cultivation
Of interior worship, already possesses that
attained through preaching. To take part in
external worship without reference TO Its
enas ss Fl
God. would be q backslding into righteou sness
through works. There is only one genuine
In practical salvation. and all worship has value
Ms divine service. only as far as It is means to
~ men for the real divine service OF practical
The tone Of the book Is tender and reveren-
tial: never aggressive nor enunclatory. Many
passages. indeed, might be road by a person OF
any religious faith with pleasure. as express
Ing his own sentimental. ,tinge Of sadness
yiction. which we have mentioned above, that
and suffering; me declaration Tint hsPpi-
NE i H., ths rsiTain Brothers, We must de; "
the purpose Of human life then. in spite OF all
the sensuous,. emotional. and spiritual Joys IL
offers. II would not be worth living, and for the
monstrous cheat" Nor is hs at all
boastfully. confident Of the soundness Of
his own Judgment. On his very last page
he. says OF his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES: Just
so long as . fragment Of q church exists and is
Indispensable the practical proof 10 presented
still insuficlently religious, 30 that religious
ness in the world still needs . special sphere
limited By its former life. While this incom-
pleteness remains greater or less. 40 will the
ideal OF u churehless righteousness continue to
remain an ideal which historical progress must
A Remarkable Novel.