New-York tribune., 1884-01-04

TO American scholarship, IL is impossible 70 90 any
thing like Justice to il within the limits OF notlce
Almost every page temp,s 10 quotation but we can
barely Indicate some of its main positions. The
author treats an old and difficult theme in the light
of the freshest developments of religious Thought
His book is emnently timely in that II deals win
living issues. He has not only traverscd IN MS
studies the whole ground of Christian evidence
but has been within the lines OF MaterlahSh'
Positiyism and Agnosticsm. has thoroughly ex-
plored their camp aad mastered their tactics
The work deals with both Natural and Revealed
Religion Professor Fisher addresses himself at once
70 the bstrusc question of personality, with mingled
yigor and subtlcty. Belief IN the personality of
man and in the personality of God stand or fall
together The validity of the argument for theism
rests on the fact Of our own personality, our
knowledge of which is intuitive. Self-determlna-
ton is essential to sclf-cOnsciousness. These TWO,
each involving the other, the essential pecull-
arities of mind. The discussion of the necesSarlan
theories Of Spuoza, Mill and Herbert Spencer IS
thus opened. The scientific doctrine OF the con-
seryation of force Is held to be wholly consistent
with the freedom of the WILL and with the reclpro-
cal influence of mind and body There is not the
slightest evidence that mental action is caused by
thetransmssion OF energy from the physical system
nor that mental and physical action are correlated
On the question of the Origin Of Religion, the
ancestor-worship theory of Spencer is attacked as
refnted by history, and as an instance OF the mis-
chevous consequences of servilc adherence TO
metaphysics theory 20 the neglect of facts. The
anthor finds the origin of religion in the primitive
perceptions and aspirations of the human soul.
Man learns TO pray before he can reason. As the
soul on the basis of sensation pOSits the outer
world of sense on the basis of analogous inward
experience its posits God. Consciousness and con-
science are co-workers in revealing God. Con-
sciousneSs of God, as the necessary and hidden
back ground of self consciousness, revealing Gods
being; and conscience revealing His authority
and will This intuitive consciousness OF Uod'
however is obscure, germinant rather than
developed and awaiting the manifestation OF God
in nature and providence and by instruction.
In the review of the arguments for the being OF
God the argument from design" is discussed with
especial reference to the theory of evolution Pro-
fessor Fisher holds that evolution is not inconSs-
tent with design. The theory of natural selection
leads up to system. Natural selection produces
nothing; but it works out in conjunction with
beredty and variability, to an order OF things
which is plainly preconceivcd The great fallacy
lies in excluding design or final causes when 1t is
possible TO trace out efficient or Instrumental
causes Evolution has 10 do with the how, and not
the why of phenOmena--hcnce the eyolutIonlst is
powerless against the theological argument. The
combination of means implies the presence and ac-
ton of intelligence.
The greater part of the chapter on antltheStIc
theories is devoted to a searching criticism of the
agnosic school of Herbert Spencer. 1t is quiet
but very telling thrust which the Professor gives
Spencer in his preface. conc radical question IN
the conflict with Atheism is whether man himself is
really personal being, whether he has moral MS
tory distinct from merely natural history. II he
has not then it is idle to talk about theism, but
equally idle TO talk about the data OF ethlcs'
Ethics must share the fate of religion. How can
there be serious belief in responsible action when
man is not free, and is not even substantial
entityp
The chapter on the Possibility and Function OF
Miracles" is of great interest 1t is the authors
aim TO show that, taking the Gospels as they stand
the miraculous element in the record carries WIN IL
q self-verifying character. While holding by the
evidcntal function and value of miracles, he Is IN
clined to lay greater stress upon the testimony fGr
nisbed by the contents of Christianity as system
of truth. and by the personal character OF Chrlst;
thus making the person sanctify the miracle rather
than making the miracle accrcdit the person. Full
attention is of course given TO Huxley's comments
on Hume.
More popular interest, perhaps, Will attach to the
ohapters ON biblical Criticism and the Christian
Faith" and on "The Congruity of Science
with Christian Faith" The former might be
studied with profit by modern heresy
hunters. for its union of boldness, breadth,
after wading through some of the recent discus
sions on the authorship and composition OF the
Pentateuch is like emerging from the fog into the
fresh air of the highlands. The great prmclple
modif, ing il is that the Christian system OF truth
is separabla in thought from outlying phases OF
opinion relative to the origin and characteristics Oh
the Scriptures Here we will let Professor Fisher
speak for himself The consideration OF divine
revelation as having for its end the building up OF
a community or kingdom, and as made through
the vehicle of a history transacted on the earth,
lifts us upon a plane where critical problems with
in a certain reasonable limit, may be regarded with
comparative Indifference. Within that limit, lit
erary questions having to do with the authorship
of books as, for example, whether 1t be SIMPLE OF
composite, and whether traditional impressions as
10 authorship are well founded questions
having 10 do, also, with the correctness OF
the text which has been transmitted to US; ques-
tions as to the order Of succession in the stages
through which the community of God has passed
questions TO the accuracy of details In hstollcaI
narratives-arc longer felt TO be OF so vital
moment They not points on which the
Christian religion stands or falls. The tnmdty
which springs out of the idea of OfChristianty as ex
cusively a book religion, every line i'll the lltera-
ture of which is clothed with the pretematural
sanctity ascribed by Mahometan devotees to
their sacred writings is dissipatcd. The Christian
believer as long as fundamental verltlcs and the
foundations of belief on which they stand are un-
assailed is no moro disturbed by the disclosure OF
the human factor in the organization OF the
Scriptures and by finding that II played more eX-
tensive part than once supposed"
Comment is needless upon Professor Fishers Wig
orous nervous style, his thorough mastery OF bis
vast stores of material the force of his logic and
the comprehensive breadth of his treatment. These
are well known TO his numerous readers BY this
mastery work he has laid the friends of Christian
truth under lasting obligations.
nN l.