The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-15
Modem Democracy and Christianity.

IL ID we'll known tnaJ elRDt SCTrnons,
preached every year at st. Mary's In Oxford. |
are designated az tho hampton lectures be-
cause they are delivered in accordance with |
the terms OF an endowment made by the Rov. |
John hampton for the purpose OF confirming |
aud expoundiDg the Christian faith. Tho leo |
turer Ia chosen by tho heads Of colleges. and |
they havo frequently been fortunate in select |
ing men whose promise OF conspicuous ability |
has been fulfilled in after life. The sermons |
delivered under these conditions have been |
more than once rrpubli shed In this country, |
and those 10 particular delivered by tho late DR..
Mansel. aiterward Dean Of st. PauPs made n |
deep I'm precision here. We believe that many |
American renders viii also welcome tho Bamp- |
ton lectures Of ths year 1888. by the Rev. W. II.
FremhDtle. since made n Canon OF Cantor
bury iE. h J. B. Young Col. In tho
subject chosen by this lecturer thore Is
certainly no lack Of what tho French
term modsrnity. for HE aim Is to prove thnt
tho democratic and socialis,ic movements
Of our day. viii h seem at first sight inoradi-
caby tinctured with atheism. arc not, after
All. unfavorab,s to Christian influences. pro-
vided CnriMlan,ty be understood to bs not OF r"
stationary. but Of u missionary character. Mr
Fr"mante snumeratoa four conditions. by sat
isfying which hc thinks that Christianity may
cont uus to work upon tho world however this
may b. transformed by the spirit OF political
and social reform. 1t must. In the first place.
be confident that this IL its destined task
| then II must bs ~ hia. not systen. and nc
| cordinnly must abandon ci.rtcAlism. ana IN
dNco men to regard thoir common duties IA
Christian ministries. Some Of Mr.. FreInantles
| remarks on these points will be read In
| this country with surprise IN well as in
| terest. Thus no Reems to contemplate tho
| Same fusion OF Christianity. restored to
| It's primitive simplicity. with tho movo-
| ment for social regeneration. which
| constitutes the programme Of the Christian
| Socialists Of Germany. For what would such
| fusion mean but u realization OF the prayer
| THY Kingdom come on earth p He contends
| that Christianity has relaxed Its hold on this
| world because il has kept thu eyes of its votA-
| ries strained TOO intentiy on another. " The
| habit" no says, of ndjourniDg our higher
| hopes from this world to the next has greatly
| interfsred with their fulfliment. But this habit
| Is maniicstly giving way. partly from the grow
| ing interest in public life and phiianthropio
| schemes. partly through n better understand
| ing Of tho Old and New Tnstaments. 1t seems
clear that the object Of the life disclosed In the
Scriptures ls not merely to save individuals.
| but tn train hrst ono nation and then man.
| kind to become the City Of God" He submits
that had 1t been possible for the seers OF the
| Apocalypse to look at ChristendOm, even IA II
| il at present, the contrast which IL would have
presented tn tho world around them would
have seemed to them tho beginning at least Of
tho tunimsnt of their hopes. world in which
slavery ia abolished. In which tho spirit OF
Christ's life Is generally Rck M wledged by the
public conscience. and IL gradually moulding
the institutions OF men. in which almost every
great need Of man kind has some organization
formed for tts relief. In which tho sense Of
| unity and brotherhood among men has become
| An admitted principle. in which Christian
teaching il absolutely free. would In contrast
with the hypocrisy Of Rabbinical Judaism and
| the hard and cruel mAterialism Of Rome. have
CLEANED with the light Of heaven"
Tho second point on which great stress Ia
laid by this hampton lecturer Is tho following
That Christianitr Is to DO regarded ~ a life.
not a. the holding Of n series OF propositions.
This doe. not impy that 1t is without princ-
| pies for how can any good life exist without
| principles But 1t means that the principles
which lle at the root OF tho Ohristian life are
too deep for exact definitions" Por who. asks
Mr.. Premantie. not having 'alth0uxh clergy
| man. and about o b. diEniLary OF the Church
OF England tho fear OF tho Thirty-nine Arti-
cleH before his eyes. can define God or reli-
gion He quotes with approval Matthew Ar
! noli's suggestion that those expressions arc
words thrown out at great subject" but no
full measure Of ita completeness. He adds that
} even to think OF God and religion apart from
action Ia almost neeessar''yto 90 wrong.
After this We are prepared 70 near this OK
pouha'r Oh ths Chr's''@n t'''p' pre"chihs l" '"e
nursery Of Anglican theology. insist that Nhat
liz required for tho iull extension OF the Chris
tian principe ia the abandonment OF clerical
Ism. by elerlcA'lsm no UNDERSTANDS the sVs.
tam when nhdu'y rHa'ts tue clerical ONO" aho
the junction OF p"nlic worship 30 as 10 ara"
> away the sense OF q VINE agency ana aproiht'
J ment from other offices ana tuhrtlohs. lie
tolls tn" clergy that hereafter they mus
sHacs II need be, themselves AMI tner syste"
In their effort II save tho world. Ih"I
must desire that II 1t were possible. th"rt
should bs not only holy orders of bishops an'
Prcshyt-rs but holy orders OF artists nnt
, poets. and teachers OF science and stntes
. men" Conversely. he would nave those
! charged with tho conduct oil human a1a'rs II