New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-13
THE HARVARD EXPERIMENT.
III.
ESPECIALLY THE RELIGIOUS FAILURE.
10 MODERN scEPTIcIsM IN TIE ASCENDANT Al
CAMBRIDGE7

ipu In the largest sense, and Unitarlahism mas
specially represented these influences IN the reIs
ions world If Untarianism had proved a great
srocess Harvard would have been the centre and
seat of that success. The state of religion at Har-
ward Is due to the failure of Unitarianism.
DIR. Claiming left in his private letters which
came out III his Life, leglc of prophecies touch
ing a new reformation of Christianity which would
nroceed upon the assumption that Unitarianism no
ess than Orthodoxy rested on yet unrecognizeu
cerruptions of the real truth of Christ and that
Cbrj.apitv was "to be re-established by clear de-
velopment of its original essential truths" with the
result of "a purer, higher form of Christianity,
such rs will approve itself, to men of profound
thinking and feeling as the real spring and most
efhcacious instrument of moral elevation, moral
power and disinterested love-"
So far As can be disoerned from the abundant re-
suits of study since Channings death, and from the
indications of new departure within Chrlstlap
limits the idea of Channlng's prophecies is 10 be
met by a bold separation between the Hebrew BLDG
and the Jewish Apostles one side and Christ as
n Teacber of pure truth on the other; taking Christ
for his profound and to all practical purpose perfect
spiritual genus and his providentia position III his
tory and taking both the Hebrew Bible and the writ
ipgs of, Apostles and Evangelists as literature
simply and embodying as truly as the llteratures
of other rcii gons the very serious departures OF
disciples aud biograDhers from the Masters original
and pure truth so that, to recover Christ and ms
truth 1t is necessary thoroughly sift gospels and
epstles as Christ suited the Hebrew Bible, unhes-
tatngly rejecting everything (which is plainly
SEEM" as Dr. Charming said, Ito minister 10 our
poblest sentiments and powers"
The prophetic courage with which Charming said
this will be seen from the whole sentences mo
religion can now prevail which is not plainly seen
TO minister to our nobest sentiments and powers.
and unless Christianity flflS this condition cannot
irish il success" DIR. Charming believed that the
true reformation yet to come" would clear away
from Christianity. Unitarian as well as Orthodox,
the ooyrupfieas wsch al inherit" aad would leave
O Christianity of Christ and his truth adequate TO
the highest moral and spiritual needs
The main ideas of this essential Christianity DIT.
Charming expected to find in three-fold moral,
social and reli gous faith; faith in right, faith in
man and faith in God with spiritual realityin all
three implying the confident hope of eternal life,
progress and perfection for every human being for
ever w at this essential Christianity would cast
off DR.. Charming had hardly begun to inquire. but
half a century from the date of his prophecies has
begun to show what this must be if he was at all
right Not long since the venerable Dr. George Il.
Ellis sounded note in the direction of fulfil mcnt
of Channing's prophecies when he said that tho
Bible must he given up by rational and radical
Christianity as an orthodox book. not indeed II
taken rs a human literature to be freely sifted for
the pure wheat amid abundant chat. but If
taken as of authority In all its text and and letter
This was but beginning since it implies the neceS-
sity for sagacious and scholarly sitting of scrip
ture new as well as old gospels and epstes as well
as law land prophets and the sure elimination
Of pure essential Christianity. as Christ himself
sfted II from the old scripture and set II forth in
his own teaching.
But average Untarianism was not prepared to
hear Dr. Ellis, much less to lay to heart what his
declaration implied. At Harvard President Eliot
has forced the study of divinity back into the old
Hebrew nut demanding moro study of Hebrew,
even if it takes half the time of the student. The
English results of study OF Hebrew are so good
now that judicious orthodoxy might we'll
be content with them, but President Eliot while
sighting the tongue of the New Testament and of
Socrates and Plato insists on the old Hebrew of the
Jews Bible and takes the Hollis chair of Divinity.
the chair of Henry Ware r.. for professor OF AS
syrian and Aramaic.
At the same time the outcome of Untarianism
and of modernism generally at Harvard, as 1t may
be seen by several distinct signs, is one of critical
scepticism and religions ndiferentIsm or unbeef
which leaves religion in state OF confusion, uncer-
tainty and suspense which means practical failure.
In at least thres important publications represent
alg Harvard teaching, tne GROUND TAKEN lndp
Christ was not superior to Jewish in his time.
II this we're true there would be help for it. The
supreme word on the Harvard College SEAL Veritas,
As the supreme word of all real religion. But the
opinion that truth did not find Master In Christ
wholly superior to all Jewish is solely the
suit of not sitting the OF our knowledge of
Christ HesItating to handle the Bible boldly
ss Christ himself did, and to clear away from his
unique figure the mass of erroneous accretions of all
sorts which inferior disciples responsible for,
Unitarlans in both England and America are in tho
absurd position Of sacrificing Christ to Paul and
Aattbew.
No man knows the history of Christ who does not
know that he fell martyr to his denial Of the Bible
Is Bible and his denial of the Sabbath as Sabbath
or of formal, outward reli gon, and that he made
these denas in the interest of moral law of love-
love absolute and universal, in the adequacy of
which he rested. while yet he added the purest and
highest belief in Cod and in eternal life the nat
ural result Of the relation of to God. To thus
know Christ, while exactly meeting ChannIng's
prophetic expectations, Is to know tho writings
shout Christ as full from end to end of matter
which represents, not Christ and his truth but
Paul and Apollos, Peter aud James and John, in
their comprehensive errors, errors of doctrine and
of story. precisely as In the case of other
ligions, where disciples coming after master have
buried him under their own inferior creations.
This must sound like very rank heresy to all who
hold to the old ways in religion. but II is, far
the best learn ng of our time enables to see tho
only alternative to complete sceptcism about
Christ and Christianity, and complete surrender of
religions faith. under auspices of liberty and learn
ing, like those of Harvard. Let those who doubt
this lsok into book lately published by HoughtOn,
Mifilin q Co.. entitled The Religions Aspect Of
Philosophy A Critique of the Bases of Conduct and
Of Faith. BY Josiah Royce Pm. d., Instructor IN Phil
ssopby IN Harvard College" DR.. Royce junior in
structor, but very active ard apparently successful
one lie tells us that "the present form of the book
has out of lectures religions questions TO
the students of Harvard College, He frankly con-
fesses that. as he has present connection with
any visible religious body and no sort Of desire for
any such connection. he cannot BIO expected 70