The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-10-14

very Ineligible; but it has certainly
some affinity with Paul's mysterious say
ing, In Him we live, and move, and
have our being"
Moreover, Mr.. Spencer puts in pow
erful plea for the supernatural character
of religion. He repudiates the idea that
he Is materlalist, and contends that his
system OF belief gives rather a spiritual
lstlc than materlalistic aspect to the
universe" Mr.. Harrison contends that
the primordial form of eligion and of re-
hgious worship, was Fetichism, or stones,
rivers, mountains, earth fire, stars, Ma
worship-the worship of trees, sun,
sky; and he insists that the things them
selves were worshipped, and not any i'm
material, imagined being inside the
things. AS against this, Mr.. Spencer
asserts, grounding the statement on the
Investigations of DR.. Taylor and his own
researches, that there never has existed
anywhere such a religion as that which
Mr.. Harrison ascribes to countless mil
lions of men during countless centuries
OF time. All men have worshipped
some personality. Decentralization ex-
lists at the outset, and the worship is in
all cases the worship of an in. dwelling
ghost-derived being. D." Mr.. Harrison
makes his conception of primitive reh-
glon the basis of his conception of the
religion of the future; consequently, as
his first conception has no foundation in
fact, so must his second be baseless. Mr..
Spencers searching and unsparing criti-
cism of Positivism, the religion of HUI
mainly, will perhaps be more generally
appreciated than his exposition Of his
own beliefs. He considers that religion
On Its merits, and he is amazed, as we'll
he may be, that men Of intelligence and
culture can accept such an absurd and
retrogressive system. Comte was more
dogmatic, made greater assumptions, than
even the Popes themselves. His ritual,
rubrlcs, hierarchy of saints, and his del
fcatlon OF himself especially and of hui
manity in general, excite Mr.. Spcncers
ridicule; as to the "Great Being HUI
mainly" he wants to know what it is,
where it Is, and how it is to be conceived.
Where Is It's seat of consciousness ?' he
asks; and it is to be hoped that Mr..
Harrison will answer the inquiry. For
himself, Mr.. Spencer cannot see much in
humanity to excite alteration and wor-
ship; on the contrary, he finds great
deal to cause pain and revulsion of feel
ing. In word, he thinks the "Great
Being Humanity" a great imposture.
His conclusion, in which all Christians
will agree, is that eff veneration and
gratitude are due at all, they are due to
that Ultimate Cause from which human
ity, individually and as a whole, in COM
mon with all other things, has proceed
ed. Mr.. Spencer writes in a serious,
almost devout spirit, and, in spite OF his
errors, it is evident that he is by no
means so bitterly opposed to Christianity
as he has often been represented to be.
He does not claim to be religious man,
while Harrison does; but in our iudg-
ment he is far the more religious of the
two. By this last article he has rendered
important service to the interest of reli-
gion, and we cheerfully recognise that
service, and thank him for it Christian
Commonwealth (Loadon).