The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-22

now features were at once introduced. such.
for instance, as translations from the Ger
man, tho most conspicuous Of them being
the commencement OF o Monistic novel by
GUSTAV FREIrAa.
So far. then, the Open Court has been a
failure. since It has cost Its proprietor a
good deal more money than 1t has brought
In to him; and 1t has cost Mr.. and Mrs. UN-
DERwooD the modification Of being obliged
to give up an enterprise In which they had
invested q literary and philosophical reputa-
ton OF considerable Importance to them.
In publishing his views Of the affair, Mr..
HEdELER dwells upon his pecuniary dis
appointment, but this certainly ought not
to be laid up against Mr.. UNDERWOOD.
He was led into ar error when he undertook
to transport to Chicago q periodical OF a
highly intellectual nature which had substan-
TALLY failed after q long trial In Boston. since
1t had not paid Its expenses; and 1t Is not sur
prising that the money loss In Illinois should
be much heavier than it was In the metrop-
oils OF New England. Free thought Is I'M
doubleday a valuable thing, but in a pecuni-
airy sense 1t has not yet arrived at the paying
point, and Its apostles, especially in the Wide
WV oSSuAu " oU1nN Nv oAo oeSeS sh@s
they are not engaging In q branch OF bust-
ness which Is likely to yield cash dividends.
The future Of Mr.. HHaEIEn's periodical is
another question. With . German scholar
IS its conductor. IL is In danger OF getting
out Of range with tho sympathies OF Ameri-
can thinkers. It has also now become o do
clered advocate Of Monism, devoted to the
work Of conciliating religion with science"
through that philosophical doctrine. Monism
must be understood to DO the opposite OF
Duslism. Dualism recognizes as essential
and permanent tho obvious external dis
tinction between spirit and matter.
between nature and Con, between tho
movable and tho u~nknowable; but Monism
afflrms that there Is no such distinction;
that there is only one real entity, COP, and
that whatever IL not GoD is merely an ap-
pearance. a phenomenon. But the God Of
the Monist is not a personal God, who loves
his children with q personal love, and
hears and answer their prayers, like the COB
of the Christian. He Is the Unknowable, the
Inconceivable, tho Unapproachable, Lilo
Itself and the Source OF Life, from which all
appearance, all manifestation, the whole
universe Of nature. and all tho evolutions
thereof, originate and proceed, and on which
their continued existence constantly de-
ponds. It is not a new doctrine. though its
phraseology is novel. BUDDHA taught 1t,
and so did SPINoZA; S~wEDENBoRG holds 1t.
as to GOD the Father; EMERSON proclaims
it in his wonderful poem ~"Brahma;" and
SPENCER and DARWIN have it attributed to
them. though we do not think they have
anywhere distinctly avowed it.
Such, expressed in its most general terms.
Is the philosophy and the religion which,
as we understand 1t, tho Open Court will
henceforth labor to dlffuse and establish
from its Office in Chicago. Chicago Is q very
worldly and practical place for a journal
with q doctrine 30 abstract and ~attenuated,
and with a German scholar for It's editor.
We fear Mr.. HEGELER's paper will be quite
as expensive to him hereafter as 1t has been
hitherto; but 1t takes all sorts Of elements
to make up our modern mankind; and he
can evidently afford the luxury he desires.