The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-28
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.
BY REV. 1. M. ATWOOD, D. d.
Canton. N. z.


PRoF. 81. N. GARDINER, of Smiths Col
lege, in an article in the July Andover
on Schopenhauer as Critic Of Religion,
makes some structures on contemporary
orthodoxy that the great pessimist would
have taken genuine delight in. He refers
to the popular misconception of the
doctrine of the atonement;" but he gives
as the elements OF that misconception the
accepted data OF the doctrine as it is
written in the still unrevised creeds, in
oluding the Andover Greed. Having
done so he adopts as his own the severe
words OF Matthew Arnold: "This is as
sheer mythology, at bottom, as Saturn's
devouring his children or Pallas spring
ing from the head of Zeus.''
When one has no creed or party to
serve, he is in favorable condition to
hear the whole truth; he is also in situ-
alton to tell the whole truth. It is no.
ticed by all persons who are really in
pursuit Of truth that the regular advocate
Of any sect or interest considers it the
chief part Of his duty to keep his readers
or hearers in ignorance of SO much of the
truth as initiates against his side. Her.
etics and come cutters should be very
useful people as receivers and dispensers
of the whole truth.
Long familiarity with some of these
people constrains us to say, however,
that their apparently independent posi-
tion does not insure for them an impair
tial temper. The large mind that looks
round subject, and the fearless candor
that recognizes the truth and appropri-
stes it without regard to its source, are
not produced by the simple expedient OF
belonging to no church nor party. As
joining the church does not, in itself,
confer Chris tian grace, 30 refusing to
join, or cancelling fellowship, does not
guard against the bias and bigotry which
are apt to be associated with sectarien.
ism.
The psraphrase of Isaiah Xiv, 4.
made by st. Paul in 1. Cor. ii. 9, is very
generally misquoted, as it is in "Life's
problems" page lis, thus: "Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it en-
tered into the heart of man to conceive,
that (?) God hath prepared for them that
love him." The authorized version of this
passage runs thus: " Eye hath not seen,
|
nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart OF man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him."
The revised version has it
Things which eye saw not and ear heard not
and which entered not into the heart of man,
whatsoever things God prepared for them
that love him.
"A better service could not be done for
the cause Of Christian knowledge and the
promotion Of the Christian life, than to
gather together into volume, or a series
OF volumes, adapted to popular reading,
the story OF the life of conspicuous exam
pies of practical Christianity, like the
late Lord Shaftesbury, or the late Sam
mel Morley. More OF less such men
have lived and left their priceless legacy
of faith translated into deeds, in every
section Of Christendom. Their fidelity to
their Masters law and their illustration
of their Masters spirit are at once the
rebuke and the hope of the church. They
teach the Gospel in object lessons and
make it impossible for any sneer at
Christianity as an impracticable and ideal
theory, to take effect. They prove that it
is strictly and beautifully practical re-
Ggion.
George William Ourtis's Grafton at
Gettysburg, before the survivors of both
the Northern and Southern army, was
conceived in noble spirit and ex-
pressed in the happiest phrase. 1t was
memorable occasion. The orator stood
before those, who twenty-five years earli-
or, had contended with each other in the
greatest battle of the war. He stood on
the field of that battle and be was able to
salute them all as fraternal members of
the Uuion which some fought to destroy
and some to maintain. 1t was an inspir-
ing and historic scene. Mr.. Curtis rose
to the height of the great occasion and
pronounced great and patriotic ora
ton, stimulating to American hope,
Christening to American pride, quicken
ing to the American conscience. No man
in the nation could have said truer,
braver, timelier word. 1t will be read
and recited while the naion lasts, and it
will be one of the things that will make
it last long.
DIR. Msrtineau names his last two
volumes, "a Study of Religion" 1t is
discussion of the whole circle of inqui-
ries with which the study of religion is
concerned. The solution of the under
lying problems of religion can only be
reached by the road of metsphy sizes. This
is a road with which DR.. Martineau's
studies have made him familiar, and he
treads it with enthusiasm. We could
wish that he had not kept his feet SO
scrupulously within this path in these
volumes. What we should more prize
from DR.. Martineau would be construct
i've treatise, laying down and expOund-
ing in order the basis of his own theolog-
ical system. In these volumes discussion,
analysis, criticism, are the main thing;