New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-28

OF ccptc forms natural science From the ieais
OF the German Sophiss the reaction extreme
With them there was matter. With many scientists
OF to-day there is nothing else are not concerned this
morning with any general of this subject.
the question for the sole influence
life That influence is distinctly necessarily toward
Respondent views of living. II is day without sun
light Materiasm has affected literature generally
and from Literature IL descends easily into life. Mr.
Emerson with his halprophetlc observation taking note
on the life OF man. Every age, like every human body
has Its own dlstempers. Our religion negative
form Of rejection great perplcxity hangs like cloud
the brow OF cultivated persons imbecilisy In
the best spirits which distinguishes the period But we
must pay for being too intellectual people call It.
People are not as hghthearted for It. think men
loved life less question II and doubt wrote
their names egibiy any population. This
ennuP for which we saNons had name, this word OF
France has a terrific significance 1t shortens life and
bereaves to-day OF It's light
What is the explanation Of such picturei For It
is not less true than when Emerson drew II What
Is the significance Of this confession goomi Why do
men love life less9 Surely not because this life IA
without prizes Is there the essayist claims gloom
and doubt on high foreheadsi Then life
empty. 1t never was so full. 1t never waved with
Never Were such wreaths lowered for ambition;
such chances for herosm like OF the Crusaders
Why then is there gloom high foreheadsl For 1t is
there Look ut the later years Of the wonderful woman
George Eliot The moral running through
Adam Bede' is strong and clear enough In Daniel De-
ronda" the last OF her novels there nowhere formal
denial OF the moral ground which Adam Bcde stood
And air OF gloom and uncertainty overhangs it ALL
The book goes nowhere ends nowhere The writer has
become an aimess drifting Sweetness and light have
gone out OF her work. The agnostics had gathered
work. What does she say to us she who may stand
the literary exponent of scepucal philosophy" Our
lamp Is empty. the light has gone out"
WHAT AGNosTIcIsM FAILS TO DO.
DIR. Thompson presented the sad views of life held
by Strauss, the German sceptic Clifford the eminent
Mathematician; Mr.. Darwin, John Stuart MIL, Dderot,
the French atheist Rosseau and Others, closing as
follows
The most mad form Of upbelief called Agnosticism
And what does that mean? When Mr.. Spencer says NO
form of religion is even thnkable" when Mil AMI OAR
win say The being OF a God is question about which
know nothing and can know nothing when the high
priests OF philosophy and science both unite In giving up
the question, labelling themselves by word that means
We know nothing about iF-what is IL but to say:
There is no vessels lamps hive gone out
Our systems give light on the high problems OF des
tiny" And when in the same breath they extol the per-
of Christ and the ethics of the Christian system as
Diderot Rousseau Mill, Renan and others have DONE
what is 1t the cry OF the unwse virgins tive Us
OF your OIL" 1t is to appeal TO the Church oil Jesus
Christ Illuminating power which by confession Is
not in their systems The appeal has often been made In
the history the Church deeayng systems by he
introduction Of Christian principles to pour Christian
when the erete and brilliant heathenism OF Alex
andria called upon Christianity for an alliance
the result failure both sides The process or
decay not arrested, and the Christianity itself De-
came corrupt 49, A.. .,,..
idoatries OF India for Christianity 10 save them oy I'M
pressing its life But the new dispensaton In
India is failure. The cruelty o the Crusaders has
often been criticised in Staying Mahometans. But IL
Is a question Of which. Crescent ana cross
cannot both occupy Jerusalem Christianity Is
by It's nature exclusiye-exclusive as sunlight
which makes no alliance wish midnight
II Christianity something than an external form
you ,can readily why the cry Of the world Give US
OF your OIL" is vain appeal IL Is not radhg lamps
II A. not question OF ceremony or doctrine. II is
question Of life And life cannot be adopted see Two
trees in a One has been gtrdled There Is no
leaf on branch no san in trunk The other is living
green TO the outermost twig The grcd tree says 70 the
living neghbor, Give OF your hfe, my veins are
empty give me your sap" The living tree replies, "
wish could But mine has come through soil and
sun and air and 1 cannot pass II over 10 you
You draw your life from mother earth ana the
Quickening have done" The Kingdom OF God
like that Of nature. first be within Religion
developing principle OF the heart Of a man