New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-14

was his marriage. This, coming so soon upon CON
test in which he had stood out for the Roman
asceticism and sacerdotal celibacy, was regarded
by large proportion of the young men who had
followed him as qualification OF his own strong
" avowed principles, and here the most pro-
nounced Rome ward movement came to an end so
far as proseytism WAS concerned. Ward and his
wife in n short time entered the Roman Commun-
ion and Newman and others soon followed nm.
To them after the experiment of Newmans VIA
media had clearly failed, there was no other pos
sbe recourse Ward himself had been Roman
Catholic in all save name for years. and his SeccS-
sion from Anglicanism little more than formal
recognition of existing facts. The progress OF
his mind from Rationalism to Romansm affords
a peculiarly interesting subject for study. Sci
dom has the force Of heredity been more clearly
illustrated than in this case. The asceuc ten
dency which was deeply implanted in his charac-
ter was strengthened for positive action by an
equally innate repugnance toward historian re-
search. He could not bring himself TO master
the secular history Of the Roman Church, put lie
surrendered himself to the fascination OIL her
spiritual claims and pretensions, drawn by the
spiritual elements which discerned in that com
munion the highest opportunities for psychcal de-
vedopment The lives of the Saints afforded MN
the most incontrovertble evidence that the
Church to which they belonged and whose
nobest aspirations they illustrated possessed th'
truth He did not enter upon those inquiries
which are opened by the study OF comparative
religious science. The very dogmatsm OF lh'ei-
lectual research, in denying the Nahniny Vi Vno
supernatural evidences of Christianity, and IN con-
filming the student upon Chose lines 10 purely
rational arguments, impelled him to react TO the
opposite extreme and to claim for conscience
stability. as the basis of Faith, which the Ration
aliste could never concede.
In his Ideal of a Christian Church he, how
ever anticipated some Of the most modern OF
views He placed the argument for the spiritual
outside the domain of the intellect, and outlined
psychology which, though in conflict with the
evolutionary philosophy, is today finding con-
tinually fresh advocates and stronger reinforce
ments. The mediaevaHsm which led him to re-
pose upon authority and to put an undue value
upon daectics must in any event have weakened
his influence as a teacher though these tendencies
undoubtedly smeothed his own path and freed
him from difficulties which would have embar-
raised more thoroughly modern man. At
the same time his old-world bias enabled
him to perceive with unusual penetra-
ton the dangers TO which modern thought
would be exposed by the general acceptance of the
scientific tendencies and doctrines Of the time,
and fifty years ago he pointed out, in luminous
and impressive passa ges the changes and deterora-
tions which have since come TO pass. Nevertheless
nothing can be palmer than the unfitness Of
Wards reasonings TO persuade or convince the
generation TO which he addressed himself. Even
the logic which to himself so irrefutable,
and which inevitably led him to Rome, was not
calculated to impress less emotional and mystical
spirits than his own Newman's. For it was
not education but inheritance that conquered the
influence of the younger Mill over him, and sub
stituted Newman as his spiritual guide. Arnold
ism, which first captivated him, would alone
have conducted him to Agnosticism, or at best
10 that attitude of sceptcal alooness and criticism
which at later period was represented by
Matthew Arnold 1t was the medieval legacy
Of mysticism witch turned his mind at the critical
point in his c5CNer, and eventually piloted him,
through the TPactarian movement, to Rome.
Wards personality deserves more consideration
than can be given it here. The Oxford Move
ment in itself and in its consequences, is so much
more important subject than the individuality
of any man, that have dwelt upon it TO the
exclusion Of biographical matter. Mr.. Wilfrid
Ward has much to tell of the youthful high spirits,
! genial companionship, Conversational powers, and
| musical eccentricities, of his father lie was n
| dialectician who would have held his own in
! the acutest and most subtle controversies Of the
! schools Few, if any, of his contemporaries cOnld
! cope with him in argument, and the extraordinary
! nimbleness OF his intellect enabled him 10 meet
| every attack with q flashing quclmess which
usually ccnfounded his interlOcutoTs He was
the soul of good nature, and therefore his sharp
est retorts seldom left ranking impression, and
| he kept the friendship OF every man who differed
di.a,ly and hopclessly from his views. As re-
| CARDS his influence upon the Oxford Movement,
| or. as il is coming to be called, the Catholic
! Movement it is clear that he largely re-
! sponsible both for the crisis and the collapse
of the movement, as it then was. The PuseyitcS
were drive back upok Anglicanism by his ultra
/ and uncompromsing position, and it is also prob
! able that the secession was narrowed by similar
agencies, only the more extreme being prepared
TO take the final step. But the work of reform
! which he had so active hand in did not die
out when ne dropped il. The lines upon which
! it has proceeded since in many respects differ
ent from those he advocated but they are not
less in the direction of deeper spirituality and
closer conformation of the Christian life to
| oospel principles No matter who quarrcls with
! William George Wards ultimate conclusions it
| must be recognized that he was sngle-minded
! and puresouled religious reformer the general
| scope of whose aims and teachings embraced
the noblest and loftiest aims and the most
| spiritual ideas, and who left an indelible mark
upon the thought of his century.