New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-19
DIR. FAIRBAIRN ON KANT.
THE OXFORD METAPHYTCIAN AT CHAU-
TAUQUA.
MRS. HELEN CAMPBELL DISCUSSES SOCIAL
ECONOMY-OTHER EXERCISES OF THE DAf'
LEY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TnIBCNEl

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Chautauqua Aug 1s-The most notable figure at
the Assembly this year has been Dr. A. NJ Fairbairn
principal Of Mansfield College, oxford. Dr. Fairbairn
set foot in this country for the first time last week.
having been especially engaged, Professor Mahahy
was last year, to come to Chautauqua and lecture.
lie made his bow this morning TO large audience
In the Amphitheatre and talked learnedly OF Kant ana
the influence Of the older rationallsm on religious
thought in the nineteenth century lie Is spare
man. OF medium height with capacoiis forehead and
a reddish beard He speaks with plea'ant ocotch
accent and uses emphatic gestures.
"The eighteenth century" he said, "was prcemi-
nently the century OF ratonalsm. 1t was ruled by
two great minds, Kant ard Locke Matter was ex'
tended mind unextendcd Thought, being indepcnd-
ent of matter. could not be Influenced by IT, Inc as
tinctOn led SpnOZa TO seek unity by resolving Hat'r
and mind into two attributes Of one substance WHICH
he named God. Locke attempted to resolve all me
elements Of knowledge into ideas conveyed into the
mind by the action Of external matter on the senses
Matter became the primary factor IN knowledge. Ihe
result OF the two streams Of philosophy was tnaV %
ture and God were separated and knowledge drawn
from nature and worked by nature In man ana 'here
fore distinct from the action Of spirit on tho spirit
in man. The profession OF knowledge fouchhg "ou
was held to be wholly supernatural. and those who De
MED that were held to deny God Nature so limited
its Maker that he could not move because OF INC ma
tire he had made. Now the great proDIem oI
the nineteenth century has been; hrst tha' Vi
determining how God and nature were rcHieou
and second. how knowledge ana Spri'
or God. we're related Also is not nature dependent
for ne bclnp on the existence OF God7 Nature Is
deuendent for It's cognition the living reason Oh
man Our function as religious men Is TO hho d
permanent mode Of living, as between science anu
faith The great evangelical agtatlons Oh inc ia'
century were in the realm Of conscience ana SPIRIT
not intellect To-day the revival concerns reason
,.fo1 IN dominance
conscience and the heart. Physics. geology ana otner
sc,cnccs have reached extraordinary development ana
placcd before us new and welghty problems We Gun
reconcile knowledge and faith. Religion must lhiAc
place with science, and science must learn " Vo ~
peace with faith. The end OF our century approaeS'
INIT the problem IS stu unsolved Along what hheo
arc We to find the solution? Kant ended the reign Oh
the old rationaism, and began the dominion OF inc
now transcendcntasn. lie described himsef rs
walked from his dogmatic slumbcrs by liuihe' i""o
made man chaos, an indescrbabc absuriiV anu uc
stroyed nature Kant raised this question: IL an
knowledge comes through the senses ho" -
II that that is knowedge' Men perceive
time and space; therefore time ana space arr
two forms OF perception that mind brings TO nature anu
nature does not give 10 mind Above the forms Oh
perception came the categorcs OF thought Iho'ieh'
demands categorcs for the Interpretation OF the t'o
presented TO sense. What then IS nature ouOud''
| man and see what you would have. without man
| son
no color no coherent universe. II man makes nature
mr. tho order of nature exposes the mind OF man, the
irresistible inference is that the great key that unochS
nature and the thing unlocked are the product Oh inc
same mind and the same thought. since man MAKES
nature and nature makes man, both are the WORK Vi
God. 4.
MAN under obligation is man absolutely bound to
duty Duty is not inclination, and man Is bouhu u
obey because he has the categorical imperative III MS
Coincidence which means that, though ! do an lhdl
yldual act it's application Is universal where herc
is absolute obligation there must be absolute freedom
The Will must choose, but cannot choose "I'iou'
| reason. In order TO perfect virtue man must nave
more than mortal life. God can alone reach 'hi' per
feet harmony and balance. and so pricucal reason S
dcduce freedom, Immortality and God inc 5rshu p"i'
OF ultimate certainty, ultimate well,beng' - ,.,tnc
Natural religion was connahd neu TO " u ~ ~
| because mortal. Revealed religion was ht'i 70 U.
! divine because commanded hant construed Ch III.
a. the ideal OF humanity well pleasing 10 rOu' c'
| nav we not take that as "A great confession ana q
! great concession If Christ be The very image Oh iae
nvidrnf on this earth then il is true God placed him
here and II cod did lie stands 50 related 70 rs 40 20
be in contact with Us through the spirits OIL h''ns
Mr., Helen Campbell. whose Prisoners OF Povery
lcti.rs m The Tribune attracted such wide attcn-
lion bean this afternoon series of addresses on
rom in the hnll after .hc began. She insisted on the
nDortancc to women OF a knowledge Of political
.. Thc law, OF demand and SUPPLY she said. were
mo lncrt,r. 81 ncrSon or .cx 1t is only hy discoy
crinc ihc,c laws and shaping lives Ia conformity
| ,,ith Them that we can control destiny. The
! woman of to-day has WIDE vision, and wider YET
ng tbi, SotIon's dc>tnes and must prepare herself
! to bear and train the most Intelligent ana
| most ylrtuou, members ~ the state. The one
,r,at ourStion that today convu,cs the world Is
| ,hc w,g., question. the question OF the DIS
! tributl"n of wealth Practical thinkers and workers
DENY that capital and labor are one. More starting
| Inequality exists IN America than in other CIVILIZED
! countries There is not 80 striking n contrast nor ~
! ~ de- a chaem between rich and poor anywhere III
Great britain There is noVhcrc more desperate pov
cr,v ar rratcr concentration If wealth. SyndcaieS
| and trusts make their conditions. \. j. 1000
salute, zoo Il. G. Distribution must nc ieorGanlled
! Ir j. Davltt Durkheld. 81 Montgomery, Ala, lect,
| ured ON tho dincultic. NJ evolution, and Leland
Power, r,citod -nerdan's Rivals" in tile Amphthen-
tr. mis- evening The C. L. =. g.. class of 1890. went
on au excursion this afternoon 10 jamestown. td
ward Hcllamy tho author ~ Looking Packward, VINO
va 10 have lcctufrd here - nOrrOw. t"lcgphc mat
he 4. unable 10 come, owing u his daughters illness
There have arrvd \. f. Dnnnins OF hoSton W. ~;