St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-13
MIR. JUDGE RIDDLED.
a Correspondent Ably Passes Upon
TbeOsOphicai Theories.


To the Editor Of the Globe.
The fact that the lecture on "TheOSO-
ply by Mr.. Judge was listened to by
a large and appreciative audience and
that it called forth extensive press COM
ment. verilies the philosophical princi-
pie that the intellect. no matter how
deeply absorbed by material pursuit,
always finds nOuriShment and pleasure
in scientific subjects. Mr.. Judge de-
serves credit for turning our mind from
the mOnOtOny of business" to spheres
more elevated. Yet his doctrines, though
captivating in appearance, are not
wholesome, almost offensive TO Christian
feeling. wonderful "miXtum COM
postum" of Darwinian evolution and
Spencerian agnOsticiSm form the nu-
cleus of his lecture. When stripped of
their phraSeOlOgy his statements are
marked by many fallacy and incOn-
Sistency.
One of his first objects Is TO undermine
dogma, or more directly the stability
thereof. He would have dogma, or
truth. as the product of mans mental
power and subject to the law of evolu-
ton in the same manner as man him
self. thus denying the iinmutabIlity of
truth. That there exists positive and
immutable dogma, independent of man,
is inferred from the law of morality.
Morality, which is entirely confined to
the actions of man, would change with
the caprice of man were it not regulated
by an eXtrinSic, immutable law. Fur
thermOre, Holy Writ, whose authenticity.
integrity and Yeraeity as a historical
record have long since been eStab-
lished, declares the immutabiltv
of revealed doctrine. OF course
Mr.. Judge would not admit revelation
since to him God is "unkOnwable."
From the fact that Christianity contains
many doctrines which centuries before
formed the code of worship of the Con-
fucianS and BuddhiSts, Mr.. Judge
argues that Christianity Is but the ''com-
pleXuS'' and embodiment of those an
cient religions. The premises. which
undoubtedly are true. do not Justify the
| conclusion. 1t rather follows that Con-
| fucius aud Buddha b. their INDUSTRY
! succeeded in bringing out. with a GER
| tain degree OF purify, those same doc
| trineS which were revealed to man in
! the beginning. and preserved in the Old
! Testament and by oral tradition. Christ
! did not come to destroy, but to fulfill and
| to perfect the Old Testament.
Mr.. Judges views Oh the origin and
| nature of man are remarkable. Man
! iDOuN ana SOulj, dcccrUlDS 10 MIN, was
evolved after long PROCESS from pre-
existing matter. Whether that pre-
existing matter was created, OF whether
il is self-Sufficient, we are not told.
From the context, however, il appears
! that il is uncTeated. An element self
| sufficient and subject to evolution at the
same time is a contradiction in terms.
| Since Mr.. Judge claims body and spirit
indissoluble and inseparable, he must
| admit that the spirit is subject to the
! same chemical changes as the body.
Here Mr.. Judge perceived the dilemma.
He is aware of the fact that the human
body. after a certain number of years.
completely changes; and yet man ever
remains conscious of his own person
ality, and prociaims himself the same
individual throughout his lifetime.
That there is something in man not
subject to chemical change Mr.. Judge
sees clearly. To eXtricate himself from
the difficulty he pronounced that eIe.
ment the astral body" or inner man,
without explaining to us its nature,
thus multiplying difficulties. Christians
call ii soul, substance that permeates
the whole body and gives il its s'de-
| sign" The very example, brought for
ward by Mr. Judge, that intelligent Der.
sons are often born to iliterate AMI Ig.