The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-03
FUTURE CHRIsTIASITY.
The Christian Answer to Modern Pessi-
mIsm.

| mism.
| The more I consider II, the more j am
persuaded that Catholic Christianity is
| approaching a transformation. 1t seems
as IL the Lord we're saying a second time.
es Cnce to the prophet, Behold, i create
new heaven and new earth; and the
former things shall not be remembered,
nor come into mind"
We shall keep with religious reverence
the oracles of the prophets of Israel and
| the apostles of Christianity. the teach
| ings Of all the inspired saints Of the two
| Testaments: but we shall no Longer con-
| found the words Of God with the human
| alloy, from which a sound exegesis Is
| separating IL every day. Doubtless God
| has spoken 10 men, but He has spoken
| to them by men. and by men Of a rude
race and Of early, or even barbariOus
times. In no other way could He man
fest Himself in this lower world.
Nor is the Biblical revelation the only
revelation, though Il be the highest. God.
as the same Apostle asseverates 'has
not left Himself without Witness" even
I'm the hearts Of those nations whom He
has left 10 walk i'm their own ways; and
there Is something OF Him in all the great
religions which have presided over the
providential developments of humanity.
IT is not true that all religions are equally
good; but neither is 1t true that all re-
ligions except one are no good at all.
Science, again, must not be ignored. II al
so is a revelationat once human and divine
and no less certain than the other. The
clergy Of the various churches have been
slow so take account OF e, and have thus
helped 10 keep up between faith and rea-
son groundless and fatal antagOnism.
In the same way we must keep ourselves
from any misunderstanding OF the fall
Man is n fallen divinity, still conscious
Of the skies. The remembrance is also
a hope for the lost Paradise points
through redemption, to the Paradise re-
gained. Such IS the Christian dogma, the
only answer 10 our modern pessimism,
with its blasphemy and its despair. But
we annot forget that, in the view o.
Gods Justice as Of mans transgression
is essentially and exclusively personal;
We shall teach no longer the arbitrary
imputatiOn Of the sin Of one man 10 all
men; We shall no longer insist that these
first pages of Genesis are "a strictly his
tOrical narrative. We shall see In them
rather a beautiful symbol. by which God
would make us 10 understand the moral
deterioration OF the primitive generations
Of mankind, the heredity which repro
duces the parent In his offspring, and the
SblQdTltN MnlCn NAMES VI nuihihhhe
Of individuals one collective being, with
common responsibilities and a common
destiny.
The Christianity OF the future will
reconcile more and more, In human life,
these elements. which are all equally
necessary and which have hitherto been
too much divided. II will reciasp the
links Of close alliance between nature and
grace between labor and prayer; between
action and contemplation; between the
body. despised and accused in the name
Of the SOUL and the soul OF which II
bears the imprint and is the organ; be
tween family life. oepreciated as an ig-
noble and inferior state. and those higher
aspirations Of genius and sanctity which
have sought 10 express themselves in an
unnatural and irrelevant celibacy.
Pere Hyacinthe.