New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-12
THE GREAT ENIGMA.
A BLAST AGAINST MODERN SCEPTICISM
THY GREAT ENIGMA nv william Samuel LILY.
lie

= THH GREAT ENIGMA. nv william Samuei LILY.
SvO PIP. lv.-334. ID. Appleton d Co.
In his dcdicatory letter TO Lord Halifax the
author OF this book declares that 1t is of the
nature of an 'argumentum ad hominem ad
dressed to q class of readers practically outside
the Christian pale. 1t is an inquiry, from their
point of view. into the tena6lcness of the religion
which for L,orc than a Thousand years has sup
pljcd the foremost nations of the world with an
answer TO The Great Enigma OF human existence
Tnauestionably, u feeling that this answer Will
no longer suffice Is very widely prevalent Inc
Irofes ed teachers Of religion. IRON Leo Nil "
General Rooth whatever their diferehces'
aaree in c,nicssing that IFS hold over the modern
mind is rudely shaken. The question of lucS-
tions nov lefore mankind is whether the soou
b, Lord Jesus has had his day. ana must pc
2 numbered among the dead gods, or whether lie
tsis AS we believe in very truth. alive for ever
more. and His life the light OF men, MI Lily
however. does not follow the beaten track IN mat
,r. Of re pons controversy and it il in great part
The originality OF his method which constitutes
the impreesiveness Of his argument
He take, what he considers typical examples
of modern Atheism and a. Mysticism, as lor III
stance Renan the type OF literary crl'ici>''' an"
Herbert Spencer Is the type VI sc"".'''
criticism and undertakes TO show that thci'
nostions are fatally defective. His argument Is
close. ,ncwy and vrrilc and while 'he "cu"
reasoncr in foowi,g him may pcsSlby ulscoNci
weak places here AID there, the general ene'' u
his reasoning IS decidedly powerful. His attack
is i'm effect directed against the sccp'lcal ana
natcrialistic tendencies of the modern spirit ana
,boref,rc i. Is an assault all along the line, Will"
suner6cialy directed toward a few of the most
nroninent modern sceptcs Whether, indeed, the
modern spirit is really amenable TO such III
funnces Is question which zine only can decidr'
but the force, acumen aud boldness o. the au'"oi
argument must in any event be conceue''' w''l'
his fluent rhetoric the aptncss OF his ILLUSTRATIONS
and the compactn.ss of his reasoning will compcl
admir- alton and interest
BY l, happy provision ne has prehAcd 10 HIS
hook copious summary, by glanCinG 'irous"
which the impatient reader may In Il compare
lively short time master the main contents OF '''
work. and understand at least the gist Oh the
arguments NJ Lilly holds that there are
really in good logic, only Two answers oesiues
Theism TO the Great Enigma Atheism an"
AQnorticlsm; by Atheism tcing meant TIE ooS
matte denial of God and by h9hos'icAs'h Wv
mental attitudes Of doubt, suspension OF JUG
ment nescience concerning Iiipi Ana oi Asno'
+,c,sm there are two varieties the merely crlticai
70 and negative, which maintains That we cahno'
know whether or not Divine noumehoh eNis's'
and the scientific or Affirmative, which asserts Ills
Ey an Atheist the author means one VINO uos
natcally denies the existence Of FIRST cause OF
. 4 raa,or of al, tfinys ruling the universe ana
. holding moral relations with mankind lhis
form of disbelief nc would consider 80 irrational
rs not to need answering or consideiih7' Du'
there Is a very practical consideration wiz"
invests Atheism with much importance :"
among the masses, who are rs lhcdPa''c VI
thinking as they are of flying, ana TO WHOM
nolitcal power has everywhere passed, OF i
passing. that the Iropagandlsts OF A'heis'" "'c
most active and most successful
As an illustration of the boidest forn' moderh
. Atheism has assumed Mr.. Lilly cites Monteils
. Cotecbism du Iibre Penseur." This work Is
divided into three portions, and deals respectively
with God. Religion and Morals. God. it teaches
il an eXI ression, the exact value oil VIM"
rho material world, and All is matter. III pro-
cecds 10 state that the divine indiNldua'i| 70
Ncr. that we ought not TO believe III the cNlst-
ence of the Individual named SOD whom hoS'
religions have presented to us, because sue"
God has no existence, ana that since every ''''e
belongs TO the material order, the soul uo's "o'
oxist y the Cateclism urges It's readers 70
abandon religion completely. and take refuge III
= pbil.sophy-the product of all reason ana 'he
source NJ all morality" The Philosophy so re"on'-
,,,nded amounts TO this "thut man is naturally
GOOD. that the passions are the true guides oil
buman life: that their qualification is the true
end of human life, aud that other lie therc Is
none" As 10 morality, that, says VI Moh.eii'
is .tbe sentiment which prescribes 10 us pru lent
conduct. and is determined by the reason the
reason, it would appear, being no'nhg ou'
. pbosphorus" From these and the Ike statements
Mr.. Lilly argues that those who employ them are
training the coming generation 70 peileNe 'ha'
1b, answer TO The Great Enigma is not moral
10 faifh
a senseless and seville superstition; to ma the
,ule of right and wrong in self-lnterest; 10 see
In ethics only regulation OF police: to ac4uesce
in nhvsical fatality, and TO practise Dru'di
egoism." "
Critical hcnosticism the author has elected TO
o,or,n. +prourh the writings of ~ Rcnan. Or
him the author SAYS that, like SO many others
IN this aec. IN unlearning Christianity he I'M
learned Theism. lie illustrates In very STRIKING
manner, Cardinal Newmans doctrine Una. u
dorr revelation is the way to deny natural fc-
,l,o;on As regards Remains criticism OF the
. origin Of the Bible, Mr. Lilly may surprise some
or,hod.,> readers. for lie virtually yields the
whole ouestion. saving, it must be frankly al
mitted that Il Christianity depended upon pseudo
sc,enti6c view of certain venerable docu"ehts'
formed at an unscientic period, ana irrecohcia"io
with the conclusions Of true SCIENCE |hfis''aihS
ILL Iva doomcd But" he continues. TO
.,rrose Christianity founded upon that collection
a, ancient documents called the Bible is ms
torically false 1t is certain that no au'hUti.eu
New Testament canon existed until the ia''cr
half Of the second century. II is equally certain
that the mission OF the Author OF ohrlStiahi's was
not to promote the formation OF a volume winch
,ono centuries after, should become the religion
~ protestant, but I, establish society. Inc
NH. &c is fact the creation of the ta'hoilc
1hurob from which other varieties Of Christianity
have received it, And the Catholic Church;
while declaring 1t in all matters of faith and
s,"ra,s divipely inspired throughout. has never
...o,d how far that inspiration extends