New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-12


Of Causation; Of the Relatively Of knowledge. and
Of the Uhkpowable. As 70 the hrst OF
these Mr. Lilly holds that the unity of natural
forces is by no means established, and the cor
relation OF mental and physical forces IS a mere
nude hypothesis. No equivalence can be shown
between neuross and ISychosis; nor can life and
energy DE brought under MIR. Spencers doctrine
Of the Persistence of Force which, as taught by
him. is an amalgam of physical do9matsm ana
metaphysical error or the doctrine OF Relatively
OF knowledge our author observes AZ MI
Spencer's erroneous theory OF relatively mas leu
him to label the Supreme Direct or KNOWLEDGE
unknowable. so a true theory OF reiatiVHy "oui"
have saved him from the artlnOm!cs III WHICH nc
is hopelessly involved in regard TO ms matter
The moro the manifold relations OF things are
examined, the mere clearly are they seen 10 DE
rational they testify Of Objective Reason. MI
Spencer's Scientific Agnostcisn Is an ouuG@e
upon reason lie puts aside the aflirma'lon OIL
the intclect-those a priori' or necessary truths
which are laws OF thought because they are aoso-
lutte uniformitice, intuitively known as s"li-evl-
dcnt-and these are the primary sources OF all
knowledge: they are what God ctcrnaly thinks.
In them, and not in any collocation and DIS
placement Of molecules, is the ultimate pa>'' VI
metaphysics
No doubt some o: these ideas may be styled TOO
daring and Aggressive Mr.. Lilly. however. Is
bent on CARRYING the war into Africa ana the
man who to-day undertakes the serious defence
OF religion must I've prepared TO Champion 'he
spiritual side Of human nature very boldly an"
in a truly catholic spirit. To SEE how lar our
author is willing TO 20 in TINS dlrecuoh' ho"
ever his chapters on cIyaticism must oc 'ra"'
and they will assuredy wtll repay pcrhsai' i"i'
whole subject has during the present century
hecome so obscure to the generality, IT has pc'h
so density befosgcd with the cver-sr0wlns nfa'e'
riasm of the age, that Mysticism mas "''no''
come 10 be SYNONYMOUS with imlecllity Ihlhh''s
AS little religions az the greet prssinist Nchop"-
hauer did not. II IL true, fdil lhIo ,'' '"'"'"
and vulgar error But modern physical S''','o
has dircnt,v or Indirectly, lent its aid to the
condemnation of lutte understood matter
Ihus Mill in his Logic says that whether III
the Vedas, the Flatonists or IN" ll"gehahS
mysticism is nothing moro nor less than a'crinihS
nn,ectivc existence TO the subjective creations OF
our own faculties, TO mere ideas OF rho inteiiec'
I'pon this Mr. Lilly remarks: surely TINS i
tvrannous ipsc dixit,' if ever utterance d'~crf'"
IN no go called Why should believe, upon 'Ic
authority of those who confessediy do not SPEAK
as cxp.rts that the choice specimens OF h""''''
wisdom and virtue in all ages nave "Fh "'o"H
,,ho, thcv thought themselves to he holding com
munion with supersensihlc Realities Is not
their own account Of tho matter as crcdine ~ INV
hvpothcsis that they were given over 10 Il s'rohS
delusion TO believe lie that their highest VISION
was bu. turning about in their own thoueh's' is
in the void inane? No: when the spirit l. pr
fectly master OF itsclf when passion ana interest
are stilcd for the moment, wien there Is COM
binod ease and energy Of thinking when cannot "
mistaken for vacancy Of mind, d"iy man l"
believe that the intentions OF when u" Is 'ohcio"
arc ilusory or merely objective" And whcnc"
do these sages derive their mental influence ~
s prccisoly in proportion they do not argue 'ha'
they are convincing; the secret Of persuasion j.
,ho;rs in , ,rauscendent degree which no analNtcal
,bi,o.onbor has ever possessed. II Is the easiest
thing in the world TO hold mp their imaSlha'i"h''
,ho;r ecstasies their visions and revelations I"
ocorn as intellectual intoXicatiOn or mental disease
Tho hard the impossible thing for one VINO h'-
hold nigh converge with the saecs OF IN" pahla-
heds' with Platinus, with Jclal, with ~. Teresa,
s IN believe that what their great SOUS d'''"''
the prime and only Reality was wholly unreal
Not that Mr. Lilly believes the highest fcN"la'Io"S
and teachings Of mysticism TO he trahslefii""' i''
ho savs. The feeling of the greatest saints has
ALWAYS bcen Sacramentum regis abscondere pohuih
os+, II 10 GOOD 70 conceal the secrets Of In" KIM
and one reason why this Is good l. because l'''
Divine Search cannot he congrnousN c""N'N'" !"
the language Of sense perception 10 a,'''"p'
70 render the nOumenal in phenomenal sNh'"o'7 -
Of necessity TO refract it, for the laws OF '' n''
impose their own form upon ideas lhe ''ial-n'
s,,Y mnst srem bent when we view it in the pool.
The looking glass OF the human understanding
cannot hut reflect sensuous images
The whole Of this CHAPTER deserves 70 "' fe''
attcntivcy for in it is to be disc"rned tho author
most real and potent answer 10 the pr'Vaii'h1
matorlalsm of the day His final chapter 'a'''
us less impressed than what has Hon" n''orc' "
is on the whole somewhat inconciusiVe' ihs'nno"''
no doubt. and eloquent, but with less TIM VI 'o.,
viction in it than characterizci the "A'f'"rN
uorotrat;ng and eloquent discussion of mysticism.
Tho book altogether is very strong powerfully aH'
tellincly written, and containing truths hecuhH
TO be told perhaps more than ever.
WATERLOO.