New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-02
RELIGIOUS SPECULATION.
CHRISTIANITY VIEWED FROM WITHOUT.

Charles Scribner's Sons.
SCIENCE AND 4 FUTURE LIFE. With Other Essays.
g. eg Frederic W. i" Myers Pr 24a' Macmillan &
In these three books glimpscs are TO be had Of
modern religious controversy from widely diver
gent points of view, of which is very near
tho vantage ground of orthodox Christianity.
Mr.. Balmforth represents more or less numerous
class of English working people; Mr.. Lille as
soldier in India became partisan of Buddhism;
while Mr. Myers is an admirable example Of uni
versity learning and culture He has no occasion
for fixing his opinion on the matter; but II he
had he would, perhaps, agree with the other
two IN discriminating between the Christian re-
ligon and the religion of Christ For all seem to
agree that Christianity now organized and en-
cmplihed in the world is far from being what it
should be. But while the essays of Mr.. Lille
and Mr. Myers are rather academic than other
wise, Mr. Balmforth is nothing if not practical.
He suggests, if he does not solve. the questions
which the Others endeavor 10 answer, and he as
sociates the religious reformation which he has
in mind with Socialism.
To who has inspected with moro or less
care specimens of literature from various ages be-
fore and since the Christian era il must seem that
the lamentations of the present day are far from
being a novelty The chances arc ten to one
that he who picked up medieval author would
find him inveighng against the condition OF tac
times and even using the very arguments which
arc still effective Yet century after century
there has been a steady increase in the number
of those who shared the higher pleasures OF iie'
and still more rapid increase il the number OF
those who attained that scli-conscousnes' when
is the indispensable preliminary to advancement
The question whether human life at its best Is an
improvement now upon that OF the past is mat
Ter in dispute But there be no question tla'
the better conditions of life are far more wldeN
extended than they were in Other times Many
a modern agitator free with tongue am pen IL ne
could trace his lineage would find himself descend
ed from serf Of the soil in the eleventh century,
from q dolc-talSing client Of the Empire or from
some hut-dwcllcr clad in skins and subject quito
willingly TO q ruler only less brutal than himself.
OF these classes and Others like them. none was
conscious Of the improvements that were possible
in the status of the individual They doubtless
cnvicd the lives of the upper classes then as their
more fortunate cOunterparts Of the present day do
still: but what they envied was not the better,
but the worse and grosscr side OF the civilization
above them. But back of church AMI preacher
and political organism there was something WORK
ing within humanity forcing il up 20 the plan" OF
sclf-consciousnCss. and directing It's vague Wlst-
fulness toward better things. Mr. Balmlorth de
fines this as the one element common u az re-
ligions A striving after something higher. II"
remarks in another place II is not by systems
that mankind is reformed il is by developm 'h'
from within" 1t is the distinguishing mark OF
Christianity that II insisted from the ir,t on tlc
evolution Of humanity from within outward NOT
&c The thought Of an esotcric society. hut as
necossi for all men individually and collective
TX Under the homcy figure Of the l'aVeD hll-
den in the meal stated once for all thH Whoi'
philosophy Of human improvement, not "a MANN
or rs an aphorsm into which much religious t"ach-
ing cvaporates, but as an inevitable fact III the
nature of man. The unconscious striving OF those
religions in which the Individuality 81 man hardly
figured became sclf-cOnscionS IN Christianity WHICH
1Uclt not less on this point than on the prls IN
ality of the Deity 20 which Mr. Balmforth objects.
What Mr. Balmforth suggests here in page or
two Of fragments quotti from the sacred litera-
lures of the Orient forms the them" of Mr.. LAi-
lies whole book His aim is 70 point ont inc
things in the New Testament or IN In" usage %
the early Christians which were borrowed from
Buddhism But his method is exaggerated a 10
its claims and defective in its details. II l.
waste Of time to sustain the paradox that OhriS-
tinnity issued from among the Essences. II may
he added also that it is waste OF time u deiS
i, Tho historic material available for the discus
sion is too scanty and TOO inconcuSiv" to warrant
any argument The whole question belongs among
NEEDLE for the purpose of training ms iacuI'i'S'
but which cannot be taken seriously one ml2h'
easily prove that the moon is made OF green
cheese with the data upon which Mr.. Liiilc a.
cides that the legenu of Jesus should he WVIde"
into an Essenc and ar anti-EsSene portion. 'Po'.
the strength of q dubious legend when asHer'e"
tbe presence of Buddhist missionaries IN Palestine
hefore the time Of Christ, II Is easy 10 falSe
plausible theory OF loans from III" oo'f u 'n'
newer religion. But historically. Christianity was
%, moro likely 70 be in touch with llclcnifm,
Judaism and what was left Of the ancient EGYPTIAN
cultus than with any religions OF liln"'s'ah'
Studcnts Of the Zcnd-Avesta will estimate the
,.luo NJ Mr. Lilies method somewhat lghty
,,ban they find that he accounts for Loroas'riaii-
ic,o az n missionary branch Of buddhism. TOT
Tho samr reason students OF Christian a1'liui''
will wonder what necessity thrr" was ior soln!
o. 1bilet after quotations from parts of the oid
ros.or,ent confcssedy older than Buddhism, as
NJ, Lille does in referring to the scene "'e'e
.be soldiers divided the garments OF 'hrlS' az 'Ir
mo;6,ion What is indispensable 10 IA scientific
,rr;no ont of Mr.. Lilies plan is careful TO
Glow Of all the original authorities. definite ny
ina If dates for both Christian ana buu'his'
.,;,;rcs If. as Mr. Bcal seems 10 intimate
- ,v,s no life of Buddha even in India until
;st bofore the Christian era, IT would De rdSh 10
snrnose that such a book could be known 'hen III
I,alcstine Literature too slowly DISCONTINUED
IN those DAYS for such miracle TO happen mus
while the parallels which the author points out are
srocostive and worthy of investigation they are
without value as arguments for his theory
Mr. Ralmfortn is more moderate IL hi> c,a''i,
After quoting passages from the Koran t'' Aenu-
Axes,a. from, Brahmarical and Buddms' "ii''hs''
bc calls attention 10 the similarly OF 'neSc ~
passages which he might have luo'ed ,ron ."'
III - m
.,... an, not here invidiousy comparing the re-
,,aions Of the East with Christianity; indeed
~, op;tc willing to admit that every religion
ibid Ia indeed as a whole rather than by us