The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-20
WEEELY CHIT REGARDING Will
ERS and BOOKS.
secuiarIsm, 1t, Progress and mor"'
Tho RubJcon-The Virginia Medical
MonthIy-Literary Notes.


Co.
Things are in the saddle and ride man
kind would probably be the orthouoA
theologian's reply to this very temper
ate and dispassionate statement OF theoi-
ogy's present postion-thereby Imply
ing that mankind had only exchanged
spiritual for a material master. But
among the vast array Of similar work
bearing upon this tendency Of scientllc
lnouiry TO encroach upon that authority
which the ecclesiastics had pre-einpteu'
hardly one can be found more cautious
In statement or fair in treatment "hiIe
giving at the same time new aspects OIL
the well-worn theme. None can deny the
premises, even where the conclusions
seem Inadequate to those whose tradi-
.ional sense Of reverence. pines TO nave
them otherwise.
As the secular power OF the church mas
ganed, so has the knowledge Of all nat
Iral law, waxed; and the present strong
md clever volume is devoted to an an
,lysis OF cause and effect in the most
lirect and concise manner.
First among influences against the con-
inued reign Of orthodoxy over the mas
Increase Of mechanical knowledge through
Industrial surroundings "As the fruits
II physical science grew" he says, they
became silent witnesses Of natural law,
by assisting in furnishing material
o the scientific philosophers, the masses
ave come under the persuasiveness OF
fcience, and just as they are moved into
harmony with natural law, they are
moved out Of harmony with the old SUI
1ernatural apparitions, and realize the
incongruity of their physical surroundings
With theology. - The progress Of
.hings was easy, because there was no
mental irritation accompanying II.
Here was a great movement set on foot,
not by verbal argument, but by the In
inmate forces OF nature"
OF course, the discoveries Of astronomy
ed in this cutlery against theological
authority over the phenomena Of nature
and life, the conflict being against the
allied forces Of militancy and ecclesias-
dcsm on the one hand, and secularism
IN the other-the one cultivating obedi-
ence and loyalty-the latter spontaneous
mental action, strength and progress.
Passing into the domain of metaphysics
on the other hand Mr. Bonham finds the
law OF intellectual freedom laid down by
nature herself in the diversity and variety
Of intellectual faculty. Mature" he ac-
acutely argues, cannot have furnished
by accident different faculties to each
man born into the world. She assuredly
meant something by the persistence with
which she has done this throughout all
known time, and part, at least, of her
meaning may be inferred from actual con-
sequences She meant that variety Of
endowment should produce variety OF
-esut; that only by the full exercise of
her various gifts could complete freedom
and resultant truth be given to the world,
and that coercion by one mind or n num-
Der of minds. could not have tire effect
Of stimulating the variety with which
these different minds were endowed. She
meant to distinguish between coercion and
pursuasion and to make the latter a
prime condition Of universal mental ac-
hvity. Theology itself cannot produce
Uniformity Of ideals"
The chapter on Advanced Theology"
8 dispassiOnate review OF the vast
,hanges in theological dogmas wrought
Turing the last twenty years: mans
gradual protest against his implied duty
o believe such. irrespective Of his con-
'titutional capacity to understand.
Mr.. BOnham dissents from Spencer and
Leslie Stephens as TO the eternal necessity
N the human mind for a religious ideal:
is ethics are so impossible a standard
hat society Is kept together by re-
'usal 10 practice them, but he does not
consider that the morals of mankind
must thereby be impaired. while "tne
personal irritation Of sacred ideals which
follows every expression Of reason against
them" may we'll be avoided.
He still sees. after the spiritual illu-
limitations Of childhood have been discard
I'd. room for a large knowledge. humility.
and reverence-the knowledge that Ma
ture makes no distinction In dealing with
seen law and theologic theory: the humil-
ity which admits the inscrutable; and the
reverence that with every faculty OF
mind bows down and calls it-God.
d. II. II.
THE RUBICON: BY f. +. Benson. au-
thor Of "Dodo" Appieton's Town
and Country Library. d. Appleton
Co. New York. 30 cents. For sale
by West, Johnston & Co.
We shall hope that the type OF woman
Of whom Mr.. Benson delights to write,
Is rather more rare in our own country
than she appears to be in his and that
before he publishes another book he will
have realized that real ability can find
something Interesting in wha tcoaver