Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-04-26

III,
their concentration; but most of all it is
their actual experience experience
acquired not alone by light of day, but also
by their own light of night. Pursued
to its ultimate conclusion, in whatever de-
partment, experience is the standard by
which the worth of testimony is Judged,
and the experience of the specialist is the
chief element of his strength.
Admitting this to be true in the many
fields of thought thus hastily visited, are
We not justified in demanding that reason
shall be shown why this principle shall not
be logically applied to the testimony of
witnesses when we rise to the realms of
ethics and religion, that here also the
value of the evidence shall be Judged by
the experience of the witnesses? "This
affirmation that experience is the strongest
characteristic of the specialist is exactly in
line with the method of Christianity, for
the power of Christianity lies not in the en-
thusiasm of its students, nor in the
methodical treatment which its facts may
receive but in the fact that its teachings
are visible expressions of experienced
specialists. The secret of Christianity is
that it does not concern itself with the ref
utation of theological theories: it is not
collection of denials or negations; it does
not put forth Instructions to rctard the
progress of truth in any direction: it does
not philosophize, it does not seek to demon
strate logically the truth or the absurdity
of this or that hypothesis; it does not en-
gage in mystic speculations: it is not
scholastic, neither does it aim to build up
a great system of morals and religion with
exact proportions; but ii simply puts forth
a fact, person, concrete instance: it is
the teaching of a specialist. Jesus was
the great religious specialist, and in so far
as the simplicity and purity of his teach
ings have been preserved he is the great
religious specialist today. We say it rever-
emily, that the teaching of Jesus was the
teaching of a specialist. This is so not
alone because of his enthusiasm, or his
method, or his concentration, but chiefly
because of his actual experience with the
facts of ethics and religion. He lived and
moved in actual contact with the facts of
God, truth, salvation; he knew about
faith, hope and love directly. He had to
do with these things. He was these
things. If then experience is the
standard by which the worth of testimony
is judged, every man who has lived with
God and near God is religious specialist,
and though he may never have received an
hours technical training his word is of
higher authority than that of any trained
physicist or theologian to whom the facts
of character are unknown"
In turning to consider the weakness of
specialists the essayist found it to lie, first,
in their tendency to examine facts and
gather great quantity of material without
carrying their research to any concrete or
philosophical conclusion. This material
the popular mind seiZes upon and imme-
dately leaps to cancellations which the
scientist himself would never have made.
In the second place, the most glaring and
fatal weakness of the specialist is in his
disposition to formulate from study in his
own little department philosophy of the
entire universe-to build a pyramid of
generalization on an apex of facts. This
danger of generalizing on insufficient data
| is repeatedly illustrated in the declaration
of the student of pure reason that he has
made the most exhaustive researches and
the most complete investigation and fails
| to find evidence of intelligence independent
| of phenomena. ITO the physicist who
cannot find God at the end of his analysis
! the simple and sufficient reply is that his
testimony is not final. We do not deny
his conclusions in his own sphere, but we
do question his right to dogmatize upon
subjects that belong to another and very
different realm of investigation. We dc
question his right after working among a
limited number of facts to make confident
assertions in field with which he is almost
entirely unacquainted.'
In conclusion the essayist said 81 would
like to suggest that the real specialists ar,
those who are working upon a broad basil
of general knowledge; those devout lover:
of truth with such strength of menta
power, with such breadth of vision, will
such power of analysis and synthesis tina
the testimony of every science and ever
philosophy is received, and from the man
witnesses universal philosophy is forme
which, perhaps, some day will give us
full knowledge OF God and his ininat
creation