The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-07-27

ne was IN MS snort passage through life.
He presides still day by day over the
destiny of the world. He started us in
a new direction, and in that direction
we still move" The reader will be in
terested in knowing the writer of this
tribute 10 the supremacy of Jesus in hui
man affairs. 1t is none other than M.
Renan, whose Life of Jesus written from
the point of view of Naturalism as
against Supernaturalism. created such q
stir generation ago. A writer in the
May number of the Arena remarks Of
Remains Life Of Jesus that it presented
"a view of the character and career Of
Jesus which differs essentially from that
of all who have treated the same SUBJ
iect, in that it represents Jesus as con-
scious impostor acting and speaking
falsehood for the purpose of establishing
new religion" 1t is an impostor &C.
cording to M. Renan who has exercised
this supreme influence in the world.
and is now "a thousand times more
living, a thousand times more loved"
than when he was upon earth. This
makes Christianity in the person of
Jesus achieve it's wonderful success on a
foundation of falsehood The idea is
immoral and would be fruitful of evil
consequences if it we're not so transpar-
emily absurd. The common sense of the
world may be depended on to revise M.
Remains opinions in accordance with
facts. The bane of infdelity oftentimes
carries its own antidote; there is no mis-
taking the fact in this particular case.
500
Not all the advanced" men of the age
are devotees of evolution. by any man
ner of means. Here, for instance, is M.
M. Mangasarian, the ethical cultur re
preacher of Chicago. soundly criticising
Herbert Spencer's teachings and de-
nouncing evolution in caustic terms.
The point of attack is the Spencerian
ethics and the conclusion is reached that
this system is imperfect because it's
starting point is the law of selfshness;
altruism and disinterestednes are only
selfishness in different guise. Manga
sarian concludes that the system of
Herbert Spencer, the foremost living
representative of the school of evolu-
ton is imperfect because it fails to ex.
plain the character of great and heroic
nd h.
made life more sublime. land because it
does not possess criterion of conduct"
He further says-and we trust the read
or will notice the closing words:
"a terrible skepticism is the inevita-
BILE fruit of such system. 1t is not at
all strange that in Germany the followers
Of Hartmann and Schopenhauer have at
tackled with vehemence the general
happiness theory of Spencer and tell
us that happiness is chimera; that life
is an evil; and that the only philosophy
worth holding is the philosophy of des-
pair. Evolution cuts every thread that
connects man with the infinite; it robs
the human clod of every spark aud the
human breast of it's immortal flame, and,
like fire, doubt ends by consuming it
SELF"
The way in which the tourist abroad
expresses himself has always been a
source of wonder. insignificant people
writing their names in sacred places, chip
ping or clipping priceless monuments
that they may carry away relic. Mrs.
Sherwood. of Washington, tells US in a
paragraph which did not appear in her
recent Mount Vernon letter that she
saw woman dig stone out of the foun-
dation wall in the cellar at Mount YER
non, and carry it away under her shawl
to enrich the cabinet of her husband,
distinguished scientist of New York.
Being discovered later on, by its absence,
the cellar doors we're always afterward
bolted down and one of the most inter.
esting features of the place-the vine
cellar and milk cooling tank-were shut
out from public view to prevent the
place being undermined. All this &C.
ours repeatedly. Tourists leave their
manners and consciences at home
when they go sightseeing. at home or
abroad. 1t is too bad that the average
person seems incapable of learning to
respect sacred shrines enough to let them
alone. OF all places, let the tourist re-
spect Mount Vernon.
500
In the epilogue to the last edition of
his Modern Painters, Mr.. Ruskin took
occasion to define anew and finally his
religious faith. 1t is. he says, very
simple matter. being summed up in the
sentence with which the theoretical
part of the book opens: mans use and
purpose is to be the witness of the glory
Of God, and to advance that glory by his
reasonable obedience and resultant hap
piness." This is very brief statement,
but as contemporary observes, goes to
the bottom of things. The chief value
of it, as Mr.. Ruskin thinks. is the fact
that it ignores disputed questions:
Nothing is here said Of any tradition of
fall, or of any scheme of redemption;
nothing of eternal punishment, nothing
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