New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-10
THE LIBERTY or THINKING.
IT'S DISQUALIFICATION ny MR. HoPKINs-TiE
RESURRECTION PURELY SPIRITUAL.


RESURRECTION PURELY SPIRITUAL.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Cir. In your editorial Of Sunday June . note
,ho following: Dean Church was certainly a ngid
enough churchnan. but h condemned IN unstlh'''
terms the tendency in the Church 10 limit the liberty
OF thinking" II seems 70 me, therefore, th't '"e
essay on the "Resurrectlon." by Archibald Hop
kins has excited an undue amount OF athh'oS"y
ON the part OF the clergy and others; for he has
no, sitnpy exercised the right OF liberty OF thought
I'm, has had the courage to speak out MS con'ic-
lions which the vast majority are AFRAID 10 90 |
read Mr. HopkIns's article with great care ana
must say that fall 10 find n single worn 'hi'
srnacks OF irrevrrcnce. He says nothing 'hh'
voull Indicate In the least that he does not regard
Jcsus Christ "a the highest type OF manhooi-the
CREATES, .xemplar The whole argument Is IN
tended 10 show that he does not believe IN the
noruiar or churchy view OF the resurrection, ana
certainly exhibits great ability In the treatment OF
the subject by the most logical methods OF reason
ing Every point he brings forward u strongly
sustained by quoted proofs. while not one OF those
who have weakly attempted to controvcri his argu-
m.n,s ha, done the same They simply assert.
ut has been clearly proven thousand times
etc Surely that ~ answer Why do they not
u,o,uce their authorities? Possibly they might be
AHA On convince even this bold thinker and
,heoloyan OF hts error II he Is IN tho wrong. was
chris, the originator OF the doctrine or idea OF the
resurrection? when he spoke OF rising again,
dld he not actually refer 10 n spiritual resurrection
or future NE? Did h. not simply voice the IN
stlnct or intuition OF the divinity that has always
existed In the human race VIZ. that OF future
NE which would mean spiritual rising into I'M
mortality?
NJ, Itoo<ins smoke OF the anclcn,s holding the
same views as 10 another existence. Why. the
idea Of a resurrection "a clearly demonstrated
all through the Old Testament. and doubtless
Christ. who was learned In the scriptures. had
drawn His inspiration - this future life from those
.od wells' AMI was more than convinced OF the
undombtcd truth OF His own resurrection from hav-
ing attained TO the highest spiritual eminence-for
no other has ever demonstrated the perfect d.
vinry IN man.
Suppose We turn 10 the Ola Testament for few
examples OF belief In the Resurrection just as clear
"a that Of Jesus Christ. Enorh walked Nlih God,
and he was not for God took HIM resurrection
and immortality. Elijah WAS carried into Heaven
I'm 4 chariot of fire. what lid he cry In the midst
OF this ecsta'lc vision THE chnriots 81 the lori
ami the horsem-n thereof" This may be but a
poetic way OF saying that he was burned To DEATH
but never mind. his vision OF a resurrection INTO
immortal lie perfectly clear AMI iansD.e
David sings OF IT, Sec Psalms xvi Sill: Psalms
XVII H. Turn 10 that most wonderful epic poem
job and read chapters xiv. 1915. and Nix @s'
Soc again Isaiah xxyi. 10 Every one Of these au-
thoriies proves conc,uslvsy that the hope ana be-
been Inherent In the whole human race. and. there
fore was not new thought or idea. originating IN
Christ
II is right and wise therefore. to take very argey
into consideration the conditions and period IN
which the Apostles lived and their natural. ccstauc
spirit in their deep love FOR their spritui. leader
further. that not line OF the Gospels was written
until long years after the reported events were sdld
to have occurred II was. therefore. cminenty nat
ura that many errors should creep in. tnctured
ov-rmuch with tradition legend and an ecstatic
inspiration. and thus that many sayings and happen
ngs should be attributed TO Christ that doubtless
never occurred II seems 10 me that before con-
demning Mr. Hopkins because OF his holding IDEAS
contrary 10 the accepted views of the Church II
we're better that tn" clergy abandon the uncertain
ties for those more important truths which may
help to upllft mankind.
MIR Hopkins has said nothing that should cause
offence. but. tho other hand, ID seems to me- has
shown himself n much ADLER theolosian than the
majority OF our clergy, who prone to speak
upon almost any subject without proper and care
ful inquiry into IT, yet under assumption OF hay
ing aI horiy thus proving their weakness and in
ABILITY II IN absurd 10 say that the Christian