The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-22

"Divine Philosophy" was the subject
which the pastors were to hear expounded.
Professor Harris spoke first, and he was
followed by Professor Howison. The first
speakers remarks appeared to great ex
tent to be a confirmation of theol ogical
positions, but when Professor Howison's
turn to speak came he qualified his friends
remarks on the grounds that II am afraid
the doctors speech, if not corrected, would
leave you entirely too satisfied with your
selves as pastors and Protestants."
Hon. w. T. Harris dweit on piety of the
intellect being necessary to MAKE religion
adaptable as a guide for action. "Ihe
Christian religion" he said, lis not only
religion of love, but Is essentially of the
intellect. With the coming of the Chris
tian religion We come to absolute knowl-
edge" Goethe's Faust was used
through the greater part of the address to
illustrate the speakers ideas. He showed
how Faust, starting with the pantheistic
idea OF God, comes to the theistic idea at
the end. He was happier when he be-
lieved in the piety of the in tellect; he was
unhappy in pantheism and he found no
real satisfaction in the pleasures Mephi-
stopheles gave him. Faust's happiest mo-
ments came in doing something for 9TH
ers. From Goethe's drama Commissioner
Harris drew the moral, "Altruism cannot
be tempted by Mephistopheles."
After giving sketch of the struggle of
Christianity for its existence against Mo-
hammedanism i'll the days OF Charles
Martel, the Commissioner described the
Saracen schools of learning in Spain, and
said that the pantheism engender red among
Christian students attending them had
forced Christian philosophers to take up
the study of Aristotle. This, he said, was
the internal crusade, more far-reaching in
its effects than the crusades first preached
by Peter the Hermit. He concluded by
saying that This internal crusade had
caused series OF Christian writers to see
that when you get the philosophy of the
whole il confirms Christianity.
Professor Howison began his remarks
by saying that his friend, Com missioner
Harris, had not gone deep enough. He
thought the time had come for those in
charge of the churches to give more than
a surface meaning OF the symbol.
"When man says to me that Christ
died on the cross for my sins, then l can
say it runs contrary to the first principles
of ethics, which is that no man can be
righteous for another"
Professor Howison said that in his opin-
ion, instead of saying that Christianity is
revealed, a new and better apologetic for
it is to say that its altruistic qualities are
superior to those of any otner religion
and that any man is Christian who be-
lieves in these things-the divine person.
atty, the consciousness of the Divine
Being that he has panions and that
men are free and that there are other men
whose personality is an end.
When the professor had ended his re-
marks he announced his willingness to
answer any questions. Lewis the Light,
who had managed to obtain front seat,
at once sprang to his feet and propoun ded
question, which Professor Howison,
after asking him to repeat it, began to
answer with all the art of his logic, when
DIR. Minton quickly came to the rescue
by proposing vote of thanks TO the
speakers. Lewis the Light, having been
once suppressed, remained quiet for the
rest OF the proceedings.
The questioning was resumed by. Rev.
DR.. Urmy and had reference to the au-
thenticity of Christ's miracles. Professor
Howison replied that he accepted the
philosophical insight of Christ, but did
not think the value of that insight had
anything to do with the person of Christ.
Questions as to Professor Howlson's
standpoint were also asked by Rev. DR..
Minton. Professor Lloyd and Rev. DR..
Hallock, but IN almost every case the
answers proved that the pastors and Pro-
lessor Howison would have to agree to
differ. Commissioner Harris concluded
the discussion by saying he did not think
philosophy could be substitute for re-
iigion.