The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-23
GLADsTONE's NEW BOOK.
He Discusses Theological Subjects
Some Extracts.


one of the most fndefatigable workers of
| the time. As a writer he is most prolific
| with a tendency toward the discussion of
| ancient Greek philosophy and modern
| theology. No one can honestly question
| Mr.. Gladstone's right to discuss theology
| He was educated for the ministry, first as
| a schoolboy at Elton and lnen as a student
| at Oxford, and his training was distinctly
| religious.
Recently Mr.. Gladstone has been en-
gagged in the preparation of book of
''Gleanings, Theological and Ecclesiasti-
cal,'' which have just been published by
the Messrs. Scribner.
While the 'Gleanings'' are not abSo-
1utely new collectively, they present
very interesting sketch of Mr.. Gladstones
religious views. In article entitled.
''Proem to Genesis; Plea for Fair Trial.,
Mr. Gladstone, who says he has lived for
more than half a century in an atmos-
phere of contention discusses the views
of Prof. Huxley, "who has been inhabit-
ing the Elysian regions of science" and
proceeds to state, on what he holds to be
open ground, the true key to the meaning
of the Mosaic record.
'It was intended to give moral and not
scientific instruction to those for whom it
was written. For the Adamic race. recent
on the earth, and young in faculties, the
traditions there incorporated, which were
probably far older than the book, had
natural and high moral purpose in con-
veying to their minds a lively sense of
the wise and loving care with which the
Almighty Father, who demanded much a
their hands, had beforehand given them
much in the provident adaptation of the
world to be their dwelling place, and of the
created orders for their and rule"
1t appears to him that from the very
nature of the Scriptures this is clearly the
rational point of view. If it is so, then sit
follows that just as the tradition described
earth, air and heaven in the matter in
which they superficially presented them
selves to the daily experience of man-not
scientifically, but the common air, the sun,
the skies-so he spoke of fishes, of birds,
of beasts, of what man was most con-
cerned with; and last in the series, of man
himself, largely and generally, as facts
of his experience; from which great moral
lessons of wonder, gratitude and obedi-
ence We're to be deducted, to aid him to
the great work of his life training
In a review of Mrs. Humphrey Wards
Robert Elsmere,' Mr.. Gladstone COM
plains that the ancient and continuous
creed of Christendom seems to have Slip
ped away from it's place from Mrs.
Wards brilliant and subtle understand
ing. In many cases the reasons why the
doctrines of grace. so profoundly imbed-
ded in the gospel, are dispensed with by
the negative writer's of the day, is in
many cases because they have not fully
had to feel the need of them; because
they have not Travelled with ST. Paul
through the dark valley of agonizing con-
fict, or with Dante along the circles
downward and the hill upward; because,
having to bear a smaller share than 9TH
ers of the common curse and burden. they
stagger and falter beneath its weight.
Although Mr.. Gladstone is classed as
high churchman, he does not view schism
with the same horror professed by some
of his colleagues.
81 do not know on EARTH he says, "a
more blessed subject of contemplation
than that which I should describe as fol-
lows: There are, it may be, upon earth
$50 OO0, 900 of professional Christians. There
is no longer one fold under one visible
shepherd; and the majority of Christians
(such I take it now to be, though the
minority is a large one), is content with
its one Shepherd in heaven. and with the
other provisions. He has made on
earth. His flock is broken up in
to scores; it may be hundreds, of sec
tons. These sections are not at peace,
but at war. Nowhere are they too loving
to one another; for the most part love is
hardly visible among them. Each makes
it a point to understand his neighbors,
not in the best sense. but in the worst;
and the thunder of anathema is in the air.
But they all profess the Gospel. And
what is Gospel? In the old-fashioned
mind and language of the church it is
pressed as to it's central truths in very
few and brief words; it lies in those doc
trineS of the Trinity and the incarna :IDn
of Christ, which it cost the Christian
flock in their first centuries such tears,
such prayers, such Questioninss, such
struggles to establish. Since those carry
centuries men have multiplied upon the
earth. Disintegration within the church,
which was an accident or an exception,
has become a rule; final solid and in
exorable fact, sustained by opinion, law,
tendency and the usage of m1ny gener-
atoms. But with all this segrega ton,
and not only division, but conflict of minds
and interests, the answer given by the
four hundred and fifty millions, by
| those who were best entitled to speak for
| them, to the question, What is the Cos
! pei? is still the same. Wit, exceptions
| so slight that may justly set them out
of the reckoning, the reply is still tho
| same as it was in the apostolie age--the
central truth in the gospel lies in the
| Trinity and the incarnation; in the God
| that made US and the Savior that re-
! deemed u.s.
In an admirable article on the true and
| false conceptions of the a.onrmen-, MI.
| Gladstone outlines II propositions which
! he believes to be comfortable to the es-
| tablished doctrines of Scripture and the
| church at large, with clear ana concise
| statement Of the various suiferings of
| Christ. Commenting on these, he says:
| 'The atonement of Christ. so far from
| involving de *iation from the .Srabli$l:cJ
laws of Divine Justice, has is four dations
| deeply laid in the moral order or the world
| and is an all-powerful instrument for the
| promotion of righteousness. 1t may in
| deed be alleged that it is a provision OBJ
| viously exceptional, and that according to
| ordinary laws every individual stands or
fails in the main by his own we'll or Ill