The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-01

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many generations of storm and stress
have guided and safeguarded human
impulse. But this interregnum of moral
chaos will soon end and men will find
new sanctions for right living in the in.
nate tendency Of every human being to
crafty his desire for bodily health, do.
mestic happiness and social stability. AS
these objects can be attained only by
maintaining the structure Of civilization
that has been 80 slowly and painfully
built on the postulate of supernatural
ism, Professor Smith believes that it will
be preserved. In other words men will
continue to act from purely selfish and
materialistic motives lust as they have
thus far acted under the inspiration Of
divine revelation.
How far this view is correct we do not
undertake to say. Indeed, Professor
Smith offers it only as plausible con-
lecture, and in the nature of the case he
can furnish no proof in support uf it,
found Importance. Until now most peo-
pie have been Influenced in their con-
duct by their belief that there is God
who will reward goodness and punish
wickedness, and that there is an immor-
tai life beyond the grave, the character
of which will be decided wholly by con-
duct in this life. 1t needs no argument
to show what tremendous influence
this belief has had in promoting pro-
gress and building up civilization. What
will happen if it is withdrawn from the
stage of human activity? Will the only
evil result be "a bad quarter of an hour"
as Professor Smith predicts? And will
men continue to cultivate the good in
themselves and resist the evil. on the
ground that such a course will be really
best for them? Or will they cease to be.
lieve that there is any distinction be.
tween right and wrong, and crafty all
their so-called evil impulses when they
can do so with safety? These questions
will have no interest for the thick and
thin believer in supernaturalism, for he
is certain that unbelief will not finally
triumph. in spite of all appearances to
the contrary. Nor will they interest the
sensualist and the voluptuary. who have
already cast aside the restraints of di
vinely inspired law Of conduct and live
only to crafty their own passions. But
to the overwhelming majority of intelli-
gent people who see the tendency toward
pure materialism at work in the world
today, the whole future Of the human
race appears to be bound up in the an
swer that will be finally given to these
questions
Professor Smith. indeed, does not
overstate the strength of the drift from
sunernaturalism, whatever we think of
his belief that the world will after
while get along without it. The old Co.'S
mogonical and historical foundations of
traditional belief have been weakened by
science and criticism. Heretics spring
up in the churches. The pulpit is be-
ginning to pay more attention to the
estate of man in this world than to his
condition in the world to come. Belief
in the dogmas of the church is not as
clear cut as it used to be. The over
throw of the Ptolemaic geocentric sys-
tenn of the universe by the Copernican
system three centuries ago has had its
effect on dogmatic religion. Man is no
longer the centre and crown of the uni
verse, says science. but only minute
parasite on one of the least important of
the planets, and the dictum of science
has reacted on the old religious belief in
spite of the church. Paley's argument
from design is now met by the assertion
that it is worthless until we have some
other world with which to compare this.
In point of fact, says science, the uni
verse shows signs of miscarriage, failure,
wreck and waste.
What is man? Whence came he?
Whittier goes he? In the hands of
what power is he? What are the char
acter and designs OF that power? Mr..
Drummond says that man began as an
animal, and is ascending to God on the
divinely built stairway of evolution, and
guarded by the ineffable love of his
Heavenly Father. But what about the
unnecessary carnage, cruelty and suffer
ing that have worked that progress?
Only by ignoring that is Mr.. Drummond
able to build his world, pervaded by love.
Mr.. Kidd says that altruism acting
against reason is the motive power of
progress. But, in point of fact, no &C.
tion of man is extra rational. If man
acts contrary to his desires it must be
because his reason tells him that in the
sum of things it will be to his ultimate
advantage so to act. Mr.. Balfour tries
to lay the foundations of belief on au-
thority as opposed to reason. thereby
assuming that there can be any lawful
authority not founded on reason, an as
sumption that is contrary to the facts.
These speculations are ingenious and
not without certain value in a period
of intellectual transition. But, after all
is said and done, il there is no revelation