The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-03
ABLE ANSWER TO MILL
BY DE. HIDEN on THE CHHisTidN
DOCTRINE or IHIISU.
The Author. the Divine Says, IL Guilty q
Remarkable Presumption In That He
"Ecgards Nature in Its Whole Extent"

| sues. IL becomes a matter OF considerable
importance to us to learn what he may
| have 10 say 10 US. and en- what basis ms
/ conclusions rest
His Three Essays" are "On Nature,
| con tho Uulity Of Religion and ION
! Thciem' They were published post
| humOusly not, as we understand in
| the preface 10y Helen Taylor. because
| the author was unwilling TO meet the
I odiun which might result from the free
expression OF his opinions on religion.
! but because Of the authors habit Of
keeping his works on hand for the pur-
! pose of revision. and Of bcstowing ALI
| the elaboration I'm his power upon the
adequate expression Of his conclusions.
Tile explanation is entirely satisftCto-
~. for there is no reason for suspecting
John Stuart NIL OF cowardice in any OF
its forms. There are perfectly good Ica-
sons for believing that the views set
| forth in these essays were the real and
deliberately formed opinions OF q very
| able ana thoughtful man. and. as such
! mean TO treat them in this paper
The Rev. Mr.. Cecil. "a very thourhtful
preacher. used 10 say. that the last and
most terrible device OF the devil would
| Dee The man who without malice. preju-
1 dice or Partially. should set forth the
real objections which Die against Chris
nmity. DO not believe that such man
has yet appeared. Noltaire was venom
ouslv M iir.0Is towards flo Christian re-
neion. Tom Paine was fun OF ignorant
! ribald and prOiane abuse OF 10. Ecnan
himself is not without his pIrtiaiiues.
and even John Stuart Mil though never
indscroot. and probably never intention
ally unfair. has evident and powerful
prciudIcos against every organized form
OF Christianity oNfant in this a-e.
To these prejudiccs. very carly I'M
hib.d from IBIS father can nc traced. ass
believe many OF the mo. serious or
JOBS TO Doc found n these essays.
SAD CONFUSION.
In defining tho term Mature" and in
pointing out lbs relation t0 LAW we
find thc author going astray at inc very
outset Ie Says page - chat the nae
turo OF a thing means its entire canari-
fy for exhibiting phenomena. And since
tho pheuom which "a thing exhibits.
however much they vary in different cir
cumstances. are always the same in the
same circumstanC they admit of bons
described in general forms Of words.
which are called The laws Of the thing
nature
Here IS sad confusion A thing cam
NOT -cNIht phenomena unless there ls
an observer to witness surh phenomena,
and hence. if capacity 90 exhibit pho
0omcna' d. the meaning OF "NIfure'
then things had no nature until their
phenomenal were observed.
1t follows TOO that things which We
have not observed. have no nature for
us.
Again. The forms Of words" are not
called Jaws Of the things nature" un-
less We use words very clrelossiv or else
pcrvcrselv cover ont of sight the very
wide difference between phenomena and
the laws unCcr which they occur
The phenomena DO rot admit Of being
described as laws" unless We determine
beforehand 20 ignore the causes Of the
phenomena. or else 10 confound causes
der laws or according 10 laws. hut tfsv
are not lass. ana tho main motive which
the PHILOSOPHER has for observing uHD-
nomona is 90 ascertain the Jaws .ller
which they occur.
] insist npon This statement. not as a
matter of verbal criticism. Dat llcluse
IL involves "a vital ISSUE If phenomena
are ID law unto themselves. then The idea
of n INST cause is DID longer necessary 20
our thukinr. and God is thus leeislated
ont of his own miv.-so.
4 bah of head lies uuon the ground II
nothing diSfrrb- DO. 10 VIII Dice there flr-
ever but pick DO mp and toss 10 into
the air. 10 moves upward "a certain disc
tancc and then returns 20 the earth.
Tho phenomenon" OF the ascent was