New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE BEGINNINGS OF RELIGION.

Daniel G. Br,nton. Professor OF Archaeology
% %n6a LnSSe eisvo p H s e. p Putnams Sons
These lectures were given in half dozen
cities under the auspices Of the American com
nnittee for Lectures on the History Of Religions.
To the same committee owe Canon Cheynes
lectures on Religious Thought and Life Among
the Hebrews in Post-Exilc Days" From the
interesting details in which DR.. Brintons lect-
ures abound we turn TO his main concluslohs'
The wonderful similarity Of the myths ana cui's
of early men between whom wide oceans roll re-
veais the unity Of the mind and the samehesS VI
its way Of working upon common materials
Religions are generated IN the sub-conscious
stratum of our nature. The idea OF the super
human Is developed from the unconscious hu-
man powers Of mind. Here Is the true source
of the conception OF the Divine" The one uni
versal trait Of endless forms OF religious e*-
preston is faith in mind. in the supersensuous'
as the ultimate source Of all force all me- a''
being. and that man is in communication with It,
Dr. Brinton has occasion TO correct variety
of misconceptions as that some savage tribes
are destitute Of religion that some worship IN
animate objects without reference to any spirit
or life conceived as inhabiting them. that death
u an object OF terror to primitive men, that the
EARLIEST marriage was mere promscuity. etc.
It seems TO us that he himself needs correction
In an important point. He declares there 10 an
'irreconcilable conflict between science and re-
ligion, because they arise in totally dinerent
tracts Of the human mind. science from the con-
scious religion from the sub or unconscious IN
telligence Therefore. there is no common meas
ure between them" But evidently this reason
ing does not hold except upon the mere as
sumption that these different tracts OK our
nature are themselves 80 incoherent or contra
dictorv that their products must be so. Dr.
Brinton should have distinguished here as ne
has elsewhere between religion and theology
Ex-Presdent White of Cornell. in his History
of the Warfare Of Science with Theology has
made a truer statement: Science. though 1t has
evidently conquered dogmatio theology. based
on Biblical texts and ancient modes or thoughI
will go hand In hand with religion"
Undoubtedly as DR.. Brinton says. the power
termed inspiration" was. Ike religion, orlgl-
naly Of a psychical character akin to what Is
called possession" 1t is equally certain that
in each the psychical has developed into the
moral Between the inspirational character OF
trance-speaker and that Of a preacher OF right
eousness there Is vast difference. But Dr.
Brinton sees no difference between the inspira-
ton OF "evangelists and Indian mediterranean.
Furthermore the goal Of religious progress Is
represented as reached when tho idea. no longer
merged in the ideal, stands by Itself as the
recognized guide Of conscious effort" apart
from any conception Of being personality
We doubt very much whether an idea OF Infinite
goodness will ever be able to stand by itself
without support in the ideal OF being who IS
Infinitely good. any better than an adjective Is
able to go alone without a substantive to sup
port t. In short, while DR.. Brinton Is an ad-
mirable explorer. he is much less admirable as q
philosopher.