The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-02
New Crceds.

DR.. Heber Newton's statement that we
are on the verge of new Reformation re-
ceives confirmation in the appearance of
four books, which are among the seasons
output. and came from the publishers
within few weeks of each other Three
! different firms. all old and well-esteb-
lished houses, published them. and the au-
thors represent four distinct types Of
American intellect.
They are THE Integrity of Christian
Science" by Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney; THE
Light of Day." by John Burroughs; Man
and His Ancestor" by Charles Norris,
and The Apostles Creed by Archibald
Hopkins. All except the third mentioned
are avowedly on religious subjects, and
Mr. Morris book, being a summary Of
| what may be called the Darwinian phil
osophy as distinguished from that of Agas-
| siz. may well be read in connection with
| the other three.
Thirty or forty years ago 1t would have
been next to impossible to find publishers
for any of these works. In the event OF
/ their publication they would have created
acrimonious discussion. Now their advent
causes only ripple on the sea Of public
opinion, and yet, taken together, the four
cover every point which can be made in
favor of what may be called the new re-
ligion. If the American people. as @ whole,
could be brought to read, and In the main
TO agree with, these four books, the old
time orthodoxy would be absolutely
doomed, and rationalistic infidelity-abso-
lutte denial of the existence of God-would
be no better off. They teach a religion of
reason
1t is significant that two of these books,
those of Mrs. Whitney and of John Bur-
roughs. are the work OF well-known au-
thurs. not known as theologians. Both
are considerably past middle life, and
have spent their active years, the one in
writing stories for girls. the other in pro-
ducing charming essays on scientific SUD-
jects. The one approaches the subject
from the point Of view of woman who is
poet and mystic, seeing in nature the
outward manifestation of divine reality
and spirit. The other comes to his con-
illusions through many years of nature
study from the materialists point of view,
but both reach identically the same con-
clusion. This conclusion practically agrees
with the teaching of Mr.. Morris, and does
not contradict the arguments of Mr.. Hop
kins. And not one of the four works is
written by professional writer on re-
ligious subjects. and not one is orthodox.
They simply represent the views held by
SO many types of intelligent, thoughtful,
conscientious, and logical people. Mrs.
Whitney represents the highly idealistic
poetic temperament, to which the logic of
Calvinism and the cold-blooded .enials Of
the atheist are alike abhorrent Mr.. Bur-
roughs is the large-minded. imaginative
and sympathetic man of science. Mr.. Nor
ris is the scientific man pure and simple,
devoted TO the pursuit OF knowledge, keen
in perception, accurate in Information, and
particularly interested in establishing the
great laws which govern the development
OF creation. Mr.. Hopkins is the practical
man of the world, strongly logical, and
looking Of religious thought from he point
Of view of plain common sense.
These four types represent, generally
speaking. the best element of the Amer
lean people: the thoroughly trained, toler-
ant and kindly culture TO which Americans
naturally aspire. Idealism, love of nature
scientific thought, and common sense must
characterize such culture. 1t condemns
nothing; II sees in tic world only the
working Of benefieent laws; 1t accepts hard
ship with dignity and fOrtitude; it strives
always to uplift and benefit, to make con-
ditions better, to do away with harshness
and injustice. to promote truth, enlighten-
ment, and aitruism. That all these tenn
peraments should practically agree on a
simple creed. is not impossible; and in
these books It is shown that a perfectly
natural and simple religion does rot re-
quire any of the elaborate machinery with
which theology has invested life. For hun
dreds of years theologians have crushed
liberal thought on the plea that 1t con-