New-York tribune., 1900-01-14
DIR. JAMES MARTINEAU.

Dr. Martineau was often called the greatest
Unitarian of the present generation. But this
hardly described him. For, though a most un-
compromising Unitarian in his personal belief,
he never took kindly to Unitarianism as a de-
nomination; and, in fact. his independence in
this respect often a source of grief to good
Unitarians, who desired his assistance in pro-
noting the welfare of the denomination. But
in taking this stand DR.. Martineau was entirely
consistent for he did not believe that Unitarian
ism ought to be merely one of the many minor
sects Of Christianity Regarding it as the true
type of primitive Christianity before the de-
velopment of Catholic theology, he claimed for
it a place of toleration and even of honor within
the pale of the Established Church. and he
would not even seem to belittle that claim by
doing anything to perpetuate its life as a sep
arate body. That many Anglican Church men
held views not far from those of Unitarianism
without danger of discipline to him an in
dication that some day Unitarianism as a dis
tinct body would be needless. But the great
growth of the sacerdotal idea in the Church led
him in recent years to doubt the immediate
possibility of such result.
In the domain of philosophical ethics Dr. Mar
tineau attained distinction. When he came to
doubt the conclusions of his earlier years he
was coura geous enough TO declare the fact In
the controversies that followed these mOdifca-
tions of view he displayed great keenness of in
tellect and remarkable skill in dialectic. But
with all his earnestness and vigor he was never
unfair and did not know how to indulge in
special pleading, however great the temptation
might be. 1t is not as philosopher, however
that DR.. Martineau will be remembered, but as
the prophet of what may be called rational re-
lgion; or if the term seems invidious, human
oIiOyiOO Ot hat ho religion Of
divine element. Quite the contrary. But the
divine element in religion was to him very
much akin to the divine element in nature
something that always existed and always will
exist rather than factitious relationship es-
tablished at some given point Of time His be-
lief in God was positive enthusiasm. So pro-
found, indeed, was 1t that it seemed to him
sacrilegious to limit the Divine Being to a
trumpery relationship with some special race
or some particular Church. He would have had
the Church include in her membership all men
of every creed who unfeignedly loved God and
tried to do His will. Yet this great thinker,
whose life was lived in the very spirit of Chris
tian saintship, was in the eyes of official Eng
land only the minister of an obscure heretical
sect, and spent many years of his life preaching
to handful Of people In dingy chapel in
back street of London.
Nevertheless his life has not been in vain.
Institutions die with difficulty even in this age
of individualism. DR.. Martineau himself did
not expect any realignment of ecclesiastical
organizations in his day, but his teachings have
had a profound effect on the thought Of or
ganized Christianity sweetening, humanizing.
and if we may say so, Christianizing it. So
that while the old forms are still retained, and
perhaps wisely, the spirit animating them is
less mechanical and less intent on merely per-
petuating the ecclesiastical machine the su-
preme function of religion. This much he has
done and to-day his memory Is cherished by a
vast multitude of men and women who, ac-
cordng to the strict reading of their creed.
would have to think of him as cast into the
outer darkness of spiritual death.