The sun., 1901-04-14

| CeptOn was sealed. llNes oi thTl~''
| including even the most popular OF
them. however they may pretend ana
struggle 20 he orthodox, are really aS
| Strauss says. destructive of the theologcal
| conception. while they do not help 10 con-
firm our loyalty to historical truth. Fer
dlnand Christian Baur and his Tnoingeh
school applied historical criticism to 'he
early Christian Church. showing the con-
| fiict in il of the Pauline with the Petrine
| tendency, and bringing it altogether M
well as its source, within the pale OF human
| history. Historical criticism Of the Cos
! peis was furthered by the progress OF MS
torical criticism In general, shown by such
work as Niebuhr's History OF Rome
| VOLTS treatment Of the Homeric poems
had already marked the birth Of a critical
! spirit. which was aided by historical and
| archaeological discoveries Of all kinds. as
well as by the growing influence OF SCI
| ence on the methods Of religious and
anthropological speculation.
There was an evangelical reaction against
rationalsm in Germany. with train OF
| controversiaIists and commentators re-
| putad a. orthodox. Yet even in these
more or less Of nationalist undertone Is
perceived. There Is tendency more or
less apparent to minimize the supernatural.
to throw the miracles into the background.
and dwell rather on the spiritual signift-
| cance Of Christs character and words
| This Is very conspicuous in Neander. the
head OF the line. An orthodox English
| divine such as Mr.. Rose might well. after a
survey Of German theology. make rather
mournful report.
In Holland, ever the land OF free specula-
ton. criticism advanced without fear. and
At last by the pen of kuenen arraigns
the authenticity. antiquity. and authority
OF the historical books Of the Old Testa-
ment 10 an extent totally subversive OF
their character as records OF primeval
history, much more as organs Of divine
revelation.
German philosophy had mingled with
| English theology through Colerdge. Ger
man criticism Of the Bible did not lag much
behind. Nlman's History Of the Jews,
dealing with the subject in the spirit OF an
ordinary history. treating patriarchs as
| Arab sheks and minimizing miracles
! gave R serious shock to orthodox sentiment
! IN England. Even what was deemed
orthodox in Germany appeared rationaistic
! 70 the Anglican divines TO the Evangeli-
Gals especially. whose leader was Simeon,
/ who occupied many Of the fashionable pull
! pits, anything like critical treatment of the
sacred history seemed impiety, Yet they.
! with their Inward persuasion OF conversion
/ ami spiritual union with the Saviour, az
well as the Quaker with hls inner light, or
the Roman Catholic with his implicit faith
J in the Church. were really beyond the
critics reach.
A long line Of British leaders OF thought
| and ControversialiSts succeeds. Ration
allst and heterodox in different degrees
were Thomas Arnold. Frederick Maurice.
stanley. Jowett, the writer's Of Essays and
! Reviews" and Robertson Of Brighton.
! Decidedly sccpt!cal were Matthew Arnold.
! Carlyle, and James Anthony Froude. Re-
action on the High Church side found lead
ers in Pusey, Newman and Hurrell Froude
| The evangelical pulpit cOmhated at once
rationalism and High Church. The state
! Church was awakened from its long torpor
and under the inspiration Of its High Church
party stroye 10 reanimate It's Convection.
| Frederick Maurice impressed more by
| his character than by his writings, which
We're fatally obscure. He was nationalist
enough 70 be deprived Of his professorship
In an Anglican college Al the same time
he could persuade himself that subscription
| 10 the Ihirty-nine Articles was no bondage
but security for free thought To his
| yoke-fellow. Kingsley, Is 10 be- traced mus
| cullr Christianity n rather suspicious
| adaptation Of the Sermon on tho Mount
10 our times. But tho pair exercised more in
| huence as social missionaries. striving, in
| conjunction with Thomas Hughes. to give
! the labor movement a religious turn, than
u religious philosophers or critics.
Thomas Arnold, the head master OF Rugby,
was man of noble character powerful
| mind, and intense earnestness Of purpose.
| He was firm believer in Christianity n a
! revealed religion. But he held a most liberal
Wow Of the Church lie would have ad-
! mtted 70 Il a., the sects of Dssentcrs and
have Identified It rs far as possible with
! the nation. His theory of the identity
Of tie Church with the nation probably
cam" 20 linn from his passionate study
! Of the ancient commonwealth He forgot
that the philosophers OF Greece. though
| they might sacrifice a cock 70 fsculapius.
were really outside the state religion.
ani that the state religion made the chief
OF them drink hemloCk. Prince of eiu-
| Gators a. ho was. no sometimes laid too
| heavy a strain on his pupils, and prema-
! 'lrry deyolnpol their speculative tendon-
| cie- In the case Of Cloueh especially
mental health and vigor seem 70 have been
impaired bv premature development
With Thomas Arnold may be coupled
| his friend Nhat"ly, who, though az Prinare
of the s'ate Church Of ireland. he held the
most euuivocal Of prelacies. was by reaso
Of hI strong understanding, his fearless
character, and his shrewd wit essentially
an iconoClast and n rebuker Of ecclesiastical
| pretcnSlons, IA well IA vigorous promoter
Of education. His keen sayings few abroad.
| but his personal influence was greater than
his influence a. a divine His Historic
Doubts" was m Apologize jeu desprjt
which told greatly n its day.
Bishop Cpnnop 1hirlwall was man
Of Nr,t-ratn power At Cambridge he
lnl .,t Dus n "a rafion1li-t traDsla'i Il