New-York tribune., 1902-12-23

a History BY Sanford h OODD- OCloNO
pp. 5n The Macmillan Company
RELIGIOUS LIFE IN AMERICA; A Record .1iI1 6i 6i
PsrsOnsI 9SseTTati9a pp s rhe dnfieok companS
THE ANGLICAN EPIsCoPATE AND THE THE
AMERIcAN COLONIES BY "a Arthur 1,I1gnn Lyman
Cross Ph. d. Octave. pp. SsS LongInahs'
Green & Co.
The observer cannot easily estimate the case
for religion in the development Of American
life There has been freedom enough in the
working out of religious problems mere 10
evolve unusual irregularities, and an aspect
of things that is to a great extent unique
If one were for instance, to ask whether we
are mere or less religious than Europe the COM
parisoo and the estimate would be found to
he embarrassed by the presence of radically
different factors and wide disparity OF con-
ditions It is too early as yet TO expect
satisfactory history of religion in America
hut We are making essays that will furnish
the material for historian of a little later
day These four books deal with phases OF the
religious problem. and each of them is a more
or less worthy contribution TO the subject.
Dr. Thompson's "The Hand of God in Ameri-
can History" develops a general study of the
supposed providentiaI tokens that he thinks
have attended and marked the founding and
building of this nation. The method pursued
hy this author is the simplest imaginable. 1t
consists in interpreting whatever happens as
q stroke of Providence and then in turn drawing
the inference that Providence has been the
cause OF whatever has happened This naive
fashion of disposing Of the case has resulted
in a book that is sketchy, patriotic and inter
esting. but without any special historical or
scholastic value Nor has the proposed
been given with definiteness and strength sut-
fcient TO establish IT except for those who
already believe in the kind of providence ex-
plotted One cannot conclude that the compaT-
ison between the American Republic and the old
Hebrew state gives very great force to the
argument. The Hebrews esta blished Il theoc-
racy where for the only time in human history
the church and the state were Identical 1t
was indeed. the dream of Hildebrand to repro
duoe this fact in different colors by erecting
the Papacy TO the supreme place of power
in the earth. but the net result was only
q shifting of the phase of the long con-
fct between the secular and the religious
among men died with his successors. matter
what assumptions may find in the later
Papal utterances. In America We have deVel-
oped the antipodal extreme to theocTacy.
Only in the most attenuated spiritual sense,
and by the most spiritual or the most dogmatic
minds. has God been made the supreme Arbi-
ter of Affairs in the practical progress of the
nation. To the average Jew it would seem
that all the minutest practical concerns that
and rested directly upon divinely given law
administered by definite establishment which
was for him the only political well the
only religious executive. The average Ameri-
can has never been familiar with any such
assumption He has always been accustomed TO
think of government secular. sharply dis
tinguished from the church, which is his sole
religious establishment. From such conditions
it is possible only in the most general and
comprehensive way to affirm a general over
sight of Providence in our historical develop
rnent. Whenever descends, does DR..
Thompson. TO definite specifications. his IN
stances get support only he casts them into
his amiable assumption that Whatever is is
providentiai So find him teaching that
when the nation had great trials. in the
days of its poverty or in the struggles Of war,
this was only a matter Of receiving providen-
tiai punishments for our sins or providentiaI
discipline to teach wisdom ami lead US to
greater achievements. The North failed for the
first three years TO overcome the rebellion and
this was providential. and then General Grant
was raised up to succeed, and this also was
providentia1 Our great harvests were a prov
1dence to spur the ingenious 20 invent agri-
cultural implements, and the invention of agri-
cultural implements a providence to ,nahIe
greater harvest 1t is a heads I win tails Won
lose argument
Certainly no theist will have a disposition.
If he had the ground, to dispute this ami
sbe thesis nor TO find great fault with
the infrangible circle of reasoning by which
II supports Itself. and the average reader likes
to have these inferences pointed out whether
they have logical support not. But on such
process one is moved to inquire. What process
OF history might not be accounted providential?
Mi Sanford Cobb's Rise of Religious Liberty
In America" is historical sfudy Of 5aogda5l,,
superior merits There is an admirable limita-
ton Of the treatment provided in the prelim-
mary analytical definition of religious liberty
which is Disseminated from mere abstract lib
er1y OF conscience, and also from the principle
of mere tolerance. The universal Old World
conception Of the relation between Church and
state is clearly differentiated from the affrma-
tion which developed into automatic truth in
America, that the church and the state are
not to be co-ordnated at ALL The author cred
its Roger Williams with the earliest erractiya
championship of that principle Of religious lib
erty which lee to this practical conclusion.
saying:
More than one hundred years in advance of
his time. he denied the entire theory and prac-
uce OF me past Far deeper than any
OF God and spiritual life and into the human
Soul. He refused not to endure hunger
cold and nakedness. the loss Of friends and home
for the sake Of this truth and in the
very early days of this western world lifted m
an ensign for the people to proclaim the lib
erty OF soul To have discovered and
preached that truth of the liberty of soul SO
that in the blessings of 1t all after generations
nave re1oiced places Williams among the few
oenefactors OF the race. and among the founders
of the American republic, with whatever EQUALS
without any superiors.
This is probably higher place than that
which our average histories accord to the
founder Of the Rhode Island colony Nor is II
at all certain how definite was williams's share
in the final establishment of the nrinc;nls .,