New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-25

adapt Christianity TO the needs OF the world
to-day by eliminating or ignoring its charac-
teristic doctrines? You might as well propose
TO fit ship for service by taking out its COM
pass and its charts and cutting off its rudder.
Make Christianity silent In regard to these great
questions OF spiritual existence. and you destroy
its power to satisfy the heart What would the
life of Christ mean II these deep truths on which
He rested and from which He drew hls strength
were uncertain or illusory. It would be the most
pathetic. mournful. heartbreaking or all phan-
toms.
A testimony to faith that is both confident
and serene is given IN a translation of "Das
Pferdebula" ('The Horseherd'D. originally ia
miar discussion in which Professor Max
Muller IN answer to criticisms and questions
expounds his religious positions The discussions
began with the publication OF Muller's True
History OF CELSIUS" Among the comments upon
this paper. which came out originally in
"Deutsche Rondschau," was one from anony
nous writer in Pennsylvania, who signed himself
1.-THE Horseherd" The letter appears here in full,
and its remarkable character makes it apparent
that the writer by means the simple
minded and illiterate person he professed to be.
Answering this and many similar criticisms Max
Muller gives US one OF the ablest defences Of
theism extant in so brief form. He falls back
for this upon the reasonableness of Plato's doc
trine OF the Idea" as preceding and determining
ton the argument that ideas make necessary in
thought a primal thinking Mind. The romance
implied in the anonymity of THE Horseherd"
whom Muller was unable to reach by mail at
all, adds to the interest OF these reasonings but
in themselves they deserve very high place in
theistic literature.
THE Church Catechism" is an exposition and
commentator in the order of its parts of the
document so styled by the Church OF England.
The treatment is much like that which the
preacher makes Of Biblical texts. The sentences
explained, the wider meanings set forth, and
various lessons and duties inferentially stated
The author thinks this the only treatment of the
kind since the series of plain Sermons" by con-
tributors to Tracts for the Times" published
about fifty years ago. 1t will be helpful to every
one who uses the catechism
In '"The Natural Way in Moral Training" the
parallel which the author supposes between the
laws Of physical nutrition and those of spiritual
and ethical nurture amounts, in fact to no more
than convenient symbolism, which, however.
the author uses TO good purpose to expound a
rational system Of child training The contents
OF the symbolry used include "Atmosphere"
Light" Food" and Exercise" On the nexus
or this handy imagery the author strings his
ideas of the nurture and education Of the young
especially in religious directions. "Atmosphere'
is the entire environment of the subject physi-
cal, mental. moral. social but especially as re-
CARDS the influence Of surroundings on the feel
ings- Odors music. pictures. the qualities Of the
schoolroom. beauty and harmony in the home
and various similar influences are considered
Parental and pedagogical treatment of faults
suggests to the author such sentiments as the
following:
1t is terrible mistake of some parents to be
continually telling how bad" the child is in the
presence Of the child himself Who will tell them
now bad they are TO DO this? We see
how much evil is wrought by too constant de-
pressing reference TO man a sinner Sin must
be met. but not courted into intimacy
MOI an 1eeIlngs usually catalogued unde-
slrable are to be utterly crushed. It may be
necessary to arouse pride. ambition and emula-
ton In lethargic and listless children. These
self-feelings need direction rather than
actual repression.
Dr. Du Bois regards freely choosing, per
fected character that is free from within or
limp" arrived at by long discipline In choosing
as the goal OF all education" When the moral
anections have come habitually to prefer good
ness, character has become self-forming and
safely established. The imagery chosen by the
author is not always adhered to, and some of the
applications might be appropriately classified
under one head as another. The style is only
passably literary and not much Of the thought
original, but the ideas such as to need fire.
Quent enforcement, and will have their place in
current pedagogical literature
"As I never was called to have the helm or the
hindrance Of training in divinity school or a
theological seminary" writes the author of
Shoes and Rations for Long March," Dr. H.
Clay Trumbull, mo sermons Of mine will show
the characteristics Of one thus trained" THE
hindrance Of training in q divinity school" is q
phrase that may deserve embalming 1t seems
TO explain a good deal Of good preaching by men
who never suffered from that kind Of training
DR.. Trumbul learned to preach by talking to
Sunday school gatherings and political as
semblies, and added to his experience the duties
OF an army chaplain during the Civil War
These discou-ses are rich in incident full Of
genuine feeling. exemplary OF directness and
simplicity. and altogether such Us a great many
graduates who have had all the "hindrance"
mentioned would be glad to be able 10 preach.
With all these popular qualities they add, be-
sides, a large amount OF acute thinking and pro-
found philosophy Of life. Those who read them
will wonder why their author has withheld them
from public view long.