The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-21
REV. NEWBERT BELIEVES
A NEW ERA IS DAWN|NG
Lauds Herbert Spencer and Re-
views Literary Growth from
French Revolution.
REASON IS ENTHRONED

At All Souls Unitarian Church the Rev.
E. E. Newbert spoke upon Herbert Spen-
He said in part: Herbert Spencer,
easily the foremost thinker of his time, is
dead Born in 1920 he was contemporary
with group of men whose thinking and
high endeavor helped make the nineteenth
century the greatest epoch of time. 1 think
to-day of some of these men of heroic creed
who were born near the beginning of the
century. Thomas Carlyle was born in 1875,
Emerson in 1903, James Martineau in 1905.
and in 1909 a quartet of giants, for Glad
stone and Tennyson, and Lincoln and OAR
win was born in that year-Lincoln and
Darwin on the same day; each destined in
his own way to help emancipate the world.
Browning was born in 1872. Spencer in 1920,
Wallace in 1922, Tyndall in 1920, Huxley in
1925 and George Mivart, the sole contributor
of the Roman Church in England to science,
in 1926
THE condition Of religious thinking at
the opening of the nineteenth century was
! much like that at the beginning of the
eighteenth.
1t was not until past the middle of the
century, however, that the change took
place. Even to the middle of the century
Herbert Spencer was civil engineer, Hulk
ley was an assistant surgeon on a British
ship. and Darwin lived quietly in a small
village in Kent. But before another decade
had passed the conflict was on between
SCIENCE ana theology. For in 1854 Spencer
published his Principles of Psychology.
In lSoy Darwin gave TO the world his Origin
OF Species, and in 1868 Huxley put forth
his volume Mans Place in Nature .
Then the storm broke. AT once evolution
oh Hon h.
thinkers in both hemispheres. The church.
man protested that the theory imperiled
faith. but to no avail The old theory OF
tional, was intrenched, but ii was over
thrown, for the university early adopted
this daring conclusion of science as a work
ing basis of all knowledge The panic with
In the church passed. and IL was then seen
that, while many dogmaS were left without
support, and many little gods were thrown
down. truth had not fallen. For half a
century now religious thinking has beer
slowly adjusting itself to the new conditions
and working evolution into sonnets of faith.
THE ashes OF Spencer will not repose In
Westminster Abbey. Perhaps ii is enough
that Darwin is buried there-enough that
Darwin is honored. In decorative
scheme for the Chapel of the Blessed V'r.
Blind in Liverpool, Darwin figures as q
saint. L admire the daring of the artist
In the center of the decoration is Jesus al
the Light OF the World, and grouped
around him are the figures of st. John, st
Hilda, ST. Catherine of Siena. Fra Angelica
Erasmus, Sir Philip Sidney, Florence
Nightingale, Calico and Darwin. think
of the old conflict and of Darwin con
demned. L wonder at this sort of recogni
ton. But the good world moves. and thi:
day is rite with change. History repeat:
itself in this instance. and the man burned
yesterday as a hereto is made saint OF
the morrow. And the high place accorded
| to Spencer and Darwin argues better thar
words that science has won its battle. thai
| truth is in the forefront. that sweet reason
| is enthroned, that day is at hand, and thai
| this newer and larger faith is destined tS
become the heritage OF the generations un
born"