New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-29
LONDON NOTES.
Passiue Resistance, Christian Ration
aIism and Other Themes.
London. November is.

aeer conducted with discretion as well as zeal
= every borough or district where this COM
r-o-liss measure has been put in operation con-
srientious men and women have refused TO pay
RE school rates: and the local authorities have
been compelled 10 collect the tax by seizure OF
-svs.e property and public sale. The proceed
- have been orderly except IN a few IN
..ances and the defaulting ratepayers have JUS
.sssd their conduct on moral and religious
-,r-6s Christian ministers have set the ex-
s-,ple OF Withholding payment OF taxes as
,,srter of conscience, and the protest against
-Ae Education act has been repeated week AFTER
--sek with cumulative effect in one county after
another. Already 6,672 summonses have been
served upon delinquent taxpayers, and there
have been Isl public sales Of goods seized under
processes Of distraint. Thirteen nonconformist
ministers have been called into court during the
last ten DAYS 10 explain why they have refused
- nay the school rates. and they are invariably
attended by syrnpathizers from their cengrega-
,iors The public sales OF goods seized II the
A.rses ~ tax 6efaulters are ordinarily followed
ny INDIGNATION meetings; and when Dr. ClifIoro
g present there is fervid oratory. with inapas-
stoned denuncation OF an iniquitous measure
but the lawbrealers seldom commit any
breaches OF the peace and frequently open their
ss-urcistions against the government with
r-sve- and close them with Wesleys hymns.
TIE self-restraint OF the leaders has rendered
The massive resistance movement an impressive
,rotest against the injustice Of taxing Local
communities for the maintenance Of denomina-
-fonal schools which are not brought unoer
public control
Il Is not strange that both TIE Prime Minister
and the Archbishop OF Canterbury have oeen
disturbed By the popular opposition to the Eou-
cation act One has found II impractloa0-e -
dismiss the movement with contempt as poll-
81 by
z-a5o-s. and the other has entered into futlle
,,avo-tsrious with Dr.. Clifford and other aglta-
-o-s eo- a conference with a view 70 arrsIlgins
g. conco-dat which viii be satisfactory 10 1'o--
,---s men On both sides. When extremists are
religions zealots and argue with eQual Narlii'H
about matters q conscience compromises can
-, >. eaes,, ordered. Free Churchmen are de-
-e-r1ined not to accept any settlement unless Il
includes complete public control ana manage
-,ent % AL state paid schools, the abolition OF
seror1fnarional tests. equality Of privilege Tor
teachers. the removal OF sectarianism from the
Official curriculum, and the establishment q a
system of national training colleges free from
-be stpervision Of any religious bodies. All
+hese principles are regarded IN America as N
sfs-e-ssb bic 10 a well ordered system % national
,s,-,a+,o-- and catechisrns or denominational
teaching OF any kind are excluded from schools
-,,sir-sined al public expense. In England the
os+a0hfs-7s are retained n schools which were
@o---e-lv supported by voluntary subscription
.rs teachers with q denominational bias are
favored hy the managers; and the Free Church-
-~er contend that there must be no taxation for
sr-a-ion without absolute control OF the schools
- he local authorities and the complete sec
,,Ts-tzation o. instruction No concorcat can
bring 10 q close this irrepFessible conflict
The higher critics must deplore Sir Robert An
ss~so--s retirement from the criminal inVestiga-
.io7 se-artment at Scotland Yard, for he now
has annie leisure for exposing the TagaTles ana
follies q theologians. HIS ruling passion TOT
detective work no longer is exercised IN the
-,,-s,,it q rorEers. thieves and assassins but IS
t-o-,rp- % bea- with logical acumen and re-
1e7-less energy against what he considers the
confidence tricks Of rationalists such as HaT-
mark nelitzsch and Cheyne. His latest publica-
zion sCrrts-iarized Rationalisua." published
among the Twentieth Century Papers" Is
ra~rsn-s reply 70 Professor Harnack's What
Is christiarity2" and there are few preachers
IN the English Church VINO could have been
equally aggressive n the defence OF Chris
tfarfrv While he does not assume 10 be either
scholar a university professor or 2 theologlah'
he writes with erudition and genuine piety' ana
his legal training and experience at Scotland
Yard render him mere competent than or1iiaiS
nationalist "reconcIers Of religion with common
sense" 10 discriminate between fact and fiction.
70 detect fraud and TO pursue inquiries requiring
rrsctica1 couaiutarce with the science OF evil
derce His method OF reasoning Is singularlg
destructive for II turns against rationalism the
weapons Of scepticisn itself The higher critics
are naturally irritated by his attacks, although
they profess 70 despise the structures Of a lay
nan who has not received a theological training
They ought. however, TO be willing 10 admit that
= lawyer is z better Judge Of evidence than
- If Tfr-fr ffw
Professor Ha-rack is described by Sir Robert
Anderson as assuming that the gospels are
human documents end not eivinely inspired;
that the author Of the fourth one drew u the
cisoourses himself and illustrated great thoughts
by imaginary situations" and that rational
Christianity IS merely the outcome % the great
Rabbi OF Nazareth. including all the later
products OF its spirit" The lawyer meets the
higher critic on his own ground and challenges
his ripht 70 make the Sermon on the Mount
The basis OF rational Christianity. He asks how
man Ike Matthew who could not be trusted
when he recorded events occurring before the
EYES a the disciples. was competent to trans
cibe long after il was delivered the literal text
q The Sermon On the Mount. He contends that
Professor Harnack is condemned BY his own
reasoning 10 admit that Matthew was the
srthor q that sermon. and is not privileged 10
Discriminate between that discourse and those
recorded in the fourth gospel Since Professor
Harnack viii not ooncede the authorship OF that
sosIel 70 John. Sir Robert Anderson considers
niinsef justified IN ascri5ng the discourses TO
unknown disciple who wrote the greatest
D'ok IN the world and was destined 10 exercise
Nloer and profounder influence over mems
mes han the great Rabbi OF Nazareth. Nor
-, anonymous author who failed 10 &ave
e. Iia even tradition OF his personality.