The San Francisco call., 1909-03-30
DOGMAS AS BAR
TO TRUE ETHICS
Ambassador Bryce Discusses
Tendencies During the
Middle Ages


torian, declared Ambassador James
Bryce during the course of the third
lecture of the E. T. Earl series at
Hearst hall tonight on the subject of
Tendencies Inducing a Divergence of
Ethics and Religion During the Middle
Ages" has been struck by the contrast
between the ethical teaching of Chris
tianity IN the New Testament and the
impression which 1t has made on the
world during the centuries of its diffu-
it in later times.
FALL SHORT OF STANDARDS
Great as was the improvement in
human conduct, traceable to Christian
ity," he says. cit was less pervading
and less complete than might have been
expected. The actual life of Christians.
even those who desired to follow the
gospel precepts, had usually fallen far
short of the gospel standard.
Was there anything in the relation
of religion to ethics in which the cause
for these shortcomings could be found?"
he inquired. In-seeking solution, he
declared, he would not consider general
human frailty in the quest. as that
made even the best men fall far below
the level to which they aspired.
Nor, continued Mr. Bryce, would he
attribute 1t to the general conditions of
the world in the first centuries of
Christianity and in the middle ages and
from the infection of early Christianity
by certain ideas and practices preva-
lent in the heather world: but that he
would look elsewhere for the causes
that sprang up in the bosom of Chris
tianity itself and hindered its ethical
development.
HARD TO COMPREHEND
Among these might be mentioned the
excessive stress laid upon doctrine, he
declared, and even upon fine points of
doctrine hard to be comprehended by
an ordinary intellect. The inordinate
weight assigned to exact dogmatic or
thodoxy had tended to distract mems
minds from ethical precepts and sound
conduct making them think they were
good Christians because they held te-
naciously TO particular propositions,
even If their conduct left-much to be
desired.
The organization of the Christian
church was an influence, he said and
continuing, DR.. Bryce pointed out:
The organization of the Christian
church as a body having government,
a hierarchy OF officials and property
belonging to the several churches, had
inevitably tended TO impair the purity
and simplicity Of the Christian life.
Such organization came almost OF ne
cessity. but it brought its temptations
with II. and these temptations in
creased immensely when the church en-
tered into an alliance with the state
and began to acquire worldly power
and wealth. In the middle ages this
system had made the church really
vast, all embracing state, and all the
faults and temptations incident to poll
tics assailed the clergy and diverted
them from their duties as purely spir
itual guides. There also had been
growth of feudalism and ceremonialism
which, whatever its other advantages,
had tended In many persons to substi-
tute the performance of outward acts
for that inner devotion of the soul to
God and that love for others which
were the note OF the original gospel
teaching.
ETHICS AND RELIGION
Undue asceticism, also. he said. had
an influence In creating the divergence
between ethics and religion and other
causes remained affecting the ethical
side of religion and operating in some
persons to disjoin it from the highest
moral action.
There had arisen, however, after the
middle ages, new forces and influences,
which the speaker discussed. and he
then referred TO new phenomena which,
he said, have placed religion and ethics
in new relations one with another.
New conditions. he averred, have
brought new problems. Among these
are some which have sprung out of the
excess of individuaiism, while others
were due TO the more eager pursuit
of wealth. and others 10 the changed
conditions of those belonging to pub
lie life. due TO the growth OF political
liberty
The fourth lecture of-the series will
be delivered Wednesday night, and the
concluding lecture Thursday night.