New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-11-16
Advanced Ideas in Philosophy
Nietzsche- Spirituaiism-
London. November 5.

London. November S.
Mr.. Unwin's reputation as publisher
of advanced opinion is well sustained
his autumn. Anything more radical
II philosophy and religion than The
Christ MYTH Il would be difficult TO
find. The author is DR.. Arthur Drews,
professor OF philosophy at Karlsruhe.
and the translator is Mir. Delisle Burns
The book is an attempt 10 dispense alto
gefher with any historical Jesus In ac-
counting for Christianity. II begins with
evidence OF the ''Pre-ChrisIian Jesus
IN the influence Of ParseeisTn on HebTaic
belief. the Hellenic idea Of a Mediator
the cult Goo OF the Jewish sects and
authorizations Of the birth. baptism, suf-
ferings. self-offering. last supper and
symbols Of the Messiah and il ends with
q comparison OF the Pauline epistles and
gospels with the myths OF the early
Christian period The general conclu-
sion is that Jesus was not historical
but q God OF a Jewish sect, idealized by
ST. Paul The central idea Of a God
sacrificing himself for mankind was Dor
rov-sd from neighborfng races. who had
brought il with fire worship from the
north, The gospels were not biographies,
but literary tracts designed to promote
belief in The Messiah Of the pious
myths,
This book. which has passed through
several editions il Germany, is not the
work Of q theologian. but Of a student
Ct philosophy. who has started with a
course Of reading in Strauss, Bruno
Bauer. Tolraire. Dupuis and Juicher
and been influenced especially by
winckler. Gunkel, John n Robertson
and William Benjamin Smith After an
exhaustive examination OF the results
q literary criticism Of the New Tesla
raent he has taken upon himself the
thankless task OF summing Up the argu-
unent OF modern theology against the
historical Jesus and Of demonstrating
that the origin q Christianity is religious
fiction which does not essentially differ
from other myths. such as the Legends
OF Tel He seems 70 be sensitive 10
criticism for lack Of theological training
The more obvious objection 10 his
method OF reasoning and processes OF
eliminating elements in the New Tesla
is based OF the fact that he IS not q law
ye- accustomed 70 deal il detail with evil
dence. no lawyer adopting the same
methods OF examination ana argument
would be allowed to practise in any
veIl-regulaJed court
For example, the references in Jo-
sepIl1Is TO the founder Of Christianity
arc dismissed as afteT-insertions Of
later age and forseries; Tacitus's de-
scrIr-iou Of the execution IN Tiberius's
refcn hy the procu-ator Pontius PLATE
IS condemned as Justification Of the
original text: ana The first persecution OF
ne christians mentioned by Suetonius
= y .~uled as the product Of Creculous
imagination in the fifth century. PlllE 5
letter 10 the Emperor TraJan Is consio-
cred equally inConclusive, since CHRIS
tians are described as singing alternate
fvrnns TO their Master as t. 4 God and
Christ was even Tor Paul q CUasl-God- q
Being fuctuating between man and
God" The author. with all his learning,
has a fatal habit of begging the question
when he IS insisting page after page
7r-ol later Insertions and doubtful
..4esa zes'' and arguing that ST Paul
me pilgrim apostle. haG more To do with
irvendng the new religion than the
mythical and uuhistoricaI Christ.
The biog-aQnv of Friedrich Nietzzche
about H. be published by 8Ir- Irwin :
Daniel Halevv's. admirably translated
~ u. N. Hone and preceded 10y criti-
cal estimate from Y. n. Kettle, one Of
me Nationalist mem bers OF Parliament.
OF rha genius. limitations and Vasaries
Ct the German poet, philosopher and
musician. The only adequate commenJa-
tor on that Elusive and Disappointing
career is Nietzsche himself in The init
macies Of friendship and conversation'
and Halevy allows him 10 speak GA his
own behalf and to show how much bar-
Ter and robier ne was than the barren
GOSPEL of -egations Of which Ire was the
persistent evangel Even when stu
dent. inspired with lofty enthusiasm
Tor learning. lie could write: We must
expect a vast upheeval when the multi
1ude discovers that all Christianity Is
founded on gratuitous af1rmations- The
existence # God. Immortality, the
authority Of me Bible. Revelation. VIII
forever be problems. have attempted
TO deny everything ah: 10 destroy IS
easy. blt 10 construct" with clairvoy-
an intuition ne mad summed Up in ad-
vance q lifetime of intense thought,
which uuhiuged hi5 own reason
The mystic OF German -PaganisIa
WAS destined 10 exhaust the patience Of
his friends by refUting what ne mad once
believed. and TO obtain after death
tributes from adni-ing critics as a mas
ter OF style without having the satisfac-
ZION Of knowing during his lifetime that
his books were read and Were inftuenc-
Ing and fertilizing the thought Of the