Year: 1868

Itttualism. Rationalism and Piefism-Occa.


sio.aI Battles Of the Fross and Mice.


A recognition of three distinct tendencies is
quite necessary to proper understanding and
any just phiosp hicil criticism of the religious
thought of the American people. The English
ritualstic movement has In great degree
affected the Epscopalian unity of feeling the
rationalistic movement, most scientific in its
modes OF thought, has leavened the whole


lump OF religious denominations to greater
or less degree while pietism-a sort of mod
em purtanism-is beginning to make itself
felt as an element Of religious culture. So far
as the West is concerned fourth clement may
be added, the tendency of the Western people
TO speculative philosophy being indicated by
the crudely speculative and Hindooish taint
which infects their literature. 1t is not, how
I ever, matter to be lightly discussed for
there is no doubt that the great minds in
speculative philosophy are, as far as American
culture is concerned, to be developed and
nurtured west of the Mississippi. With the
semi-scientifc system of Renan and Strauss,
the people of the prairies have little afiliation.
The earlier German rationalism of the mystical
cast, on the other hand, has for them sort of
weird fascination and really appeals to their
! profoundest instincts. Because the most fasci-
mating and enthusiasm cvoking, this phase OF
rational inldelity is really the most dangerous
of all phases which the dragon OF free thought
can assume The enthusiasm of its adyccca,


from certain lurid and indefinite sublimity
inherent to the sys en- itself, is akin to that Of
religion itself in tanaticism, and hence by
mere logic, however conclusive, the theories of
mysticism cannot be broken down. This ele-
ment, owing partially to large infusion of
German blood aud partially TO certain mys-
ticism OF thought induced by grandeur and
vassncss OF natural scenery, is rapidly leaven-
ing the literature and home thought of the


West, and cannot but prove aggressive within
the next few years Already one or two jour
nails devoted especially TO speculative philoso-
phy have been started west Of the Mississippi
aud ara making satisfactory progress. These


are the first aggressive steps of Western


thought-the initial throes by which ii
seeks to liberate itself from old grooves They
are but straws, to be sure, in comparison with
the great body OF literature but straws ind-
cate the way OF the wind and in that wise are
occasionally very useful.


Against this tendency in the West the pulpit
can offer little valid resistance in fact the
pulpit is not less infected than the people. The
Lutheran clergy, especially, are mostly tainted
| with rationalism of some sort, and the few Of
| them who are not rationllists are either radical
pietlsts or radical propagandists of the exact
dogmas Of the Augsburg Confession. Divided
into three distinct bodies, therefore, and
wagng sort of war Of frogs and mice among
themselves, from the Lutheran clergy little
opposition can be expected; and that, in a
large majority of cases, they will fall in with
the popular drift may be predicted with an
approximation to certainty. The Episcopal
clergy, on the other handy though at variance
among themselves upon the rilualistic ques-
ton, have no patience with rationalism as q
system of sewi-infdelity. Curiously enough,
the ESSAY and Review" movement in England
has had litsle effect upon The Episcopal thought
OF this country, though the weird Goshicsm of
the ritualistic movement has been transplanted
to American soil with considerable success.
The paradox of the matter is next to inexpli- |
cable, but she fact is fact, Notwithstanding the
paradox With the American Episcopalians |
there is really no sympathy with the Essays |
and Reviews" the Mathematical Colenso, of |
Natal, and the author of sEcce Homo" book |
which had little sale in this country and |
merited less, while there Is very strong ten |
dency to engraft the utmost degree of sem |
suous magniiicence upon the anatomy OF the |
ritual. This tendency has manifested itself in |
New York with exceeding strength and has |
been advocated with an enthusiasm so mag |
neiic that even Presbyicrians, stern and sturdy.
and Unitarians paturalistic and liberal, have
taken TO il with q. considerable degree Of aflec-
ton. The pietistic movement too, has made
considerable progress among the wearers OF
the surplice, and II is very likely that America
will be treated TO an Episcopal schism within
the next ten years. The warfare of the pietsls
against the ritualists and Of the two against
among the Lutheran clergy. Literally the
latter have not among themselves the least
unity Of feeling. and brawls and bitterness
which would disgrace a political meeting are
frequent at their synodical meetings. This is
no overcoloring.


The intrigues for power and partisan as
tendency which prevail among the clergy of
that denomination are simply petty. We are
fond of the absurd in everything; but the abb
surdity of these clerical battles aoout nothing
transcends that of Homer's inimitably valiant
frog, and MICE The Episcopalians ara more
dignifed ani decorous in taeir quarrelling,
though they are hardly less bitter.


Between these several tendencies we are
likely, therefore, to be favored with wars and
rumors OF wars, bitter though boodless, within
the next ten years, during which time The
influence Of the pulpit will decrease and wax
beautifully less in the East; while the specula-