Year: 1879

PATTI AND NTH saoET P PIsT D. D.


fsSAYs on RELATED TOPICS By GEoRsb l. fiS"h'9 - -
l2m". PIP. lsS. Charles scribpers sons


The present volume comprises an address ue-
hvered at the Princeton Theological School, ehareeu
by the addition Of many paragraphs wmeh were NOV
read ON the original OCCASION together Win seNea sup
Elementary essays suggested by the subject and treat
ing of different collateral branches OF the main discus
sion Dr Fisher dscaims being the representative OF
auv theological party school, but clinss 10 'he
catholic truth which has been the life OF Christian PeV
I'm all ages Of the Church The great feature OF reouS
faith in view, is Its subjective character III Is 10!
founded exact, positive knowledgei IL uoes ho'
belong to the domain OF scientific demonstration; oa'
ont of the wants and requirements OF the human
heart Although an act OF intelligence, in the broadest
sense of the term springs from feeling and perlsheS
with the decay Of the feeling in which it has Its root
true faith conditioned by any SPECIFIC degree oi
Intellectual power. The early Christians were generaN
persons Of imperfect cultivation, and could not even
spell correctly their epitaphs in the catacomhs MOST
believers In every age have little interest in purely MS
torca evidence Their faith the natural Ohsprns VI
the Impressions which the universe around then' 'e
consciousness within them aud the Christ OF 'ne 0o'
have made upon their souls


The spirit Of Rationalsm described by the auo''
Is Of an opposite character Rationasm is term oien
applied to those who disbelicve in Revelation ana sup
nose that whatever knowledge we have OF religion Is
derived from natural reason, although II mas sometimes
een temporarily associated with orthodox tenets Thus





trated with a Rationalistic leayen, before the
assertion By Schleemacber of an independent
foundation for religion IN the nature OF man.
A similar tendency is found by Dr. Fisher in the
orthodoxy New-Engand prior TO the outbreak OF the
Unitarian movement The cardinal defect of Rational
ISM as he lucdy forth is its eXaggcraton OF the
claims Of human reason II enlargcs the proyluoe OF
the understanding beyond its legitimate bounds, ana
disregards the functions of other elements Oh our peHE
in the pursuit and attainment Of truth. Tne sensbty
md conscience life and experience OF the SOUL are
disregarded as an indirect OF light ana legit-
mate warrant Of conviction. Pursuing this line OF
thought Dr. Fisher presents copious and acute anay-
sis OF the shortcomings Of RaOnaism in regard TO &c
gon OF which of th- chief is the exclusive use OF
the instrument of logic, and the neglect OF the vital eA
periences or the soul as the auteccdens OF faith.


But the question arises to the safeguard against su
perstion when great importance is attached 10 the
inner testimony This QuesOnis made the subject OF
an interesting discussion In the first place. Dr. Fisher
afirms that not found to be infaDle ID their
logic more than in their feelings Prejudice and passion
may warp intellect OF the most expert iogcian Fdl-
laces may creep INTO the arguments 0! subtle reasUne
But no sound mind viii aduita proposition at war with
the moral sense whether ne can find flaw IN it or not
Reason may exercise critical Office with regard TO pro-
eess which the understanding alone could not originate
Ituscs reguaye function in relation TO experiences
of the soul which have subsistence Of their own The
tribunal Of must sit in Judgment ou every utter
Rnce OF feeling.


In the OF his discussion Dr. Fisher offers some
suggestive remarks on theory OF evolution and its
relation the doctrines Of religion Evolution, as he
considers the subject is method Of accounting for the


living beings Nature without the idea of separate acts
Of creation by the immediate agency of God. In 70
oocy for instance it means that the different species
Of animals have a genetic connection with another
ike that which admitted To exist between individuals
Of the same species. The different species are held TO
arise not by special divine at, but by the action of
genealogical transmutation Among the scientific men
who adopt theory there wide dversites OF opI
as TO the extent TO which it can be applied to the orr
gin Of the various groups of natural objects. Some ad
init that there have special eXertOns OF creative
agency at different epOchs IN the history OF animal lie
One those epOchs is supposed by many TO nave Oeen
formed by the introduction Of man. Mr.. Darwin be-
Heves that animal life, including the human species
may be traced to a few primitive germs possibly to
one Others think that evolution spans the interval
between animal vegetable and even between veg
stable and inorganic existence and assume continuous
process reaching back from the highest living being TO
the formless material Of which the world was Origi-
nally composed. But DR.. Fisher declares that the
theory OF evolution relates only to the operation
of second causes, In the production or the
world in its present state Of cOsmic harmony II does
not touch the question of the ultimate origin OF the uni
verse Nor does il necessarily involve the question
whether the world behold 1t Is the fruit OF
designing mind nor does 10 either affirm deny tho
continuous agency of God in the processes of Nature
Physical science accordingly, as such has nothing to
do with religion Its field Of inquiry is second causes
In exploring links OF causa connection between the
objects OF Nature it engaged u its proper work Itls
al absurd outcry decaim against Mr. Darwin tor his
hypothesis OF common origin OF animals, and for ad
ducing the evidence which leads him to favori There
IS nothing the theory which affects the doctrine OF
thesm. The proofs of designing Creator IN the birth
Of human being are by no means weakened by the
fact that he comes into existence through natural
.1tt,.. ,.1,, sfg1. p11in tta
stages OF his embryonic life. what is true of the ndi
yiGual in relation his kind equally true of ono spe-
cies in relation to another Extraordinary nterpOsl-
tons the author concludes arc not necessary to the
proof design and the absence Of such interposons
affords no presumption on the side OF atheism.


Several other topics OF 'urd and Christian
theology OF profound interest the studous inquirer
after truth are discussed by the author with m chTac
terstic breadth Of yicv cabonciy of Judgment afiu
ence Of learning felicity OF illustration, and force Of
reasoning l. is remarkable feature OF his bcoh thRt II
NAV be read With almost equal interest by those whose
minds re m harmony h his conclusions aud by those


bo tDd I'm them the reverse Of their convictions.
His singular caudor disgrns the prepossesslons OF his
opponents His of justice IN the oXposoh c1
their views creates cordial reliance on the ciearuesS ol
his perceptions the fairness OF his motives, and the
Eanity Of with which he approaches the discus
sian OF the most delicate and subtle questions In these
days OF ureent.OIs shallow and gauuous scholarship,
his learning is as noticeable for It's s0ldlIy
as for its compass II it Is without the glossy
lustre Of new dress suddenly prepared for
the occasion it has The a!r Of having been worn long
and Of wearing we'll No gUsh Of fluent hnpancy Is
needed u conceal weakness OF texture 9r aosurdly III
use The volume less happily distinguished by It's
cou,ete RECOGNITION Of the validity OF different spheres
OF thought and 1e value Of intellectual action in every
department o. human HGary. The claims OF religion
are not asserted athe expense OF the freedom OF science
nor are the philosophers left ont IN the cold to make
warmer place for The entertainment OF theologlans
Tine divin. power and tom g,Orhed not only in