we are sure that the writer of them has entirely missed the great and open secret. Arnold has surely grossly misread the Christian Faith when he says that "Easter" means that Jesus was victorious over death by dying; that "the kingdom of God" means the "Ideal Society of the Future," and that Immortality means to "live in the Eternal order, which never dies." Without saying a single word against his contentions for self- renouncement, self-examination, and righteousness—each and all praiseworthy in their own place, we take leave to say that the "Arrow is beyond him "—that he has failed utterly either to mark or comprehend the "Infinite," as he calls it, of the Religion of Jesus. To complete his sketch of the Christian Faith, much more than he attempted or accomplished remains to be done. He must add Upwardness to his inwardness, and self-changement to his selfrenouncement. The Master said much, it is true, of dying to live, but He said more of receiving Divine Life through the Spirit of God, thus making the tree good. The Method of Jesus is simplicity itself; it is contained in these two words, "Follow Me." We must look for the Secret of Jesus, not in any rule, however good, but in Himself,-very man of very man, and very God of very God, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. "Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ." “Evolution is an integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion; during which the matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity, to a definite, coherent heterogeneity; and during which the retained motion undergoes a parallel transformation."-SPENCER, First Principles. "Pure egoism, and pure altruism, are both illegitimate. If the maxim-'Live for self' is wrong, so also is the maxim-'Live for others."" "General happiness is to be achieved mainly through the adequate pursuit of their own happinesses by individuals; while reciprocally, the happinesses of individuals are to be achieved in part by their pursuit of the general happiness."—SPENCER, The Data of Ethics. HERBERT SPENCER I HERBERT SPENCER-a name familiar to all interested in Science and Philosophy-may well be called the Apostle of Agnosticism, and of Evolution. Although the term "Agnosticism" is the invention of Huxley, yet the theory is not only closely identified with Spencer, but forms a very large part of his philosophical system. Spencer's name, closely identified with Agnosticism, is even more closely identified with Evolution, for Spencer was an Evolutionist before Darwin, and commits himself to this theory in a way that leaves Darwin far behind. Not only has our era been called the era of Evolution, but it has been said that this theory is the great contribution of Science and Philosophy to the thought of the age. Undoubtedly Evolution is largely in evidence; we hear about the Evolution. of this, and the Evolution of that, the Evolution of the heavens, and of the earth; of plants, animals, man, mind, morals, religion, society, language, science, art; the Evolution of things inorganic, organic, and superorganic. Evolution is in the air; and of all Evolutionists, Herbert Spencer is the most thoroughgoing. Although the present writer is neither an Agnostic nor an Evolutionist, yet, in accordance with Spencer's own saying, that there is "a soul of truth lying in error," he believes that there is a measure of truth in both theories. Without concluding, as Spencer does, that the riddle of the world is not only unsolved, but also insoluble, it may be frankly acknowledged, that there is much mystery both within and without us; much mystery about mind, matter, life, religion, and God. And yet, granting mystery, it is surely going too far to pronounce that the solution of the problem is hid forever in a realm of impenetrable darkness. It seems unscientific to declare so dogmatically regarding the impossible. It is bad enough to say that we have meanwhile no key to open the door, but it is unwarrantable to declare so oracularly that no key can be found to open it. It may be true that there is great darkness around many things,-more particularly about their origin; yet there is that within us which creates and fosters the hope, that more light will break. The pressure of the problem has to be frankly conceded; still, the courage to face, and the hope to solve it, are immortal in the human soul. What, indeed, is every discovery in Science, but a gain to the realm of light over the realm of darkness? As the old couplet puts it "Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night, God said, 'Let Newton be,'-and all was light." |