Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, October 20, 1878, Page 9

THE CHICAGO 'TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. OCTOBER 20, 1878—SiXTEEN PAGES, RELIGIOUS. An Interesting Talk with Dr. Tyng on the Personal Coming of Christ. The Good to Be Gathered to Him and the Wicked to Re- main on Earth. Then Will Begin the Great Tribu- lation, to Be Followed by the Millennium. pr. DeEoven’s Views on the New Testament Doctrine of Absolution. The Influence of the Novel on Modern Life, as Viewed by a Preacher. TAE SECOND ADVENT. * WIAT THE BEV. DR. TYNG, JR., SAYS ABOUT IT. New York Sun. A circular bas been issued signed by the Rev. Dr. James H. Drookes, of the Presbyterian Church, St. Louis; the Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, Jr.. of this city: Bishop W. R. Nicholson of the Reformed Episcopal Church, Philadel- phia; W. Y. Morehead; the Rev. A. J. Gordon, of the Clarendou Street Baptist Church, Bos- ton’ Maurice Baldwin; the Rev. IL. M. P’arsons, ofthe Presbyterian Church, Buffalo; aud the Rev. Dr. Rufus W. Clarke, of the Duich Re- formed Church, Albany, ifvitine those who be- Jieve in the persopal - pre-millennial advent of Jesus Chnst to meet at the Church of the Holy Trinity in this oty, on the 30th and 3lst of Qctober and the 1st of November, to listen to a geries of papers on the pre-millennial adveut of Jesus Christ, and 10 join in such discussions as “{he topics may suggest. A large nuwber of professors, ministers, and laynien have indorsed the call. Among tuem are the elder Tyng, Bish- op’ Vail, of Ransas: Prof. Kellozg,. of Alle- ghany Presbyterian Scminary; the Rev. Dr. Im- trie, of Jersey City; George T. Pentccost, the Boston Evangelist, and other well-known men. “The call sets forth that “the precious doe- trines of Chirist’s second personal appearing has, Jam under peglect and mfsaporehension;” that while there is cause to lament this and to re- gard it as av alarming symptom of the present state of religion, it is an oceasion for the pro- foundest eratitude that there bas been within the Jast few years such a powerful and wide- soread revival of this ancient faith. Desirine to know more of this ancient faith, 8 teporter for the Sun visited the Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, Jr., yvesterday. The young clerzyman was in his study, hard at work, but e cticerfully gave up an hour of his time to a tion upon this subject. The doctrine ently a favorite one with the Doctor. haven't the slizhtest objection to talking o this subject,” he said, “but I dow’t want to give you all the poicts § am going to make in iy paper o * Curist’s Coming; Is It Personal and Visible,” which I am to read before the Con- vention. Neither do I wish to rush into print with my view Itisso easy to be misrepre- seuted; so easy for a reporter to makea man g2y what he didn’c say, especially in a subject like this. When [read my paper before the Conference I expect to stand by that. 1shall get hauled over the coals, of course. Already ‘nis movement is_being made a subject for jest ana for parasra; hing, and I come in for more than my share of the ridicule because 1 happen 1o be tae man on the cround. It’s curfous, too, for I've preached this doctrine for many years, and my tather preached it before me.”” “What was origin of this particular move- ment—this Conference!” “#Well, there is an association called the Be- tievers’ Conference for Bible Study, which meets everv spring. Last year we met in Clifton Sorings, and then it was suggested that a con- ference of all who held the pre-miliennial doc- triue should be held. From that sugwestion the pian grew. Each one told such of his friends as Le tnoughit might be interested. The result bus been surprs A vast numver of people bave ideutified themselves with the novement. 1 lave received as many as fifty letters a day sshing for reseived seats, It isgoinztobe a Ee: cress. Such 4 conference was held in nGon in February last, and the result was gratiiying. Cvi . 1 t 1o know just what we believe in? Bimply this: In the personal and pre-millenniul wmiug of th- Savior. We basc our belief on more than 300 passages in the New Testament. As, for instance, Matthew, xvi, 27: ¢For the ou S of Man shall come in the glory of His Father il bts anzels and then He shall e« Y ward every man accoraing to his worl ja the first ciapter of Acts the auzel says men of Galilee, why stand ¥ Heaven? Tuis same Jesus which is taken from Jouinto Heaven shall so come in like mauver & ye bave scen Him go into Heaven' And 3gain the Lond's auswer to Pilate: ‘Hereafter ¥eshail sce the Son of Man sitting on the nght ad of power and coming in the clouds of Heaven’ " Then take the atfitude ot the primi- tive Chureh ou this doctrive, as cxpressed in 1he first chapter of First THessalonians, where Taul says: ‘How ye turned to_God from idols,. 1o serve the hiving snd true_God; and to wait for J1is Son_trom Heaven.’ Aud zgain where h are alive and re- i tes; *Then we Wi shall be canght up together witn them in 1ke clouds 16 meet the Lord in the air; and €0 €kull we ever be with the Lord.’ And so 1 might 20 0n inundatipg you withh texts and passases :Im&.,'fipi\lm proving the doctrine that we old.t *‘But d6 you mean tosay that you believe the rd will come visibly?? < . “Thold just thus: That the Lord witl come in Just such a manuer as He disappesred. He Wil not come to the earth, but He will be hie to His people, wherever they may be, an He will gather His own out of the world, just 2> Enoch and Ehjah and our Lord Himself werc Eathered out of tie world. At this coming the Gead that Bave died in Christ will rise first, aud thoze of His cbildren who are alive will be wuuzht up into the clouds with them, aud their Will underso a chunge, and they will in Heavenly places tor u season. It will el be usif todas you aud Lare talicing, and sud- gFrgl.y‘ I disappear. ~ You don’t know where 1 ave zone. This disnppearance of God’s peaple will ot aflect gociety, except that there will be L{):.muny Wissing persous. New York City i ¢ goveroed by the same men; business \u‘ Zo oo {nxbwv. interruption; the churches ;fl I'gu on as they are, with a zood many people u the pews. 1 hupe there won't be many r\]xrcmhen]en iuthe pulpits. Then will begin that period of Great Tribulation prophesicd in thic tweaty-fourth chanter of Mattiew, Al the- £00d wili have been taken away. Only the bad ¥ill remain. You take all the salt out of the ln:rh:lhd:m' it will be in 2 bad way. en,”” coutinued the D y nm.uh interested in his mml"ffio;fsifiggc fi""}z uegu taken away to heavenly places, in i 0se beavenly places will be fultilled the prom- Luaddn»_as ed to God’s people. There will be ke judement-seat, which will be a judgment for services, not for sins. The judmment for fi\ns Fasonthe cross. And then will follow ¢ warriaze-supjer of the Lamb, when those vfiu}z Wwere united with Christ by faith on earth ; all be recoznized betore the muititude of the b Dl.fl'\"cnl) Lost. Meantime, on earth, for how © @3k 2 tme 1 don't know, there will be the e I'nibuiation. 1don't kuow times. Some e are wiio fix dates and the like. 1 can’t. " - Lummins, of London, deals with prophecies Xun'd'h 1 prefer 10 abide by the promises, The mrmefn:xaws 1o tbe deveiopment of God's 'DUse on carths the latter (o the manifesta- tins to his people of bis desires concerning cat. Tr"‘b‘\eu_." continued the Doctor, ‘“‘after the i lil:uuu tiie Lord will come with his people bk carth. In Matihew, 2$th chapter, be- n N2 at the 20th versc, you will find the pas- iu”‘ ernog particularly” to this coming. 1t um_%‘wmm: of the Lord with his people to es- The B4 Lis kicedom on the earth. Then begius 4e milieniun, elieve that the Scriptures are plain upon e poiut tmat (ne Lord ié 5o come to Jernsatem }’gfl?"‘ally. The temple and_ the clty shall be '_fl“llk and the ceremomial of the restored pocs re-established fur a memorial of grace. o ¢ Lora may not ioug remaia_persoually on 1 ‘¢ earth, but He will govern, King of Kings. . Tead the Scriptures literally. Now 1 have briet outline of the doctrine beld - of the truth, there-is a wide difference of ‘flflmn among expositors; but there is ooe t of agrcement, and that is the belief in the D!fison:l aud pre-millennial coming of the Lord. It is not a new doctrine. Itis old as the Chureh. - And by Chureh 1 mean our Lord's people. A gentleman said to me: - Youw'll be ¢harged with heresy, won't youi’ Itold him it wus particnlarly a doctrine of the Epi Chiureh, It is expressed in our Advent services, in the ereed, in the Te Deums iz is the great central truth. ‘This Conference was calied without reference to denominations, but care bad to be tuken not to overrun it with Episcopalians. A funny incident occurred. I wrote Lo Bishop Cox inviting him to the Con- ference. He - answered, siviog his firm allegiance to the doctnne, but declining to take hart, because the Conference is not under the Presidency of the Bishop of the diocese.™ ++ How do you dilfer from other adventists?” *‘There are cvanvelical and non-evanygelical adventists. The former believe s we do. ex- cent, perbaps, in details; the latter advocate the uncoysciousness theory, annihilatiou, ncd otier heresics,. Taey do hots believe in the soul’s existence, the existence of o persopal devil and a personal Holy Ghost, and are a low erade of materialists. Miller’s idea was that Christ’s coming was to_introduce the great ca- lastrophespoken ot by Peter, the destruction of the world by fire. Bible exjiositors now ure di- vided into two great classes,—the pre and post- millemallists, or those whu expeet Cirist before the millennium, and;those who postpone his. up- pearauce until the close of the millenuium. The -millenialist bolds that Christ hus spiritual- me, and that in death e mystically comes 10 every believer, ana thut in the Influcnce of Christinnity He is always coming. He denies the literal interpretativn of the promises, con-.) strued according to the laws of langnave, but sbiritualizes 1he promises and prophe: He looks for an extension of Christianity under the present. dispensation, and by its instrumentali- ties, until the whole world shall be counverted. By the development of the present Christiauity, and its control through government and so- ts the wmillennium; and at the close of this period, however prolonzed, be- lieves thay the Lord will come to judge the earth. The pre-millienialist believesthat the world is every day arowing worse, uud that the Gospel 1s the instrument used to gather a peo- vle out of the world, not to convert the world. At the Lord’s appearing, crime, and discontent, and evil will be worse than ever. He believes that thines are going to the bad instead of aut- ting better, and that, as in the past, 50 in the future, the Lord will come, by a uew manifes- tation of bimself, to introduce the promised millennium. The post-millennialist is au opti- mist; the pre-millennialist is a pessimist. “The whole question,” continucd Dr. Tyng, “rests upon the principle of interpretation of the Bible. If interpreted according to the laws ol langruare, it means oue_ thing; if taken in an esoteric seust, another. If iuterpreted in_the latter seuse, then Brigham Young and the Pope have just as much ground for their ductrines as Protestants. Said 2 little zirl to her mother: ¢Mamms, if God didn’t mean what he sags, why didn’s he say what he meant# ‘That's the whole question. ~ Tne post-millesnialist, for in- stance, sags that when in Matthew the coming of the'Son of Man is spoken of, it means tie coming of Titus and the Roman army. We think it means what it says. Again, take the correspondence between the prophecies and the literal life of our Lord. The post-millenuislist will not deny that the prophecies were fulfilled in the life. “The birth, crucilixior, burial, resur- rection, and asceusion were all prophesied, and the propheuies tultilled. Is it not s¢ lieve that the prophecies concerning His coming will be in like manner tultilled¢ “’Tnis Conference will not attempt to decide anything. It will bea meeting of expositors, studeots, and believers: A scries of papers, written to cover the disk of the doctrine, will be read and discusséd, in order to give the doc- trine a new and complete statement. Then it is hoped, by their publication and circulation, to bring the matter before the people.” ABSOLUTION. THE NEW TESTAMENT DOCTRINE. “The fifth anonal Congress of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Unitea States bas just closed its sessivn in Cincinnati. It was presided over by Bishop Jazgar, of Ohio. Among the papers presented was one on * The New Testa- ment Doctrine of Absolution,” by the Rev. Dr. DeKoven, ot Racine, of which the following is an abstract: . There are two ways in which my subject might be treated: First, by taking the passages of the Bible which bear upon the subjcct and commenting upor them; second, by finding ont what doctrine of absolution has, on the whole, commended itsell to the wisdom of the Chur of God in all agres, as well as to reason and ex- crience, and showing that it acrees with the New Testament. A full account of the subject would demazd both ways of consideringz it. The time allotted to us compels us to choose one, and I choose the latter. What is meant by absolution? 1 answer, primarly’the foreiveness of sins; but when the word is used a certain ecclesiastical meaning has become at- tached to it. pamely: that forgivencss of sin whici is declared, pronounced. and counveyed to the penitent by the Church of God, through the appointed minister. The wordbas been further narrowed in its meaning 0 s to be contined to sius committed after that sacrament of which we say in the creed, I believe in one baptismn for thic remission of sivs.” & In reward to absolution ihere are many views, both within and without the Church, Which may be sumined up as follow: 1. Those who believe that the sinner has only to o to_ Almizhty God with true sorrow and faith in Jesus and ask for forgiveness, and that he does not need. and ought pot to require, Church or priesi crament or ordinance (to use a phrase which is at the same time an argu- ment), to come between bim and his God aud Savior. Those who hold that no post baptismal it be mortal, can be forziven without re- ceiving the sacrament of penance,—i. e., con- fessing the sin to God, m the presence of the oricst, and receiving from him penance and apsolution. This view is popularlv believed to be that ol the Roman Cathelic Church, and is even attributed to some Ritualists. I think 1 may say no properly taught churchman in our Chareh ever held it, and that it is not, strictly speaking, the view even of the Church of Rome. Besides these two, there are scveral subdi- visions of a third view, namely: That the Church has a volce, by God’s appointment, in the forgiveness of the siuncr. There are those who hol 2 (a.) That to the Apostles was committed the power to remit and retain sins, but_that it was like the miracwons gifts of the Holy Spirit, and ceased With the Apostles, or in Apostolic times. (b.) That the Church has the rizht to excom- municate open sinners, and to restore them to the communion when penitent. The reality of the retaining or the remitting of sius inthis view is in proportion to the reality and power held to belong to the Lord’s Supper, and 1s the preater or the less as one holds stronger or weaker views on tlis subject. X (c.) A view, perbaps, burdly to be distineuish- ed from the one just mentioned, is that the for- giveness of sins accompavied both baptism aud the holy communion, und is given at thosc times, and no other, except so far as is_may be vouchsated directly to thesoul by Almigaty God.. b(d.) That over and above that forgiveness of sins -which accompanies the two sacraments tgenerally pecessary to salvation,” God hus commanded the Church, throughthe priesthood, to declare and pronounce to ler people, beinz penitent, * the absolution and remission of their sins.” . . { am using Prayer- Book language in this defl- nition, but [ have no desire to shelter it under the siiadow of an ambizuity; so 1 must add the further view (e.) that thereare those who bold that this declaring and pronouncing conveys it it declares and pronouuces, and o, in the broaa sense of the word. isa sacramental act. Apd lastly (r.), the absolution is regarded simply as the auuouncement of the terms of forgiveness given elsewhere, under other cir- cumstances, and not necessarily through the officer who pronouuces it, or the words which he pronounces. ‘Those who bold this view ordi- narily add to the belief that a c)erz_\*_mnu in preaching “has committed to him every power the Gospel conveys. He caunot of himsclf, of course, but by the power of the Holy Ghost through the Word preached,convert.regenerate. transform, pardon, renew, and justify, the soul of the sinner. ‘This is said to e the power of Gospel-preaching, the message of salvation, the savior of life unto life, or of death unto death. I believe Lhat the ‘Festament doctrine of absolution s no one of these, but in some sort allof them combined. The New Testament doctrine of absolution is summed upin tne words: * Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unta them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retumned.” Iamn perfectly wiil- ine 0 accent thuse words just as they stand. I do not need for 1oy faith any cxposition—they are perfeetly clear. They are as clear as lese_ othier words of the Eucharist: ** Take gmd eat; this is My body which 1s given for vous this is My blood which is ehed for you. Do his in remembrance of Me.”” But il people say, 'Fhesc words are_not 1o be taken literally, there are other things which modify their meun- ing,” or “they are impossible,” or *:contrary to reason,” or the like; and then if, when one at- tempts, in answer, to show that they are mot contrary to reason, or are not really modified by other statements, they say that be is’ subtle in dealine in vain logic, or i opposition of scicnce, 1alsely so-called, or in scholastic trifling, all 1 can eay in reply is what a great writer bas sald: “When men say this_capnot be literally true, becanse it is impossible, then they force those who think it is literally true to explain how, ac- cording to their notions, it is not impossible: v 3 and those who ask hard questions must expect hard answers. 1t1sa auestion of importance. How far does tue forgivencss of sin do away with its consequen Tne physical conse- quences of a life of dissipation remain, no mat- ter what a mun’s repentance may be. 1t a man s ed another into sin he may repent bimself, but he may not be able to lead the one whom he has fempted to repentance. Nav, the oue whom he has thus sprritually ruined may have died in sin, und bpassed into that land where, as we are taught by the popu- lar theolozy of . the dny, no praver of heart- broken anguish ever penciiuted. Some one bias said that nothing but a miracle can interfere be- uween sin aud its consequences. L hoid the for- giveness of sin to be sucha miracle. Itisaresur- rectivn from spiritual death; it is an imjarta- tiou of spiritual life; it transforms, by a spir- itual correlation of force, physical painand a weakened body, the physical resulof sin, into spiritual powers. 1t may not alter natural Jaws, ut it Jifts them up into a higher region: it brings back opportunities; if may cven restore a wasted life. But what are the condizions of such a wiracle of mercy as this forFi\uncss must bed The universal nnswer of all churches, theologiaus, and_teachers at once S this: re- pentance; by which is meant, first, knowledge of sin; sceond, sorrow for sin so deep und pene- trating that it melts into tears, if there be tears to saed ; third, the giving up ol a disposition to conceal sin, the acknowledzment of sin to one’s sclf, to God, 'then to the Church,-and, if need 10 our fellow-men; fourth, the giving uo of sin; fiith, the restitution for sin cominitted; sixth, the forziveness of others; seventh, deep 1aith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in Hisat n- iuw death. God absolves, not the minister; the declarution of pardon is pronounced by the comumissioned officer. THE NOVEL. ITS INFLUENCE ON MODERN LIFE. At the Church Congress at Cincinnati, the Rev! William Huntington, D. D., of Worcester, Mass., pzesented au elaborate paper on The Novel in Its {nflucnce on Modern Life.” Having shown the general aim of fiction to be that of pleasing and refreshing the mind, the speaker procceded: This point conceded, we discern at once the two gruiding lights which in the matter of fiction ought to scttle our course, whether as readers or as the purveyors of read- ine for other people. These two principles I take to be discrimination and temperance. Tnere#s a deal of truth in the old analogy be- tween the nourishmeni of the body and that of the mivd. The angel of the Apocalypse stand- ing “upon the sea and upon_ the earth,” holds in bis hand a little book. ** Take it,” he savs to the astomshed seer, “Take it and eat it un.” In the weird visions of Ezekicl we find the prophet given “abuok written within and without” to ea T'his scems to suggest tiat the soul has orzans of absorption and assimilation just as the body hus, and that chameleon-liké our characters take on the hue of that which feeds them. So, then, we ought to probortion vur reading as carefully as we proportion our diet; wise to re- member always that nourishwent is the main thine, but not so unwise us to foreet that the condunents which give the bread and beef a rel- ish may have u value too. The solid reading malkes the red blood; the relish is fustinetively sourht in books which feed the funey. Now poetry, yhich is the purest stimulus of imagin- native d@light, is available only for the few, but a wood story will help almost nny man_who, for the time eing, is tired of his own life, to et reliefl by being transported intoga life not-his own. If oue resorts to this kind of refresh- ment so frequently that his own life becomes utterly and permanently intolerable to him, on account of the strong contrast which the empti- ness and insipidity of 1t offer to the fullnessand vivacity of the imaginary lives of which he reads, why then harm 15 done. Or i, ngain, these imaginary lives in which he allows himself to become absorbed are essential- v unwholesome lives, if the characters with whom he mingles 1o his ideal society are de- formed characters whose ill shapes are carefull; disguised by -iogenious drapery and decentive coloring, then also harm js done. Not alone that lowest literature against which our Prot- estant 3t. Anthoyv wazes wost rizhteous war, but much else, much, very much that crosses without challenge the threshold of carefully- guardea homes ought properly to bear printed onitswrapper theblack skulland cross-bones with which apothecaries label poison. It is not harm- less relish which this sort of fiction miunisters, but loathcsome death.. A constientious tem- perance will assuredly pass over into total ab- stinence as respects stimulants that kill. Taine, who seems to have the same hysterical, unrea- soning dread of a moral which children have of bears, nervously anxious lest one may tumble out upon him without notice at the nexe turn of the stairease, and who is even angry witn Thackeray because he preached too much, would have us look at a novel just as welookata painting, from a standpoint of purcart. On canvas a staguant pool may be made as interest- ing as the clear sea water breaking along a beach. *A genuine novelist,” says Taine, * enjoys the contemplation of the greatness of a harwmful sentiment, or the orgamzed mechanism of a pernicious character.” For those who believe that a * harmful senti- ment? can have ‘‘areatness” this is good enough criticism, but it is reassuring to kncw that all Frenchmen do.not take this bad view of the uses of fiction. The Franklin Society for the Promotion of Popular Libraries in France, while. they exclude most of the fiction of their own nstive writers from theirlists on account of itt debasing influence, pay a high tribute to the value of such novels 2s those of Mrs. Gas- keil, Mrs. Olipnant, and Dickens (C. A. Cutter in Am. Lid. Journd', vol. 1., No. 1). Few ques- tions tax the ingenuity of the manawers of pub- lic libraries more seriously than this one of how to persuade readers to be temperate in “the use of fiction. At the conference of librarians re- ently Leld in this conntry and in Evgland, by far the most lively and earnest discussions were those that hinged on this very point. Among these’experts opinion is found to range all the v from the position of Mr. Poole, of Chicago, who is nota bit afraid of the novel, and who merrily maiotains the paradox that fiction is, in the long rum, truer than history, down to the view taken by Mr. Kite, the excel- lent curator of the Friends’ Library, at German- town,who says that he will sternly exclude nov- cls from his sheives at aoy cost, and thatif a youngster of 10 years old comes to him asking for a story-book he shail put him ofl with Miss Strickland. or_some juvenile worl of scicnce. (A. M. Lib, Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3.) Mr. Gal- ton, the apostle of the doctrine of heredity, has lately invented an ingenius contrivance for se- curing a picture of the average member of o class of people as aistinguished from the por- trait of any ope represeptative of the class. This method is to photograph, say forty thicves or forty chemists on the same negative, one over the other. The resulting picture is, to be sure, the likeness of, nobody in particular; but, s Galton alleges, bt mets the averaze chemical ysiognomy more fairly represented,—be sees larceny in the abstract more correctly set forth than could possibly be the case were he to look at only one chemist or only one thief. Bysome such parallel as this Mr. Poole’s notion about the teaching value of novels as compared with lustors might concervabiy be justified. I ean tlnfik " of no parallel that would justify Mr. Kite. But this by the way. The Custodian of the Public Library of Liverpool states that, of the bpooks . actually in circulation among his borrowers, 75 per vent is fiction, and this is probably about the average percentage for En- gland and-America. ~ All authorities are agreed that here is room for improvement by shrinkage, but how to Lring it about without impairing the usefulness of the public libraries by damaging their popu- larity is the problem to be solved. ‘Tie snares and pitfalls of ““infiation *’ are not confined to the currency. And this suggests that other point to which I made reference, the duty of using discrimination. 1ndeed, if we are resolved to be temperate, we must, of necessity, be discriminating. The only question Is, By what criterion shall we pick and choose? The present popularity of particular authors will hardly serve ugas a safe iest. The librarian of a public library in one of the representative towns of New England takes pains annually to publish a tabular statement showing tne com- parative _demand for the books of various writers of fiction. Inalist of thirty-nine nov- elists, arranged according to the order of their popularity, I find Scott standinz twenticth, Thackeray_twenty-fitth, and Dickens twenty- sevenzhi. I will not say whe Lolds the post of Lonor at the hiead of the list for fear of raising alaugh at theexpense of one whois, [ dare say, & very estimable person, for it is said that the wricers of sensational stories are often, in real life, the demurest and mos: proper people imaginable. To be sure, these fizures are not so discouraging as they micht at first sizht seem to be, for we must remember that they indicate not the volumes which peopte buy and read, but the volumes which they prefer to read without buying. At the sape time, they suflice to prove the point tor which' I cited theém,—namely, the inadequacy of present popularity asa test of literary exceilence. The only sure test is one which few people are patient enoush to use, and that is survival, 1tis the passionate appe- tite for the last novel, without reference to its ments, which makes the curse of novel-read- ing. - LEO’S LETTER. IOE HIMSELF WILL TAKE THE HELM OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE. London Times. Oct. 2. We drew attention the otner day to the curi- ous process by which Pope Leo XIIL, starting from a lofty spiritual conception of the rights nd dignities of the Papacy, had reached a posi- tion bardly less inconsistent with the constitu- tivti and the claims ot modern society than that of his predecessor. ‘The view which our corre- spondent at Rome had previously taken of the new poliey of the Vatican has becn strikingly contirmed by the publication of the Pope’s let- ter to his recently appointed Sccietary of State, Cardinal Nina. We published a telegrashic summary of that remarkable document u few days ago, and this morning weprint its full text., It= importauce is very #reat, and his been recog- nized in an explanatory and to some extent apol ozetic note which the Scerctary of State has addressed within the last day or two to the Papal Nuncios abroaé. The Pope's letter not only exhibits ciearly the present intentions of the Papal See, but explains much of what has hitherto been obscure in the character of Leo XIIL. The Pope, it must be ow understood,: is no tender-hearted visionary, no apathetic and reserved scholar, content to encounter the op- position of a perverse world with the armaments of theology. He has a policy with which he is resolved to combat false doctrine, heresy, and schism, and that policy is nis own. He will not be, as Pius IX. was, an instrument in the hands of abler men. Henceforward there is to be no Antonelli at the Vatican, nor even any Simeoni or ¥ranchl. The Pope is at pafus to make this very plain in the. opening part of his letter to Cardinal Niva, and there is no ground for assumine that he will 1ot be able, as he intends, to make his own will prevail ,in the initiation and management of policy. Foreign aflairs especially will be for the future subject to the individual Tmpulses of the Pope. Under Pius IX., a8 we know, they were atmost wholly controlied by Cardinal Antounctli, and the authority of the Supreme -Pontiff was only brought iu as a deus ex machina to finjwse majestically upon the common world. A change of this character cannol_remain without note- worthy consequences. It uow becomes of the highest siznificance to ther Roman Church, aud to all nations and Governments that have to deal with that Church, to learn whatis the bent of Leo XIIL's mind. 1le bas ccascd, apparent- Iy, to be the centre of a circle of political cecle- siastical statesmen influenced by well-estab- lished traditions of policy, and he ‘is beginning a carecr of despotic ruleiyll the more dangerous because it is bounded by none of the practical limitations that fence in temporal soverefgntics. ‘There is an exalted spirit of eutusiasin in the Pope’s Jetter to his Cardinal Secretary ot State which belies the saperficial quictude and pa- tience of its tone. Leo XIIL belicves mn the sacred character of the privilezes of the Church, and in their saving character for manicind, with a faith l: is calmly inaccessible to rea- son and indifferent to results. A frame of mind like this may easily be drawn into some violent and irresponsible conflict with powerful Gov- ernments, or with social forces that are greater than any Governments; and yet Leo XIIL will be able to persuade himself that he has ever shown a-meek and placable temper, and has only declared war upon his enemies when they drove him to defend, not his individual power, but his heavenly trust. Ile can point, as, indeed, he does already, to the negotiations he has ooened with Germany as a proof that his desire is to restore peace and _even to come to terms with unbelicving States. Yet if the final conditions on which Leo XIII. is pre- pared to insist are impracticable conditions, bis conciliatory moveiwents and his personal kind- liness will merely tend to strengthen his deter- mination to resist the audacity of the heretics. e will say to himself, ** All iny advances were repulsed, all my benignity was taken to be evi- deuce of weakness; no_compromise is possililé with these men.” Actiug ubon this conviction, Leo XI1I. may carry on .2 strugele against the modern spirit as_passionate as the spasmodic violence n} Pius IX., and more enduring. That he is braging up bis energics to meet such a con- tingency Is an_inference which may be drawn not unfairly from big letter to Cardinai Nioa. The general observations in which he regretfully depicts . the consequences of the separation of the world from the Church and the declension of the influence of truth, and con- jures the wandering nations to come back to the true fold, may be dismissed as having no relevaney to the actual problems of our time; and th: Pope’s contention that zovern- ments, whether Catholic or non-Catholic, can- not dispeuse with the aid which the church is alone capable of giving them in resisting revo- lutionary forces is open to the obvious reply that such aid, were it cven as valuable as Leo XII1. assumes, might be too dearly purchased. But from this hizht of theory the Pope descends tothe level ground of practice when he in- structs his Secretary of State as to the didicul- ties that meet the Papal policy in the Italian Kingdom. The Pope declares that he gave proof of his couciliatory disposition by attempting to induce the German Government to “ pacify the con- sciences” of its Romalt Cacholic - subjects. Whether his overtures will be fruitful of peace is at present doubtful; and the fracious manner_ in which they were received by the Emperor William was due &8s much, perliaps, to the internal embarrassments of German politics as to the hope that there could be any arrangement of a quarrel so deeply ed in opposing pretensions and principl it is the position of the Church in Italy to which Leo X111. espesially calls the attention of the Cardinal Sceretary of State, and, tbrough him, of all the representatives of the Hoty See in .every country. The origin of the anxieties from which the Papacy is suffering, anxieties increas- ing every day, is to be sought, we are told. in the spoliation of which the temporal sovereign- ty of the Pone was made the victim when the Italian Kingdom was founded. The precedent of that act of rapine_has shaken, accordicg to Pone Leo, the principles of reverence aud of justice, the conceptions of dutyand of obe- dience, which have hitherto heidsociety togetber; and all secular Governments are paving the penalty of the wrongthey allowed the Papacy to suffer. Until this wrong is revaired, we are warned that sincere Roman Catholics can never be tranquil, whatever may Le the concessions made to them by their Jocal rulers. Thus sll the world is interested in obtaining the submission of Italy to the Popedom; for then, snd then only, will peace become possible on earth. But at present, Leo XIIL complains, the usurping Government of Italy is nut only resolute in con- ceding nothing, but is active in agaression. Not ouly has he, Jike Pius. IX., to contend against theluss of thic support of the religious orders, the secularization of a great part of the eccle- siastical property, and the competition of heret- ical teaching and preaching, but new attacks on the “spiritual jurisdiction™ of the Holy Sce have been made. Here it must be noticed that the voluntary service of the religious rrders is iuterfered with by the Italian law; that, in fact, those orders. though unendowed, are still at work, and that in resuming 2 port of their oversrown endowments the italian Government ouly followed a precedent which had been set in every European country. The toleration of the Protestant churches and schools in ome follows,us a matter of course from the constitutional orinciples on which the Itatian Governmear, like all ‘modern divilized Governmeuts is founded. But the new line of aggression of which Leo XIII. complains—the assumption of a control over the nominations of Episcopal Sees—is denounced, no alone as an intraction of the immemorial rights of the Papacy, but as a breach of a specific sgreement offered by the Italian Government to_the Vati- can, and tacitly accepted by Pius IX. It may be pointed out, nowever, that in the law to which the Pope refers an express reservation was made of benefices aud other preferments described as **of Roval patronage,” and the Neapolitan appointments now being contested between the Papacy and the Italian Government werc undouotedly *of Roval patronage ' during the Bourbon period. Itis, of course,a questionof iezal interpretation whether tie rights of the Bourbons passed by ivheritance to those who dispossessed them, and the Pope argues, with not a little force, that the privileze of making guch appointments was only granted by the Holy See to specially favored and’ trusted "Gov- ernments, among which the new Italian mou- archy can bardly be numbered. The merits of this question are of littla fmpurtance, but from the manner in which it 5 urged it is plain that the Vatican is not disposed to make peace with the Quinal except on uadmissible terms. Yet until that peace is made, Leo XIIL warns us, Europe must cxpect the Roman Catholic Church to be always an element of disturbance in the world, .T'his is Inevitable. though, as the Nuncios are reminded in the €ardinal Secre- tars’s note, the intention of the Pope was ‘“to show his willingness to assist in overcoming the existing spirit of subversion against the altar and the throne.” g AFRICAN MATERIALISM. A TRIBE WITHOUT ANY IDEAS OF A FUTURE LIFE. Up to comparatively a few years ago it was an unquestioned article of faith, not merely with strictly religious people, but with the gencral commupity, - that there . was no- where to be fouod on this world’s wide surfice @ communmity or tribe, no matter how savage or degraded it might be, that did not retain at least some vestiges of the higher state from which it had fallen intbe form of a belicf, no matter how perverted or distorted, of a future world,—of the existence of man beyond the grave. It was be- lieved ‘genmerally that all men had faith in some being higher than and greater than taemselve in many, or a groveling worship of inanimate nature; bt it was denied that there could be found any aggregation of men so nearly ap- prouchine the animat kingdom us to be without [aithand without hope. But of recent yearsit has. been pereeived that this belief wasa little too high colored. It has been found out that manv of the statements made by missionaries con- cernme the beliefs of the tribes among whom they lived were unintentionally incorrect—that the savage either so misunderstood or ve the missionary the apswers which he ncied he wanted. A strikioz instance of a barbarons and unclothed rationalist of a sevagze withont faith in a_hereafter, without belief in a Controller of all things, is Tfound in Sir Samuel Baker’s history of his journey with his wife in scarch of ‘the _ sources of the Nite. While journeying from Godokoro lie passed through tite country of the Latookas, and spent much time amony themn. This is his account of a_long conversation which be hud with one of the most intellizent of their chicis: «The Chiel Cominoro (the % Lion”) was one of the. most clever and common-sense savazes that 1 had seen in these countries, and the tribe paid tar more deference to his commands than to those of bis brother, **oy,” although tne Tatter was superior in rank. Onc day L sent for Commoro after the usual funeral dauce was completed, and, through my two youny interpreters, I nad & long conversa- tion with him on the customs of his country. 1 wished. if possible, to fathom the extraordi- nary custom of exhuming the body after burial, a3 Liniazined that in thisact some jden might e traced to a beliel in the resurrcetion. Cotumoro was, like all his people, extremely tall. Upon eutering my tent he took his seat upon the sround, the Latookas not. using stoois like the other White Nile tribes. I commenced the_conversation bv_comphimenting him on the perfection of his wives and daughters in the dance, and on his own agility in tbe perform- ance; aud inquired for whom the ceremony had been performed. e replied that it was fora man who had been recently Killed, but no one of great im- portance, the same ceremouy being ooserved for every person without distinction. Lasked him why those siain in battle were allowed to remain unburied. He said it had aiwavs been the custom, but that he could not explain it. . . “But,” I replicd, “why should you disturb the bones of those whom you have already buried, and expose them on” the outskirts of the town " . ‘¢ It was the custom of our forcfathers,” he xm's,wcrcd, “therefore we continue to observe ¢ Have you no belief fu a future existence after death! [s not some idea expressed in the act of exhuming the bones after the flesh is decayed £ 5 Cowmoro (log.)—*Existence ajter death! How can that be? Can a dead man get out of his grave, unless we diz him out *Do you think man is like a beast, that dies and is ended ¢ Comimoro—**Certainly; an ox is strooger than a man, but he dics,gnd his bones last lonuer; they are biwger. A manw’s bones break quickly; he is weak.” “lsuot a man superiorin sense to an ox? Has he not a mind to direct his actions? Commoro—"* Sume men are not so clever as an ox. Men must sow corn to obtain food, but the ox and wild anmnals can procure it wichout sowing." Do you not know that there is a spirit with- in you more than fles? Do you not dream and ‘wander in thouzht to distant placesin your Nevertheless, your body rests in one spot. How do you account for this?” Comimoro, latghing—* Well, how do yom ac- count forit! Itisathing I cannot understand; it oceurs to me every vight. Dogs dream as well as men.” “The mind is independent of the body; the actual body can be fettered, but the mind is un- controllabie; the body will die and will become dust, or be catew by vultures, but the apirit will exist forever.” Commoro—** Where will the spirit live?”” “ Where does fire live? Cannot you produce a fire by rubbing two sticks - together? Yet you see not the tire in the wood. Has not that fire, that lies harmless and unseen in the sticks, the power to consume the whole countrv? Which is the stroneer, the small stick that lirst produces the fire, or_the fire itscif? Sois the spirit the elenent within the body, as the clement of fire exists within the stick, the element being supe- rior to the substance?’? i Commoro—*Ha! Can you explain what we frequently see at night when lost in tne wilder- ness? I have mysel! been lost, and, wandering in the dark, I bave secn a distant fire; upon ap- proaching, the fire has vanished, acd I have been unavle to trace the cause—nor could I find the spot.”” ¢ Have you no idea of the existence of spirits superior to either man or beast? Have you no fear of evil except from bodily causes” Commoro—*1 am_afraid of elephants and otlier animals when in.the jungle at night, but of nothing else.” <4Then you believe In nothing; veitherin a Zood nor ‘evil spirit! And you believe that; when you die. it will be the end of body and spirit; that you are like other animals, and that there is no distinction between man and beast; both disnppear and end at death?” Commoro—* Of course they do.” “Do_you sce no differcuce in good and bad actions?” Commoro—**Yes; there are good and bad in men and beasts.” “Do you.think that a good man and a bad must_share the same fate, aud alike die, and end . Commoro—*"Yes; what else can they do? ?nv,v can they help dying? Good and bad all e’ . *“Their bodies perish, but their spirits re- remain; the good in happiuess, the baa in misery. If vou have no beliel in a future state, why showld a man te quod ? Why should he not bebad if he can vrosper by wickedness?” Commoro—*Most people are bad; it they are stroug they take from the weak. The good people are all weak; they are good because they are not strong enough to be bad.” Some corn had been taken out of a-sack for the horses, and, a few grains lying scattered on the ground, I tried the beautiful metaphor of St. Paul as an example of a futurestate. Mak- ing a small Liole with my finger in the sround, I placed a grain within it. *Thet,” I said, *rep- resents you when you aie.” Covering it with earth, I continued, *“That grain will decay, but from it will rise the plant }!me 'fm produce a reappearance of the original orm.” Commoro—* Exactly so; that [ understand. But the origina’ erain does notrise again; it rots like the dead mau, and is ended: the fruit pro- duced is not the same grain that we buried, but the production of that grain: so it is with me: ~—I die, and decay, and am ended; but my children grow up like the fruit of the grain. Some men have o children, and some grains perish without fruit; thenall are ended.” 1 was oblized to change the subject of con- versation. In this wild, naked savage there was not ¢ven s superstition upon which to found a relizious feeling; there was a belief in matter: and to_his understanding everything was mate- rial. It was extraordinary to find so much clearness of perception combined with such complete obtuseness to anything ideal. Giving up the reliziovs arcument as a failure, Iresolved upon more practical inquiries. Sir Samuel thus summarizes bis opioion of the character of these savages: The obtustness of the savages was such that I pever could make them understand the ex- istence of good princivle; their one idea was “ power,’—force that could obtain ali,—the stronz hand that could wrest from the weak. In disgust L frequently noted tbe feelings of the moment in wy journal,—a memorandum from which T copy as illustrative of the time: 441868, 10th April, Latooka: 1 wisn the black sympathizers in Eogland could sce Africa’s inmost heart as [ do; much of their sympathy would subside. Human nature viewed in its crude state as pictured amfongst African sav- azes is quite on a level with. that of the brute, and not to be compared with the noble charac- ter of the doz. There is neither eratitude, pity, love, nor self-denial: Do idea of duty; no relizion ; but covetousness, ingratitude, sclfish- ness, and cruelty. Al are thicves, idle, en- vious, and rcady to plunder and enslave their weaker neizhbors.” CORRESPONDENCE. THE STIGMATA. To the Editor of The Tribune. CHuICAGO, Oct. 17.—1n last Sunday’s TRIBUNE an aruicle appeared relating to an alleged case of “stigmata,” which, ‘loubtiess, evoked cou- sideraple discussion in tie minds of those who, like myself, were ignorant of the nature of this pecutiar affliction under which the subject, Louise Lateau, is said to be suffering. Having sougnt in vain for light in regard to it among those whom I supposed must be posted on such voints, [ took up the matter with a determina- tion to zet at the facts upon which this singular condition of body and mind is said to be based. Believiag the information obtained might be acveptable to the numerous readers of your en- tertaining sheet, as it is a matter of histors, I embody it herein. S e In the year 1182 there was born in Assisi, Italy, of 3 famuly pamed Bernardini, 8 son whose baptismal name was Joho, buz early in bis youth, owing to his extreme tondness for the gaieties of 1ife, and a predilection for osten- tatious prodigality, which frequently got bim uto trouble, he required the title, “Ii Fran- cesco” (the little’ Frenchman). However, bis liberality to the ‘poor is said to have been sleep? It imigbt be a belief in one God or | one of the ereatest sources of iis ree less extravagance. During s nrotracted illness his thoushts were directed towaras relig- ion, and ender this intluence be disposed « almost his entire effects and devoted himselt wholly to poverty, which he was pleased to desiznate as **his bride.”” Shortly after this Ireak, while listening to u sermon, he receive:d an fmoulsc to take a vow neser to refuse alms toa begrar. He made a pilerimage to the tomb of St. Peter at Rome, and there offered to God all his possessions. Returning to Odessa..he exchanged cloties with a mendicant, ana ever afterwards wore the meauest attire, DOUWit standmg the remonstrances and ridicule this caused to be heaped upon him. It is related that he performed the most humiliating offlces, rving the lepers in the hospital at Gubbio in their most revolting necess with the most teuder assiduity. s enthusiasm excited emu- Jation, and by degrees others followed in his steps. In the year 1210 his brotherbood numberea eleven. He then drew up for them rules, se- lected n the true spirit of r us enthusiasin, by thrice openiuz the Gosyels wpon the altar at randon, and taking passazes thus indicated as @ basis for the young institute. These werc approved in an oral manner by the Pope at Rome.” In 1212 Francesco settled the simple constitution of his Order at Asstsi, which is founded upon three vows: ciastity, poverty, and obedicnce. The second of these was first in importance in Francesco’s esti- mation. The Order was solemnly approved by the Pope in 1216, and from this date its member- ship grewwith extruordnary rapulity. Francesco inauzurated the missionary char- acter of his institute by journeying to the East in 1223, nnd preachinyg the Gospel in the pres- ence of the Sultan. It was alter his return to Iraly that his biographcrs place the celebrated legend which to fricuds and enemies has heen su long the subject of veneration and ridicule,— his receiving, while in an ecstasy of prayer, the mark (stiinata) upon bis own person of the wounds of our Savior, which is said to have oc- curred 17th of September, 124, at Monte* Alverno.—u place still sacred in the traditions of the Oraer. ’ St. Frances died 4th of October, 1226, and was buried, according to his desire, on the bure eround, thus assertivg in his own death the most literal extreme of the doetrine which in Iife be advocated and roade the basis of his Order. Lirres. ANNIRILATION. o the Editor of The Tribune. Cm1caco, Oct. 18.—Tn last Sunduy’s TRIBUNE Inoticed a letter signed +*Otto . Wettstein,” and styled ‘‘Annibilation.” The compositian criticises Prof. Swing’s sermon, and-winds up witha few (so-called) axioms. As 1 always protect the truth, I am forced to show Mr. Wettstein the falsity of his dicta, and, while I am not a follower of Swing, I sustain him in Lbis belief in the immortality of the soul. After our friend has wandered all throush the Professor’s discourse, and utterly shown its falsity to his own satisfaction, he proceeds with the greatest assurance tolay down some very illogical sayings as axioms. He starts out with the followinz as Axiom No. 1: * Whatever has a beginning has an end.” He states this tobean axiom_of Scicnce. His proof is not very logical. **For," suys be, ‘“how can some- thing that bas o existence o-day. but is born to-morrow, never come to afi end for ever and ever” Thisisnot much of a proof for his first dictum. and we shall see that it must be that some substanced by their nature will exist forever, although they once had a beginning, the soul of man beine such a substance. Axiom No. 2 of our friend reads thus: * The universe eternal.”” In the first place let us gee what is meant by an cternal begz. An eternal eus is one that vever had a beginnivg and never will have an end. It cannot, there- fore, have been created; it wust exist by foree otits own pature. A being existing perforce of its own essence is an ews a se, and_inust be inflnite. An infinite heing possesses all the per- fections in their hizhest degree. If the universe, thereiore, be said to be eternal, you also declare that it is intinite. - Let us see it reality and facts show thisto be the truth. The infinite knows no trapsition, no past, no future, for if thut were the casc, the infinite would be composed of finite coustituents, quod absurdum est. We have a succession in the universe, a past that is gone and a future advancing; how ean 1t be eternal? Matter can be decreased, measured, ete., therefore it is finite, and caunot compose aun infinite or eternal being. The upiverse, however, is composed of matter, and caunot be eternal. - d Axiom No. 3is perfectly true, and no reason- able man can deny it. 1t reads: * There can be no effect without s cause.” He might have pre- fixed the adjective * sutlicient ”’ before *“ cause to make it more lozical. This axiow is the one that assists us in showing just what Mr. Wett- stein endeavors o disprove. In conjuntion with Axioms 2 and 3 our [gjgnd brings forth what you micht &1 arcuments, to prove the mortality of the soul. Ile hints that the mind is material, sud _composed of atoms taken from the universe. That being the case, be is alarmed lest the whole universe beab- sorbed in making souls. After Axiom 3, he says that our physical organism is_the cause of the existence of the soul, and that same ceas- ive to exist the soul must disappear. He starts out with a wrong principle in this chain of rea- soniog, name| *Qur physical organism is the cause o1 the ex:snené:u‘or the soul.” Nouw, let us see if the soul of man is composed of matter, and if the existence of 1t after death destroys the principle of causation. The thinking priociple of nan, or bis soul, must bea singie substance, distinet Irom the body and its oreans. Our physical structure and itstunctionsare matter;matteris essentially compound, consequently it canuot cause directly an effect which s sityle and not composed of matter without destroying tbe principle of causation. Thought is simple and indivisible; it possesses none of the properties of matter; it cannot be weighed, dividedyete. ; consequentiy, thought is 2 simple effect aud inust be caused by asimple substunce. The soul of man pro- duces thought; idess arethe modiication of the tlinking principle. That pribeiple must, therefore, be simple and distinct from the body and 1ts functions. Moreover, the same can be deduced from the perception ot relations, which ure altogether simple. The soul records the past, present, and future; it bas ideas of iotluity, eternity, etc., which are _entirely immaterial. This' were im- possible if the soul were compound. For 2 material being can work vnly in the present and concerning sensible substances. An object related to the sepses and not present would be the same as no object. - The soul is also spirituzl, because it can act independently of the body. The mind compre- hends universa ideas which are not allied with matter, but. can only be grasped by toe epiritual. The soul being spiritual it canuot have been educed from matter. but must of necessity have sprung from creation. B A simple and spiritual substance cannot die, or, In other words, be decomposed or 2o to picces, for this can only occur by a dissolution of parts, of which the soulhasnone. Thethink- ing principle being independent of matter, can exist without it ; consequently wedo not destroy the principle of causation by having the soul exist after the death of the body. The way is now paved to prove the immortalityof the soul. It must exist, being incorruptible. We see, therefore, that the soul of man can exist after death oy force of its own nature. . Who can logically prove that it does not exist! The present generation claim to have drawn aside the curtain of ignorance that they supposed hid knowledge from our view;they imagine that the eager mimls of the musses now kuow the truth; but they are far from right in their hasty surmises, and the uotions of the day are dis- pelled by a few good logical arguments like soap-bubbles in a stormn of wind. Epwarp D. WinsLow, A. B. To the Editor of The Tribune. CricAGo, Oct. 19.—I propose, by your favor, to discuss the axicms propounded by Mr. Wett- stein, in his recent article upon Prof. Swing’s sermon. Axiom No. 1: “What bas a begin- ning must have an end.” Now, is the idea of a beginoing thinkable? Matter assumes multi- tudinous fortnsj it ccaselessly varies them. The orzanized boay of to-day is to-morrow soil and gasés;, its entity lost to human keo. Butits every atom remains existent. Is this indi- viduality of which Iam conscious merely the result of a collocation of atoms? or is it itself atomie? Chemistry can separate oxygen from air, and can preserve it in its separated state unchanged and unchangeable. Why may not the chemistry of life evolve from matter the force in-me which controls matter? The ques- tion is uot, then, of a beginoiog or an end, both untbinkable—but of the possibility of an evolved force preserving its entity, aiter the materials upon which it has Jperated have de- cayed, or changed their form. Axiom No. 2: “The universe is eternal.” This, if it invoives the idea of unchangeability, is inadmissibie as ap axiom. Ali analozy estab- lishes the proposition to be true; thai the present.form of all existing things 1s but tem- porary, but that the atoms of which the w orlds arc comnosea must 1o some form- continue to exist, is true; and in this sepse only is ‘“the universe eternal.” - If, then, the atoms become ‘*spirits,” the law of evolution has merely caused matter. to assuwe a higher form. ‘Axiom No. 3: *“There is no effect without a cause.” The arcument deduced from thi proposition is_a “non sequitur.”’ If mind is produced by physicial organization, the grasp of theone should be the exact measure'of the force of the other. It'is also axiomatic that “like causes produce. like effects,” and physical or- wrunisms equally strong shopld produce equaily strong minds. ~This cannot be claimed as true, wherefore it follows that mind and matter ara merely co-existent, and toether constitute the entity which, with its weight, surface, ete., coupled to consciousacss, we depominate man. 1f, then, this force, so separable from matter, so animates it, when blent with it, that the whole organism i3 self-couscious, is it incredible that its entity or self-consciousness should continue to exist after the ormanism by which it muni- fested itself to other orwanisms had changed its form? Abjuring Spiritualism, 1 am com- pelled to admit that it czn only be through tho material orsanization that the ** spirit.”” of a man can manifest iisolf to other men. Bat, it by the law of evolution the- **spirit”” scparated from grosser matter, becomes superior to it, its inferior, by analogzy, shiould be incapable of recognizing it. I, a higher organization than a tree, can recognize o tree. It is lower In the seale. and has no faculties which enabie it to be canscions of my existence. Tine brain is the tablet of memory. Upon its. convolntions are recorded the experiences. of the spirit of man. Yet if the spirit ™ und matter coexist, Is it impossible that peculiarcun- ditions of the material organism may exist, so relaxing the chaiv binding them together that the brain should receive no record of - the exve- riences of the “spirit”¢ In somuoambulism this is undoubtedls the case. No scientist will deny that without the use of the aceredired senses the somuarabulist uses a force to accom- plish results which serves to enable the organs of anyscuse to take upou them the functions of another, and, upon his return to & normat condition, retains no consciousuess of - his acts. If the force he used operated through the nerv- ous system the brain would preserve the rec- ord, and he would remember his acts. Where- fore we must conelude that the “ spirit ™ and body ordinarily blend into a unit. ‘fnat .this unit is a distinct individuality, limited bv the law of its beinz to menifest itself naturally through the functions with which it is endowed. That, when this union is destroyed, and dust returns to dust, thé evolved forze mav possibly —aye, probably—continue to exist in its en- tirety. 1t [am told that this proves too much, that it invoives the immortality of animals, { can only say there scems to be room. 'The diameter of the earth’s orbit is 190,000,000 of;miles. [t with a diameter of 8,000, Venus of 7,600, and Mercury of &0L0, seem to be the only material vbjects occupying this immense arca. As there scems o be ample room [ shall not stagserut that, though I mizht offer the hypothesis that they, with the epirits of incomplete und undeveloged men, may return to the reservoir of spiritual force. to be used again and wwuin through the ages, and brongut to higher. and still higher forms of spirit life. Sax Lose. DR THOMAS. To the Editor of Tie Tribune. CuicacQ, Oct. i8.—The proceedings daring tne past week of the Methodist: ‘Couference in rezard to the teachings of the Rey. Dr. Tlhomas are but another illustratior of how often men of superior ability and wisdom overreach the comprehension of the larger part of buwanity, and even of those who pride themselves upon their thorouzh knowledge and . wisdom of thé subject under discussion. It shows that even in this advanced day a Methodist minister dare uot state his most conscientious_convictions,— that he must adhere strictly to the old_dogmas promulzated gencrations ago, lest he displease his co-woriters, be turned adrift from their zood araces, and branded a beretic. Thanks to an enlightened age, there s, however, a larze ciass who can appreciate the beauties ot a moral world, who can live a noble and useful life, doing right for the sake. of ight, and yet not be biased by the undeveloped ideus fostered by our ancestcrs. It is those be- longing to this class that are the most ardent adrirers of such divives as Swing aod Thomas, 2nd who listen to the teachings of toese thi ers, not in tne hope of gleaning something atheistic from their ideas, but for the purpose of learning wore fully the great responsibility and final destiny of this life, and their duty to God and their fellow en. 1f such teacninzs be dangerous, then dangers are coming thick and- fast, for liberal-minded men will fhink, what- ever a parson may preach, and liberal chinking out of church will jrove far tnore daneerous to the cause of Christianity than liberal thinking in the church when guided by the conscientious . teachings of a Thomas. It cannot be disputed that, were more of our paipits tilled with such men 1s Dr. Thomas, our church-goers would aggrerate a far greater number than they do at present, and no sane man can for a morment doubt thas the influence brought to bear upon humanity in even a * dangerous ” chareh, is vastly better than the influence ouatside, and in thus bringing a greater number within the paie of his moral teachings, he can certainly not, consisteutly with common sense, be. calied a dangerous clemiént in the cause of Christ. But whatever the Methodist Church sees fit to do with the Doctor’s teachings, 1t can rest assured that a man hke him will preach according to the dictates of his conscicnce, and that suould he sce proper to sever bis counection with thau body, aud establish an independent church, or unite with the Unitarians, he will ever have tne wupport and admiration of by no means a small portion of our Cbristian citizens. FREEDOM. CENERAL NOTES. The Methodist preachers will mest fa thé con ference-room, No. 57 Washinzton street, to- morrow morning at 10:30 o'clock. The Reforined Episcopalians have started a new church enterprise fn Jersey City, under the Rev. Mr. Esher, who was formerly a missionary in Brazil. Mr. Esher is meeting with great sue- cess. A proposed act of Parliament for thedisestab- lishment of the English Clhurch bas been drawn up by the Rev. Mr. Mackonochie, the extreme ritualistic Rector of St. Albuns’ Church. who has recently oeen prosecuted, and will be pub- lished in the Nineteenth Century. A now departure for the Friends. At their recent anuual meeting in {ndiana the scrvices were opened with praver and sioging a hymn, and closed with praver. sinzing the Jong-metre dozology, and tne upostokic henediction, very sitnilar to that of other churches. + The Alliance says that the well-known past of a certain Congregational church on the Wess Side told his audience on Sunday evening last hat he imnd ofteu felt powerfuliy moved to ex- hort a certain class of very pious people ““to stop being religious long enough to bedecent for a while.” The Utah Presbytery.in a recent circular to the Church at large, says: “We have now come to a point in our missionarv work in Utah where further prozress must cease, or else we must huve immediate aid from the Charch at large in securing mission chapels forchurch and - school purposes. = The.Institute exercises of the Alumni Assocfa- tion of the Chicazo Theological Seminary will bé held this year ir the Seminary chapel, com- mencing on Tuesday next, and to_continue through Fridar. An intercsting programme has been arranged, focluding an address oo Wednesday evening by the Rev. C. H. Richards, of Madison,"Wis. A heavy falling off in Peter’s pence has been attributed to the assumed fact that French Catholics ere becominy wore and more znti- dencal. In Auwust, 1377, the Pope recelved over 5,000,000 franes; this year be bas received barely 500,000 rancs. The cause is, however, quitc different. 'Tne French Ultramoutanes ure mostly under Jesuit jofluence, and the annti- Jesuit tendencies of the present Pontlfl are the ouly real cause of the deticit 10°bis treasury. In a reccot lecture to the Piymouth congrega- tion Henry Ward Beecher said: There i# steat power in Chrst to give comfort. 1 know it from experience. It lan't a doctrine with me; it'sa realiy. The old Ten Commandments belong to u barbaric state. They are a strine of pezatives, It's not till you zet down into the Testament that you find **Thon shalt?” I believe in the justice of God. 1 believe that punishmeas exists both here and hereaficr: but it will not con- tinue after it ceases to do zood. With a God who wonld give patu for pamn's sake this world would fo out like a candle. As regards Italy, Leo never was-a moderatist. From the day the Italluns occupied Perugia ta the day he succeeded Pio Nono, Cardinal Pecei, Bishop of Perugia, never recownized the Italizn Government. He wrote pastorals against it, aed he never suffered one of the officials of the Italian State to enter his presence. He was les3 vielding than even Bjo Nono, for the late Pope aid correspond with Victor Emmanuel. Cardi- nal Peccinever dia. Leo XIIL isan expericnced diplomatist, but an unyielding because an en- thusiastit Churchman.—London World. The prospectus of the uew Protestant daily newspeper in Paris says: Day after day it is becoming more manifestly clear that the French people are breaking away from Roman Catholicism. The harsh and intoi- erant proceedings of Ultramontanism swhich, especialty during the last thirty years, has taxen upor itself to direct the Church. and which claims to be an cxpression of the Christianity whicn it corrupts and degrades; the hatred-inspiring utter- ances of the clerical press; the part which the episcopacy, the clergy, and the orders (congrega- tions) have played in onr political etrnggics, ‘mostly in direct antagonism to our institations and oar iiberties—all this has brought about between civil octety and the Romish Church a strained agd. perilons positicn. of -a¥falry, which musigndips -