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TYNDALL'S MATERIALISM

deliberate attacks on their faith-so at least as not to countenance by their presence these insidious discussions, and the insolent and arrogant language in which the lecturer takes upon him to defy those who believe in GoD, and venture to question his assertions?

Professor Tyndall was partly right when he introduced his friend Huxley as "a lover of truth, perfectly fearless in his utterances, and a hard hitter." Whether he be a lover of truth we will not say; certain it is that his notion of truth is very different from that of Christians; that he is "fearless in his utterances, and a hard hitter" is undeniable. The wonder is that people will go to hear the "fearless utterances of one whose chief delight seems to be to insult Religion; and so subject themselves, and what they ought to hold most dear, to the "hard hitting" of one who has not the smallest regard for man, or reverence for GOD. And another wonder is that the conductors of the British Association for Science should think themselves justified in sending out atheistical lecturers through the country, whose chief object is to pervert the souls of unsuspicious persons, who are so imprudent as to listen to them.

Professor Tyndall's lecture at Belfast provoked, as it was natural, considerable animadversion, and the Professor has by way of apology made the

DEPENDS ON HIS STATE OF MIND. 39

following marvellous statement: "I have noticed," he says, "during years of self-examination, that it is not in hours of clearness and vigour that the doctrine [of material atheism] commends itself to my mind that, in the presence of stronger and healthier thought, it ever dissolves and disappears as offering no solution of the mystery in which we dwell, and of which we form a part." So that whether the Professor teach Atheism or not depends on the state of his health and temperament. If he is in good health he teaches sound doctrine; if his digestion, or any other function, is out of order, and so his mind is clouded, he teaches doctrines, which if they are accepted by his unfortunate hearers, may undermine their faith or religion, and destroy their souls eternally! And yet, well knowing this peculiar idiosyncrasy, he goes about the country, and even across the Atlantic, disseminating his unwholesome doctrine. Was there ever such an instance of infatuated recklessness? The truth is that these men care not one straw what may happen to their neighbours here or hereafter, if only they themselves are flattered and applauded.

Note.-The foregoing paper was written soon after the meeting of the British Association at Belfast in 1874. I am happy to say that a very different tone pervaded the lectures recently delivered at Bristol at the meeting of the

40

THE BRISTOL MEETING.

same society, and specially the opening address of the President. Indeed it seemed to be admitted that the Belfast addresses were altogether a mistake-that an association formed for the purpose of forwarding science was going beyond its province in meddling with religion and metaphysics. Professor Tyndall himself, in resigning the office of president to Sir John Hawkshaw, made this admission— "In him," he said, with a happy reference, instantly appreciated by his audience, to the tumult and controversy, which had been engendered by his own address at Belfast, “you will have a wise and prudent head, a leader not likely to be caught up into atmospheric vortices of speculation about things organic or inorganic, about mind and matter, far beyond the reach of mind." I sincerely hope that this may put an end to the bad practice of mixing up religious questions with matters of science. Both departments will gain by the separation.

1 See Guardian, Sept. 1, 1875, p. 1113.

CHAPTER IV.

SOME WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS DO HARM BY INCAUTIOUS ADMISSIONS.-DR. FARRAR'S "LIFE OF CHRIST.' -THE MIRACLE OF OUR LORD WALKING ON THE SEA. -AND OF THE DEVILS ENTERING INTO THE SWINE.

DR. Farrar's book on "The Life of CHRIST" is very good in many respects. It is the work of a scholar and divine. The style is evidently adapted to the taste of its expected readers, and intended to compete with that of "Ecce Homo" and Renan's "Vie de JESUS:" which it does effectually and legitimately. There are many pages of eloquent diction and thought, which will be duly appreciated. Perhaps it is with the same view of meeting the taste of ordinary readers, that there is rather too much of deference to the prevailing scepticism we will not say, butwant of firm belief; which is the more likely to do harm as coming from the pen of a writer in most respects so judicious and orthodox. And it appears to us that the writer is inconsistent with himself in different parts of his work. As a whole, the book is admirably adapted to defend

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INCAUTIOUS ADMISSIONS

the truth against the prevailing scepticism. It sets forth the character and life of CHRIST in vivid colours of truth and verisimilitude. But there is an occasional tinge of doubtful philosophy, which detracts a good deal from the excellence of the work.

We proceed to point out what appear to us illustrations of one of those unfortunate tendencies in modern writings which cause even excellent writers to pander to the prevailing Latitudinarianism-and, we fear, with greater effect as their general teaching is unexceptionable.

Dr. Farrar accepts, without scruple, the miraculous power of JESUS, and dwells much on the exhibition of it. He blames those who seek to explain away the reality of our LORD's miracles. Thus, in speaking of the miracle of our LORD walking on the sea, he says: "Some have tried, in various methods, to explain away its miraculous character: they have laboured to show that ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, ' on the sea, may mean no more than that JESUS walked along the shore, parallel to the vessel; or even that, in the darkness, the Apostles may have thought at first that He was, or had been, walking on the sea. Such subterfuges are idle and superfluous, (he says,)

That they [the Evangelists] intended to describe an amazing miracle is indisputable to any one who carefully reads their words; and, as