Vol. VII.-No. 1.

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IS SUBSTANTIALISM THE REMEDY?

BY THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR.

That modern skepticism, in its boldest and most defiant attitude-materialistic atheism is on the increase and everywhere confronting us, is sadly realized by all believers in a conscious and personal future life. So aggressive has this phase of unbelief become, and so pernicious are its effects as opposed to the real mission of the church, that not an ecclesiastical body of any denominational form convenes of late but the question of scientific material- | ism, and its bearing upon the cause of religion, is introduced for discussion, and urged upon the attention of the clergy.

The members of such conventions are earnestly admonished to fortify themselves and the cause they represent with the strongest and most effective arguments against such growing tendency to modern skepticism.

The late pan-evangelical conclave in the United States, appealed as a body to the scientific philosophers of the churches to study nature, and help to bring out of the still unexplored depths of science, new arguments, if possible for combating agnostic materialism, and by which the appeals of Christianity to the consciences of men in behalf of a personal hereafter, might be reinforced and abetted.

The Southern Presbyterian Assembly, which met more recently in Philadelphia, was agitated from centre to circumference with the same vital question of how best to meet and paralyze the materialistic monster as it comes forth in the shape of Darwinian evolution.

This modern phase of departure from the Bible account of creation, has recently been thrust, as a fire-brand, into that able body of church dignitaries by one of their prominent ministers and college professors. In their denominational capacity, they thus ask for conclusive evidence, if it can be produced, against this dangerous and alluring scientific innovation: and we hope that the delegates to that great assembly will consistently hold

information when it shall be offered to them without money and without price.

Still later, at the triennial general convention of the Episcopal Church of America, Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota, in his opening sermon, made a similar appeal to the wise men of the Church to come to the help of the Lord against the mighty forces of materialistic darkness. He appealed to the bishops and clergy present to bring all their intellectual resources to bear in assisting to stay this torrent of atheism which is working such havoc among the scientific thinkers of the times.

This appeal of Bishop Whipple produced a responsive tremor of approval in the mind of every bishop and clergyman present, and has been echoed by a sympathetic chord in the heart of every clergyman throughout the land, whatever his denominational fealty may have been.

In response to this same sentiment, the letter of the Rev. Dr. Jas. A. Buck, Rector of St. Paul's Church, Washington, D. C., printed elsewhere in this number, was written and sent by that venerable clergyman to all of his ministering brethren of that church, thereby to put them into possession of the very weapons needed for counteracting the advances of modern materialism.

As will be seen by those who shall read his letter, he refers the bishops and clergy to Substantialism as containing the very arguments evolved from nature and science, by which so to strengthen and reinforce the broad claims of theology as to silence if not destroy the chief batteries of the opposition.

The question now is, will the Substantial Philosophy, in the religious aspects of its teaching, furnish the requisite helps for silencing these batteries of materialistic infidelity? Is Substantialism, in other words, the true remedy for the evil tendencies of the times, concerning which all recent ecclesiastical conventions are making appeals to the brightest intellects of the church, and to the ablest defenders of her cause?