“ THE BELIEFS OF UNBELIEF.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 417, 30 July 1908, Page 4

“ THE BELIEFS OF UNBELIEF.”

I *- Dr. Fitchett, editor of “Fife” and author,of the ological as well as Imperialist works, has produced a book entitled ‘‘The Beliefs of Unbelief,” in which he summarises the several causes of the non-acceptance or rejection of Christianity. He places before the readers groups of facts and the more reasonable hypotheses ranged alongside ot the theories put forth by the nou-beliavers in a God and an evangelistic Christ. He does not enter into hot argument, but by well-judged comparisons ot the tenets of both sides, leaves the observer to judge between the two, but withal having so presented the case, for Christianity as to gently influence him in its favour. The Doctor’s treatise is considerably enriched with excerpts from the opinions of the great defenders of Christianity as well as from those of the exponents of Atheism and apologists of doubters. The intelligent reader will be convinced that the combined theories of no-God are in the last degree paradoxical and confusing, and that the Bible is the greatest classic. The work is divided into three main parts, dealing respectively with God, Christ, and the Bible, arraying in each the affirmative faiths and the alternatives to those faiths. In the proem, or introduction, the writer makes reference to what he terms ‘‘ The New Unbelief” the presentday evasion of religion of any sort —an unbelief that is vague, loitering, and strangely contented ; one that implies that “Christianity is, if not untrue, at least unnecessary—life can be lived well enough without it.” (A problem, this, which demands more vigorous missionary action on the part of the churches.) The keynote of the prevalent unbelief of to-day is a shirking of religious responsibility, as distinguished from, and widely so, the “honest doubt” which is ever persuing iis misdirected investigations. The author calls mathematics to his aid in proving that Agnosticism is a creed ; for while a belief in God may be represented by the formula, 2 plus 2 equal 4 ; Agnosticism may be expressed in, 2 plus 2 equal x —the unknown quantity—which latter proposition is as definite and carries as directly practical results as the former. “The only difference is, that he who keeps his accounts, and carries on his business, on the theory that 2 plus 2 equal x, will discover that this is an arithmetic which—equally with the formula, 2 plus 2 equal 3 or 5 leads straight to the Insolvency ; Court.” Dr Fitchett holds that every alternative to Christianity is r a belief. The hypothesis is enlarged upon, that the personality of God is a conception too great for the human miqd, but its denial is a vaster incredibility than its assertion. “Doubt is a creed with its own conscious or unconscious affirmations; to be judged, like every other creed, by its affirmation.” Atheism is characterised as a guess it is eternally and essentially incapable of proof. No attempt is more certainly predoomed to defeat than that of trying to keep the Christian solution of great problems of duty, while rejecting the axioms on which that solutionis built. “Nothing distinguished from all other nothings by the power to develop into something,” is dismissed by Spencer as “an absurdity.” Atheism, since it dismisses an intelligent Maker from the universe, must regard that universe as product of chance ; and this is the fact that made Atheism intolerable to Darwin. “ When only 11 planets were known, De Morgan showed,” says Professor Momerie, “that the odds against their moving in one direction round the suu, with a slight inclination of the planes . of their orbits — had chance determined the movement —would' have been 20,000, 000 to one.” Rather long odds these. “ And this movement of the planets is but a single item, a tiny detail, an infinitesimal fraction, in a universe which —in spite of all arguments to the contrary — still appears to be pervaded through and through with purpose.” Agnosticism, which Dr. Aveling defines as “ Atheism writ respectable,” is given some prominence in the book, and is scientifically dissected. The author quotes Mr Justice Stephens in reference to the lawlessness and unrestraint expressed in the principles of Agnosticism—“lt can neither hang nor damn ; how then can it hope to govern.” Agnosticism commits suicide in the act of defining itself. For the denial of the possibility of knowing auy : thing about God is based on the amount of knowledge we do possess about Him 1 How much must we know about God before we are entitled to announce, with absolute certainty, that all knowledge of Him is beyond the reach of our intellect 1 ‘ ‘ How can anyone,” asks Dr. Fitchett, “ contemplate without a smile the spectacle of a philosopher sitting in his study playing a few ingenious tricks with logic ; and, on the authority of that performance, giving, the lie to the raptures ot all the saints, and the surest consciousness of the highest souls of the race ! The answered prayers, the realised deliverances, the transfigured lives, the historic reformations of twenty centuries are dismissed as foolish dreams on the strength of a few passes of debating society logic.” The literary substitutes for a divine law of conduct are, as restraints of the terrific forces of sin, all mere cobwebs. The world wants the Christianity that can turn icicles into fire — the spiritual force which can transfigure the brute, regenerate wild tribes, and transmute into beauty the human waste of great

cities. Christian faith concerning Christ is well examined, and the arguments of a divine character and a divine history are presented. Dr. Fitchett describes “ The New Theology ” of the Rev. R. J. Campbell as metaphysical fog, shot through with gleams of piercing light—Campbell says “It is no use trying to place Jesus in a row along with other religions masters. He is first, the rest nowhere : we have no category for Him.” The author clearly demonstrates the unreasonableness of the theories that Christ never existed, or that, if he did exist, he was an imposter. In the portion devoted to arguments for and against the logic, authenticity and prerogative of the Bible will be found much that is helpful to those in difficulties or who have made but a partial study of the Old Book.’ Professor Max Muller, who completely saturated himself with the literature of ether Sacred Books of the world, brought from the experience a reinforced faith in Christianity; “Christ,” he wrote, “ spoke a new language, a language no doubt liable to be misunderstood, as all language is, but a language which has imparted a new glory to the whole face of the world. Christianity involves a complete change in the spiritual condition of mankind ; it marks the great turning-point in the history of the world.” Dr Fitchett’s work supplies a need — the need for a concise review of the best theological thought'rising victorious over the arguments and doubts of unbelief. Apart from its academic value, the book has a message, couched in such language as to be easily received by the average reader.