THE ANTITHESIS

BETWEKN

SYMBOLISM AND REVELATION.

LECTURE DELIVERED
BEFORE THE HISTORICAL PRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY
IN

PHILADELPHIA, PA.
BY

PROF.

ABRAHAM KUYPER,
D. D. LL. D. M. P.

HOVEKER & WORMSER LTD.

AMSTERDAM PRETORIA.
T.

EDINBURGH.

&

T.

CLARK,
LTD.

LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSH.\LL, HAMILTON, KKNT

&

CC'.

THE ANTITHESIS

SYMBOLISM AND REVELATION.

THE ANTITHESIS
BETWEEN

SYMBOLISM AND REVELATION.

LECTURE DELIVERED
BEFORE THE HISTORICAL PRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY
IN PHILADELPHIA, PA.
BY

PROF.

ABRAHAM ^KUYPER,
D. D. LL. D. M.

HOVEKER & VVORMSER LTD.

AMSTERDAM PRETORIA.
T.

EDINBURGH.

&

T.
Jb

CLARK,

London: simpkin, makshall, Hamilton, kknt,

co. ltd.

THE ANTITHESIS BETWEEN SYMBOLISM AND REVELATION.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Availing myself much pleasure of the opportunity which your kind invitation

with
puts

my way, my design
in

to say a few
to

words to your honoured Society,

it is

not

give an elaborate lecture, but only to

falls

make

a few

remarks

on a subject that
This subject
is

within the limits of your interests

and mine.
Revelation,

the antithesis between Symbolism and

is

or the current of symbolical religion, which of late

in

becoming almost dominant

England, and now already

in

considerable degree menaces our Calvinistic church-life.

The
ren

facts

need
is

hardly

any proof.

All over non-conformistic

England there
of the

no end of complaint, that so many of the childgeneration

are abandoning the paths of their
their preference

second

fathers,

and are publicly and earnestly declaring

for the episcopalian services.

In one general assembly after another

one of the chief topics

tion:

in

order has been the ever-returning ques-

how
you
for.

to

keep the

rising generation in the fold. In so

this question,

much

as

you have followed the debates on

taken,
also

and the resolutions

looked

know in what way improvement at times has been The astonishing proposition to make non-conformism
by connecting with the church a dancing or boxing

more

attractive,

school,
sports,

or

a large

room

for ///door
I

and a broad
that

field for c'z^/door

speaks

volumes.

remember

two years ago a Con-

gregational minister touched a different chord,

when he pointed

his

audience to the Calvinists in Wales and in Holland, who, in keeping

more

closely to their standards,

had no

difficulty
in

whatsoever

in kindling the love for their

own churches
of an
in

the hearts of their

in

children.
ness,

But

his voice

was a voice of one crying England

the wilder-

and the uneasy

feeling

approaching ebbtide among

is

Methodists and Congregationalists

crease.
in

still

on the

in-

Even

outside
spirit is
is

the churches in the daily press this reflux

the general

watched so keenly, and

this increasing

sym-

pathy

for Ritualism

considered to be of so far reaching conse-

quences,

that

liberal

papers

ascribe

to

it

for

a large part, the

at the last

overwhelming majority which Lord Salisbury secured

elections.

For three-quarters of a century,

remarkable change

as they frankly ack-

nowledge, non-conformism had been the stronghold of the Liberals,

and

it

is

this

in

the public mind, which,

reli-

giously being

more
tlie

in

favor of Ritualism, turns politically to the

advantage of

conservatives and unionists.

The

interesting co-

ming forward

of the unionists under Mr. Chamberlain

was no doubt
no small

incidentally brought about

by Mr. Gladstone's persevering support

tell

of home-rule, but was countenanced, as they

us,

in

proportion

by

this

same

ritualistic
its

movement.

In the long run

our

human mind cannot

it

forsake

oneness of impulse.
is

The

track
fol-

which
lowed

beats

in

matters of religion,

almost spontaneously

in

social

and

political affairs.
if it

So much

to convince

you

that this symbolical

movement,
is

carries the day, far

from being

mere

trifle

in church-life,

on the contrary impregnated by an

energetic principle, which menaces to react upon our whole

human

existence and upon the whole history of the world.

The second
siastically
it

stage of this

movement
is

(for I

emphasize that ecclein the

has three stages)

In the
first

to

be observed

Episcopal

church

itself.

period the thirst of the non-conformistic

renegade

after

more

artistic

worship

is

duly

satisfied

by the
for the

plain-

est service

conducted by a low-church minister. But

church

of

England people,
attraction

things are very differently conditioned.

is

The

same

which the low-church

exercising upon a faltering

and wavering non-conformist, the episcopalian himself undergoes

from

the

so-called high-church
to

movement.

The common prayerthirst for

book seems
still,

them a

dull sailing with quartering winds, or better

a display of the flag at halfmast.

felt
is
is

The

symbolism
a

once

not

quenched by
in,

half measures.
it

The more such

passion

indulged

the

more

is

aggravated.

Thus from the

low-church they stepped over into the high-church, and here they
found
rivalry

the
to

clergy

and the
higher

bishop
on,

almost constantly engaged

in

go

still

the highest also in this ritualistic

I

competition always having the lead.

visited

England, and
I

at-

tended the episcopal services, twenty years ago, and

found that
is

what was considered very high

already in

a quarter of a century ago,

now
new
fore-

some
if

circles

most disdainfully condemned as being be-

hindhand,
item
tell,
is

not a derision of the sanctuary. Almost every year a

to the

added
aware

overburdened

services,

and no one can

where

finally this display of ritualistic inventiveness will stop.

Fully

of the danger that lurks behind

all

these parapher-

nalia Sir

William Harcourt made an impressive and cogent speech,

as

you know,

upon
that
it

this matter in the

House

of

Commons, and
if

recommended
deep
spiritual

should be thwarted by government; as

movement could
if

ever be checked by the executive

power, and as

in

such a case anything short of the reaction of

could change the mind of the people.

the opposite spiritual principle

Now
must

there

is

finally the third stage,

itself;

which
tJie

this ritualistic action

of necessity develop for

viz.,

going back

to

Rome.

According to the
one thousand
step.

Roman

Catholic weeklies every

church-of-England
is

people are

month more than making the decisive

reached; and this

And

this

quite natural. In every race there being a goal,

rest before this goal
is

the

human mind cannot

is

goal in Ritualism

presented in the most harmonious and perfect

Catholic Liturgical performances.

form by the

Roman

There you

find the ripe fruit of a ritualistic

development, of more than a twelve

centures

standing.

At

this

point

Rome

is

not to be surpassed.

Every
selves,

particular in
is

which the high churchmen are indulging them-

stealthily

borrowed from her treasures.

is

With Rome
I

is

the original, theirs

the apery and mimicry.

What

called 'in-

ventiveness

'

in the

second stage, here evidently appears to be noth -

ing

but

mere imitation of the Romish

simile,

pattern.

Or

if

you

like

another
but
the

the

high

churchman

carries a ritualistic bouquet,

ritualistic

rose-bush

buds and blossoms under the shade

of the Vatican.

Such

is

the

condition

of things in England.

In Scotland, in
in fact,

your Eastern
wherever the

States, in the Netherlands, in

spirit

South Africa,

of Calvin

won

more thorough, more absolute

and

more permanent
in
its

victory,

this

movement
It

still

stumbles and

totters

first
is

stage.

The

voice that speaks from the blood once.

of the martyrs

not

stifled at

would, however, be closthat, as the white ant,

ing
it

your eyes against the

in

reality to

deny

has succeeded already

its

piercing also our walls and

commenhave
dif-

cing

destructive work.

Although very
all

rarely, apostacies

occurred.
ferences
rated.

Preaching, before

things, should be short.

The

between one denomination and another should be

In
religious

oblite-

geology
thin.

the

dogmatical

stratum

should be

underground and very

wearied

The common mind

refuses to be

by such antiquated documents as confessions and catechisms. At this point the breach between parents and children is becoming wider and wider, with each succeeding generation.

And

especially

among

the

more cultured
for

classes the

demand

is

more and more general

steeples

for beautiful church-buildings,

with lofty
for

and

high

spires,

dominating organ music, and

exquisite choirs and soloist's.

Here and there these

the

artistic

requi-

rements

in

every

particular

of the service are even pressed in a

much more
truth.
I

urgent

way than
to

soundness

of

the

Apostolic

do not want

exaggerate,

and therefore

willingly add,

that there are not a few important assets that counterbalance these
liabilities.

Christian

liberality

as

it

is

exercised in our days was

century.

entirely

unknown

in

the

first

half of this

spirit ot

reciprocal
ies

estimation has succeeded to the squabbles and jealousdays.

is

of former
stifled,

The

theological
in

hatred,

if

not entirely put

all,

out and
is

glowing

mere embers. And, above

there

an increase of personal and of combined activity in the missiothe

philanthropic,

nary,

and the hospital domains,

far

exceeding

what has been achieved

Gains
so

in the
in

most glorious days of our

fathers.

highly

valuable

my

eye that,

were the symbolical

sympathies outside the boundaries of our own churches an isolated

movement,

should

feel

inclined

to

connive temporarily at the

I

lack of love for the Truth, accepting the assets, which

as

mentioned^

the prognostics of better times to come, and as fully counter-

balancing the black points.

This
little

however

is

impossible.
just

Two, three drops

will

falling

from a

cloud,
if lifting

passing

over your head,

not disturb you.

But
and

up your eye, you discern from

clouds
flash of lightning,

all sides

much

thicker
rent

darker

gathering on the horizon,

now and then

already
danger,

by a

you

feel at

once the approaching

and the
is

two

little

drops become a serious warning.

So
the,

now

it

here.

There

exists

an undeniable

affinity

between

as yet, feeble symbolical action in our

ritualistic

own churches and

the dark

cloud pending over Great Britain. Both have a

are,

common

origin.

They

the
in

one
the

as

well

as the other, the issue of a

remarkable
least

change

common
is

sentiment.

And

without the

danger of being disclaimed by the events as a

false prophet,
is

you
true

may
to

predict,

that
is

what

now
is

seen elsewhere,

only the
if

image of what
exert
its

awaiting yourselves.

allowed
yield

full

energy,

The same cause, always bound in the end

to

identical

results.

There are
soon
as,

local changes, not affecting the

like here, a tiniversal

world
has
soul,
it

outside.
in,

But

as

set

springing forward from the very entity of

that
it

movement the human

you know beforehand

certainly find
its

must become general, and that

its

shall

way, digging

own bed
it

like a torrent

rushing
us

down

from the mountain-sides. In serious matters none ot

like to

here

should

be childish, and childish

would

be, not

to realize at

once the inner connection between the general increase

in literature, in painting, in sculpture,

of love
in

of the symbolical
of worship

service

outside our

own

churches, and the clearly

bij

distinguishable changes of religious appreciation

which no keen
circles.

observer
spiritual

can

keep
also

from being impressed

there
is

in

our

own

In

things

an atmosphere permeating the whole

this

of

life.

As

in the

days of our fathers

atmosphere was saturated

10
with a strong anti- symbolical element, just so
bA^
it is

now impregnated

an ever more strongly

distilled tincture of symbolism.

A distinct

change, which every thoughtful observer now already fully realizes, although the bulk of the people, soon accustomed to symbolism's
peculiar fragrance,

and themselves halfway intoxicated by

it,

are

not

in

the least aware

ritualistic

how

far the scenes

have been already

shifted-

This

change,

however,

is

not to be understood as a
aesthetical.
It
is

supplantation of the religious feeling

arl

by the

not

but

symbolism

(and

once
;

more emphasise

the expression)

and the true conception of the new that took hold of the mind movement lies in the acknowledgement of the fact, that of late
indeed a new religious
tide

has set

in.

The

difference

between the
is

dominating

spirit

of the end of the former century and of ours,

well marked, in

Europe

at least, both in Protestant

and

in

Roman
if

Catholic circles.

hundred years ago Voltaire, now de Brunetiere^

French mind
in

gives expression to the

leading classes.

And

in

the

days

of

the

French

convention
in

statesmen
strong

and

belletrists,

scholars
ances,

and

politicians,

were vying

a7iti-rt\\g\o\xs

utter-

now on

the contrary an increasing

number

of eminent

men

of paramount influence, both in the university and in governmental circles, are deeming it a point of honour, publicly to declare their
religious

sympathies

and

to

proclaim their predilections for mys-

tical piety.

Only

it

should

be

observed
is

that

this newly-risen predilection

is

for the religious

element

of a very peculiar kind. It

absolutely

devoid of every personal and definite character. Both in the days of the Apostles and in the times of the Reformation the revival
of spiritual
living
life

originated from a yearning of the heart after the

God,

for salvation

and

for eternal peace.

In both instances
shall I

the

cry

of the

troubled conscience was:

What

do

to

be

saved?
soul
is

Now, on
witnessed.

the contrary, no such struggle of the oppressed

It is

not Augustine confessing: Inquietum cor

in
in

meum
on the
not

donee requiescat
it

Te

o Domine,

i.

e.:

My

heart remains

unquiet until

can rest

Thee,

God.

It is

not Luther creeping

It is

stairs of the Vatican for the

redemption of his soul.

Calvin,

bidding

every

earnest

man and

woman

not to rest

II

before they had discovered the source of their personal redemption

in

God's good pleasure. Oh, no! In

at all for deliverance

this
;

new

religious tide there

is

no

demand
after

from

sin

there

is

no longing whatsoever

redemption; nowhere the desire for a conscious personal reuitself.

nion with the living God, our Father in heaven, declares

adherents of this
cultured
position
class,
>iezv

The

rdigioii,

belonging almost

all

to the highly

are

well

satisfied

with themselves and with their

their

in

this
is

world,

leaving

future

lot in

the world to

come,
is

if

there

such a one, an open question.

in the

Their watchword
Infinite;

the

merging of the soul

ocean of the
in

the after-

thrilling of the soul of the

Cosmos

the vibrations of their

own

heart;

the

perception

of an all-pervading power, inspiring them;

and

the

coveting of an ever unattainable ideal.

still

And
is

if

some of

them are

appreciating

some connection between

new
sentiments,
it

the vocabulary

of the old religion with their

not the Father,

it

and not the Saviour,

but as an

whom

they most beroently adore, but

is

almost exclusively the Holy Ghost, not conceived as a personal God,

infinite,

all-pervading Spirit.

They borrow

their choicest

expressions

more from the Indian Veda's than from the

inspiring their songs
in

apostolic

documents, and no doubt that pantheism, more than the adoration

of the Triune God,
is

and

their pious utterances.

Loosing themselves
are

an unfathomable divine Immanency, they

to

the

most absolute Daltonists as

God's majestic Transcendis

ency. not
to

And
fear,

to
to

resume
serve

it

in

one word, their constant endeavor

to love the living

and

God,

their Creator

and the Disposer of

titillations

their destinies, but to enjoy fully the mystical

of a

delightful religious feeling.

Of

course, the lower

classes

do not catch a suggestion of such

therefore
is

religious delicacies.

The

movement
sion

a thoroughly aristocratic one.

their

The

persua-

however of the superiority of

these
refined

own

standpoint does not

prevent

Buddhists

from

vouchsafing

by a condesto urge

cending
the
less

altruism,

the

further use of the old Christian religion to

cultured

class,

provided no attempt be

made

it

back upon their own mind, and

of
life

the lead of society in every circle

be guaranteed to their new born opinions.

is

Such

the

general

underlying

religious

stratum,

in

which

12

Symbolism stands
is

rooted,

or to express

it

in
is

another form, such

radiating
its

the background from

which SymboHsm
its

poly-

chromatic beams, and projecting

mysterious shades.

The new

movement in itself as its beams reach

prism
bolism,

is

devoid of color and outline.

But as soon

the

existing churches, and pass through the

in,

of
in

our Christian worship, the refraction sets

its

and Symfelt.

duly
there

variegated

forms,

makes
if

its

influence

Therefore

let

be

no mistake, as

this

new

religious tide

were related
beginning
Protestant
illustrious

in

some way or other

century.

to the Christian revival of the

of this

The

Christian

revival,

both

in

the

and Roman Catholic churches, forever famous by the names of D'Aubigne and Vinet, of de Bonald and Chateaubriand, was the result of the horrors of the Napoleonic and led
lethargy.
to

oppression,
its

the awaking of the Christian

mind from
but
a

sinful

This

was
been

no

religious

revoluiioji,

restoration

of

what had
to
Christ,

shamefully

abandoned.

real

coming back
this

and a longing

for his salvation.

With

revival

therefore

the
its

new

religious

movement, from which

upon which

Symbolism borrows
it

incentive,

has no connection whatsoever;

boldly

opposed

it,

and

set fire to

every

field

its

harvest
the

was ripening.
revival,

So much only can be granted,

and
this

that both

Christian

new mystical

religious

movement,

were a reaction against the ungodliness of the period of Voltaire

and the low vulgarity of the so called "Illumination" of that time

in

Germany.
have

But,

except this general antithesis, the garments of

in

both

stand the
trace

the

common; and in order rightly to underinherent character of this new religious tide, we have to threefold source from which it originated: The modern
no thread
the
historical

philosophy,

school,

and the

aesthetical

development

of our times.
First

there

was
in

the
its

new

German
felt

philosophy,

from

Kant

to

Schelling,

which

splendid

enthusiasm for organic oneness

and systematical conception,

gration
life

painfully offended

by the
rise

disinte-

to

which the French revolution had submitted our entire

and

thought.

There was

in the

second place the

of the

famous so-called

historical school, of

Niebuhr and de Savigny, which

13
in
its

deep

reverence

for

the

past,

could not but scorn at the

with which the French

Hghtheartedness

and

flimsy
all

superficiality,

revolutionists cut off

historical process,

and imagined themselves

will of a single

able

by the whimsical utterance of the popular

day to renew the face of the world.

And
all

in

the third place there

was the

revival

of art

life,

under the

permeating influence of

Lessing and Goethe, which,

tiful

in its adoration for the classical beaufeel

of the

Greek world, must

scandalized
to the

by the

ridiculous

extolling of uncultured nature, as

was

French revolutionists

the real point of departure for their system.

At
been

that

time already the almost incredible defeat of Sedan has

prepared.

The German mind,

field

rising
it

to

its

full

height of

energy, slew the French spiritually, before

annihilated the French

army on
this

the

of battle.

The French
rose. In

revolution was a wild

stroke of madness, bordering upon suicide.

About the middle of

France since the second

century France sank,

Germany
find

Napoleon
while
in

came forward, we

only middling sized capacities;

thought,

Germany a host of heroes and genii arose, and German German science, German education ruled all Europe and
in

took the lead

every department of science.

insane upheaval had but roused the

strength

from
itself
it

their

slumbers.
the
full

The French by their German mind and the German In twenty-five years Germany
its

worked
already

up

to

measure of

grandeur, and then

could have been prophecied that henceforward the comof the

bined
school

spirit

German
its

philosophical,

historical

and

artistic

should

put

stamp upon the next period of our human

culture.

Now
trait:

in this threefold

German movement

there

was one common

the going back from an uncongenial present to an attractive

past,

and

in

that

past

the attractive point was found not in the

tragic cross of Calvary

and the

hills

of Gallilee, but
It

in

the

Academy
acme

of

Plato

and

in

the studio of Phidias.

was one running back

in the

from weak and deadly pale Christianity to old Greece

of
its

blossom.

Luther translated

the Bible,

Schleiermacher Plato's

tvorks ;

and the fundamental idea of pantheism, borrowed from the

revived,

Stoa,

remodelled

and deepened, on the whole

glittering

14
philosophical line of great

German

philosophers.

The

artistic

school

followed

in

the track and supplanted the Cfucifix and Ecce

of

home

by the Apollo
the
historical

Belvedere and the Venus

di

Medici,

And finally
for the

school

came forward
to

to justify this aversion to so

sad

present,

and
past.

encourage a boundless admiration

Moreover, you remember,

wisdom of the

how

the navxa
;

QH xai ovdfv nhii was once the watchword of the Stoa

and thus,
this

by resolving everything
school
Infinite

in

an uninterrupted historical process,

joined

the pantheism of the philosophical school; and the

manifesting
finite,

and developing

itself in

the successive stages

of the

took

hold of the

mind

as the leading thought,

all

which

had

to direct our investigations.

And

this

was suggested and

countenanced with such elaborate study, with such an overflowing

treasure of detailed proof, in such a splendid style, and with such

logical

cogency,

that

science

itself,

raised to the higher level

indentified

of the

organic

conception,

became almost

with this

pantheistic worldview.

deemed

unscientific,

They who dared to oppose it, were simply and, if clever, men willingly insincere, and
new leading thought could Anglo-Saxon mind. The
and hovering

guilty deceivers of the people.

In this abstract form, however, this

not
radiate

from

the

German
is

to

the

Anglo-Saxon, as such,
tical fanatic.

neither a born philosopher nor an aesthelikes fluttering in the air

The German

on the
both

wings of idealism; the Anglo-Saxon prefers to stand with

feet firmly

on the ground.

Hence

it

came

to pass that the

this

Anglo-Saxon world remained almost unaffected by

development
of real
until

new German

Darwin gave

it

its

material basis, in the abolition

species

and the uninterrupted process by which the plant

in the vertebrate, the vertebrate in a
in

was metamorphosed

mammal,
becoming

and the

mammal
the

man.

The

idea

of the

Infinite

phenomenal
itself

in the finite,

by means of a material process, adapted

and from that moment on the

to

Anglo-Saxon mind;
mastered
the

modern theory of the

the
finite

pantheistic relation between the Infinite and

has

public

mind,

and encompassed the

it.

rising generation all over the world,

sweeping everything before

15

Now
aware

here

is

the very point at which the want of

Symbohsm
becomes

announced

itself.

Every one who, moving

in

the

finite,

of the

existence of something Infinite, has to form a con-

ception of the relation that exists betiveen both.

hties present themselves.

Here two

possibi-

Either the Infinite reveals

itself to

man,

and by
Infinite

this revelation unveils the really existing relation;

or the

remains

mute and
that

silent,

and man himself has to guess,

to

conjecture,

and
;

to represent to himself this relation by

is,

means
first

of his imagination
line
is

in

an

artificial

way.

Now
in

the

the Christian one.

in

The
past

Infinite at

sundry times and

in divers

manners spoke
days

times
to

by the prophets, and

these late
silent

has spoken

us

by

his

Son

this

Son being not a

Word.

mystery, but the eternal, creating and speaking

Paganism,

on the contrary, being destitute of revelation, wants the symbol, and creates
having
ears
it

in

its

idols,

"

having mouths but they speak not,

but

they

hear not."
Infinite

Symbol means a
visible finite.

fictitious link
It
is

between

the

invisible
i.

and the

derived

from

av^^alltiv;
is

e.,

bringing

two

different

spheres together.

Symbolism
unspeakable.

the

grasping of something outward

and material,

upon which the imagination may put the stamp of the unseen and

The symbol
what you
feel,

is

the middle link, being related from

see

one

side

to

can

and grasp, and from the other

side to

what you

fancy and imagine.

Infinite

As
in

soon, therefore, as

the

consciousness

of the

revives

the public mind, in

antagonism to a God-given Revelation, the demand for the symbol

necessarily

and immediately declares

it

itself.

So

it

was

in

the Grecian

world,

so

is

now. Of course there exists also an ?/;/conscious,

Infinite

ever-changing relation between the

and the

finite in

the actual

phenomena of
ing after
its

life

but this relation, being always partial, successive

satisfy the soul.

and momentarily gauged, cannot

is

What

she

is

long-

a comprehensive impression of the Infinite in

;

its

totality, in

all-pervading and all-permeating action

is

and

this sensation
it

no

finite

phenomenon
such an
it

able to

stir
is

in us, just

because

is

finite.

What
;

the soul want to realize

infinite sensation

a grasping of the Infinite as such

and

Symbolism only can produce, just because

puts an invisible stamp upon a visible or palpable phenomenon.

t6
In the Freemasonry you see quite the

same

thing.

Freemasonry
it

aims

at

the

Infinite,

but

rejects

all
still

revelation,

and therefore

created

from

the very

first,

and

advocates, the most explicit

is

and

elaborated

symbolism.

Spiritism, on the contrary,

almost

choked with

thirst for revelation

from the other side of the tomb,

and consequently knows of no symbolical fancy whatsoever.

So Revelation and Symbolism

principle.

are opposed one to the other

by

Both
the
that

have

in

view

to establish a perceivable relation

between
opposed,
himself
the
finite

Infinite

and the and

finite,

but they are so diametrically

it

by the means of Revelation

/<r^zV// ;
it

is

the infinite Being

who

unveils
<5>'

stipulates the relation to be accepted

by

creature

the

and

that,

on the other hand, on the

conventionally coins
faith,

field

of

Symbolism,

is

finite

man who

such a relation symbollically, to be grasped not by

sensation.

but by

Now

the fact that

German pantheism
no one
will

rejects

and repu-

diates every supernatural revelation,

deny.

From

the

very beginning
confession,
tures.

its

war has been waged against every dogma, every

of a

and every divine authority ascribed to the Holy Scripidea

itself

The

God

intervening

in

the process ol

history

was absolutely excluded;

to

yea, even thrust out

Infinite,

and debarred.

According
revealing

the
its

navxa qh, the

strictly

bound

to the

of

essence in the course of successive events, could

only throb and pulsate in the arteries of the cosmos and in man's
soul.

But,

besides that,

it

had

to

be

silent

and mute as the

idol.

In the all-embracing antithesis between Revelation and Symbolism,

therefore, the current opinion of the

day could not but antagonize

Symbohsm. And here Philosophy and Art found their natural alliance Philosophy, by its oneness of systematical conception, raising the mind to the Infinite, and Art, by the wonderful power of its imaginative gifts, creating the corRevelation

and side with

responding symbols.

Such
there

is

the bifurcation of the

way

of Hfe at the approaching close

of this century. There are two crossing tracks. Pointing to the Orient,
is

the old track of faith in a God-given Revelation, excluding

every

"will-worship."

But

this

old track

now

is

crossed by the
Mill-worship

new road

of Symbolism, boldly exhibiting the word:

17

on every guidepost
as

till

ist

end.

And such an
It

all-important fact
its

the

thriving of such a cross-purpose antithesis cannot stop

diverging result within the holy precincts.

to opposite conclusions

must lead necessarily

our social and
political,

and

issues,

both
fact

for

our moral and

scientific views.

which becomes self-evident

by the simple

observation

that Revelation reveals not only holy

mysteries, but also proclaims irrevocable principles and immutable

ordinances demanding obedience; and that, on the contrary, under

the

sway of Symbolism
all

all

principles are man's

own

contrivances,

and
in

moral ordinances self-made and conventional.

symbolical

The

jurist

the
is

camp does

not hesitate publicly to declare that

is

there
law,

no right except that which

that, therefore,

stated

and

what was right

is

by the promulgated to-day becomes injustice

to-morrow, as soon as that law

repealed.

No
at
it

doubt,

therefore, this all

important and dominating antithesis

should clearly have been caught by every student, and Symbolism

once antagonized by every Christian man,

if

in

our actual

life

had made

its

appearance in
at
its

its

absolute form.

This, however,

was

nowhere the case

corporations,

the

rise

of such

new
its

tide.

Even

Freemasonry borrowed
building

symbols from the then existing church

took
care
to

and

hide

real

meaning

behind

the

mysterious curtain of successively higher degrees. So

likes

Symbolism always
esoteric
stealthily
circle,

to

unfold

its

full

blossom
life

only

in its

and

exoterically
its

prefers

the

of the parasite,

entering

radicles into the delicate rind of the Chris-

tian
its

stem.

Accommodation
thought,
as

to

existing religion has always been

it

leading

and

this

accommodation

achieved at once
as the highest

by taking
reality.,

poetry

what the church

to the

confesses

by attaching
as
felt

holy history the alluring character of

its

the legend and the myth, and finally by interpreting

actions of

worship
once
I

mere symbolical

utterances.

still

remember how

shocked by the church performances of a distinguished

adherent of the new system,

secret whatsoever to
tian
faith,

who

in private

conversation

made no
pulpit,

me

of his absolute apostacy of the old ChrisI

and

whom

three days later

in the

saw mounting the

is

solemnly reading what

Book

of the Kings

written about

Elias' miracles,

and thereupon leading the

I
felt

collects of the

common
I

prayer.

confess frankly that

unable to explain such a bold

contrast of personal conviction and outward performance.

it

thought

the

essence

of insincerity.

But how greatly

was mistaken.

"O, no, said he, there

think?
children,

Would
you

it

was no unfairness whatever. What do you be unfair, if taking part in the play of your
as earnestly as the
little

performed,

ones, the part

of king which your boy had assigned you.

What

hypocrisy, then,

could

there
as

be

in
call

one

playing and singing with the children of

God,

they
if

themselves, and of partaking in their worship?

ourselves

Of
real,

course

we

considered

all

those performances as
I

we

could not join in them.

us

But now, what,

ask you, could

prevent

from

enjoying

your Christian high-styled poetry, or

in

from

ennobling

our own feelings by partaking

to

your elaborate

symbohcs?
It
is

Even the holy supper

very

me

is

a symbolical delicacy.

these

church performances that unite the more child-

like existence of the ordinary people with the

more conscious and

modern

cultured

life

of the scientists."
preference,

Hence the
testant,

which

in

the

opinion of these

symbolistes, the

Roman

Catholic Church possesses above the Pro-

and

among our

various denominations the Episcopalian

above the presbyterian,

of the
this

in all its branches.

Already
in

in

the

first

half

century the so-called

of a
great

Romantic school

Germany

let to

conversion

artists to

the Church of

many famous Lutheran scholars and Rome; and this can not surprise us. As
vital

with the solution of every her compromise.

principles

probleem, Rome's strength

lies

in

Rome

understood perfectly well the two different

involved in the antithesis between Revelation and

as

Sym-

bolism,

and avoiding,
in

always, every absolute choice, kept to

the
in

Revelation

her confession, but at the same time indulged

Symbolism

for her worship.

So
the

Rome

possesses an elaborate

dogmatical

system, but without troubling the mind of the people

thinks
for

by

it.

The church
is

people,

their's is the "fides

implicita" the implicit faith. In that implicit faith" to adhere to the

church

considered to

be satisfactory

for the laity.

And

thus

the Revelation being secured, clergy and laity both are allowed to

19

indulge

in

the

most exquisite,

most splendid, and most

artistic

symbolical

worship.

The impression

of a high-mass performance
is

in the Saint Peter's, or in the

Cologne or Milan cathedral

indeed

overpowering and overwhelming.

But the shady side

is

obvious,

and
class
for

at the

end of the middle ages, the lower as well as the higher

witness,
this

could

to

what sad

results

both for the church and

society,
led.
I

compromise between Revelation and Symbolism

refer
I

had

do not
to

here

to the abuse.

From abuse

every

system

has

suffer.

draw your

attention merely to what, at

the end of the middle ages, proved the downright consequence of

the system

itself.

God's holy

Word

almost ignored by the people.

An

overflow of mystical sensations darkening the mind.

A general

bluntness and dullness, rendering both the conscience and the consciousness

dim and obtuse; and the distance between the lower and
classes
vital

the

higher
All

wide and sharp.

energy
broken.

The

laity overruled

by the

clergy.

And

the spirit of liberty and

independence quite crushed down.

At
still

that critical period

shall

God

sent as a saving angel, what

we

all

honour as

the Refonnation,

and

this

powerful reaction
Lutheran, and

against

Roman
in

symbolism, partly checked

in the

more so

the

Episcopalian church, bas been wrought out fully

line,

only along the Calvinistic

in

the non- conformist

churches.
Instead of

These churches therefore took a

relying upon
faith

fully opposite stand.

feeling

and sensation, they appealed to Faith, and

its

here meant both the understanding of the Revelation and

personal application to the soul.

They denied

absolutely the neces-

city of connecting the Infinite with the finite

revealed himself,

Jiad revealed the

by symbols. God had mysteries of salvation, had rewas not

to

vealed his ordinances for every sphere of our existence, and accor-

ding to what Jesus declares, eternal

sensations, but
''to

life

have agreeable
Christ

know

Thee, the only true

God and Jesus

whom

thou hast sent."

Not symbols but the ''wisdom of God"

the
apostolic

was the preaching of the Cross. "I speak as to wise men, judge
ye what
I

say,"

interpreted

method of teaching,

20

expounding not to the clergy alone,

mysteries of justification and
the fundamental difference

but

to all the saints, the

redemption,

Here, therefore,

lies

between our old Calvinistic churches

with

their

bold
is
is

confession,

and

Rome
God
is

with

is

compromise.

Of

course

there

the mystical working of hidden potencies in our

the

mind, there
the

perception

of

in the conscience, there is

emotion

in

prayer,
Spirit.

and there

the

communion with
gifts,

the

indwelling

Holy
but

But these are the mystical

is

and the

aim of God's Revelation

perceptions,
to

not to abandon us to shady and dim

to

declare

us

the truth, to

lift

us up to

its

understanding,

and so to enable the children of the kingdom of and serene

light

heaven to

kindle the pure

of the

Gospel,
if

to

become

confessors

of a sound and clear confession, and

neces-

sary to shed their

martyrblood not for mystical sensations, but

God's Revelation. Hence the circulation of
social classes; the well defined confessions,

for the inviolability of

their

Bible

among

all

which they unfolded as

content
of their

their

banners

the substantial Scriptural

preaching;

their

purified

and simplified liturgy;

God's holy ordi-

and

finally

their submitting of every creature to

nances.

So standing before the dilemma of

for faith.

feeling or faith, they

choose

Standing before the dilemma between sensation

distinctly for under-

and understanding, they declared themselves

standing.

And
us

as to the fundamental

dilemma between Revelation

given to

by God, and Symbolism conventionally coined by

antagonized the symbolical system, and stood

man,

they
the

firmly
all

up

for

pervading authority of God's holy Revelation.

their

This

was the nerve of

glory in history.
of
the
life,

strength,

and to

this

staunch defense of
their imperishable

Revelation over against

Symbolism, they owe

For

it

was by thus decidedly turning the wheel

its

that

the

human mind was roused from

of humanity

slumbers, that
that the direct

hidden

energies

came forward,
and as
its

union of the soul with

conscience,

God was
political

restored,

and that the liberty of

immediate consereconquered for

the

liberty

of worship,

quence,

the

social

and

liberties,

were

every nation, following

in their track.
I

The remarks

thus far suggested to your attention,

trust, fully

21
elucidate

my

assertion,
in

that

the

symbolical

tide of

our days

is

undermining
all

the

most dangerous way the very foundation of

Calvinistic

churches.

The

principle of

Symbolism and

that of

Calvinism are just the reverse of one another.

An

abyss

is

gaping

between them. Symbolism

stultifies

in the

holy precincts stuns, blunts and

the

organs of understanding, and checks their function

agnostically.

Our

churches, on the contrary, did not cease to pray,

"to
desire that all the people of
all

with

St.

Paul,

and

God might
spiritual

be

filled

with the hiowledge of his will in

wisdom and

understanding y

Symbolism throws us back

which could but
masses.
to
to
stir

to that lozver stage of

religious development,

the feelings and intoxi-

cate

the the

senses

of the
life

raised

religious

that

Our churches, on the contrary, much higher level, which leads

St.

every

believer

personally

what

John confessed,

..that the

Son of God has come and has given us the tinderstanding might know him." And so also Symbolism subjects the
the

that

we

laity to

mysterious

performances

of the

clergy

and

hereby

fosters

aristocratic sympathies.
laity

Our

churches, on the contrary, united both

laid the foun-

and clergy

in

one brotherhood, and thereby

dation for the democratic pre-eminenee of

modern

times.

Let

therefore

no

one

retort, that

whatsoever catastrophe

may

be menacing elsewhere, neither Ritualism, nor Symbolism proper,

has
thus
far

made any
the fact be

noticeable

intrusion

into

our Calvinistic

services.

May

beyond

question.

But do you not know, that

no good arithmetician
out
the

will cast

up the
in

positive figures only, leaving

negative

ones.

Now,

our

case
is

the

positive

is

the

intrusion
viz.,

of sensual

worship,
of the

but here

also the negative item,

in of

the

darkening

understanding and the slipping

begins

confessional

indifference.

Symbolism always
in
I

by

silencing

the voice of the confession, and by instilling

some

slight aversion glittering

toward the dogma, so digging out the bed

ritualistic

which the

stream

is

to

flow.

And

now, as

am

a foreigner here,

you know you own churches better than I do. But are you sure, that this negative action of Symbolism is nowhere operating among you ? Is the danger that the love for the banners which your fathers
unfolded, be drowned in mere practical

work and

beautiful services

22
a chimerical one ?

And

if

not,

if

really
is

among you
abating,

also the fervent

to a certain

attachment

to

the

revealed

Truth

and

amount a share of confessional

indifference

here

also

moistens

already, and thickens the spiritual atmosphere, then let the watch-

man

of Sion

mount the

belfry, for then the gate stands ajar,

it.

and

Symbolism

lies in

wait in the trenches before

As

little

as the

sailor can conjure the gale that hunts his vessel,

but by keeping
if

to his helm, so

little

can you check this symbolical current,

you

do not emphasize your own church principle. For such a current

is

an all-permeating elementary power, to be checked only by the

equivalent power of your attachment to the revealed Truth.

us not deceive ourselves.

Let

Philosophic Agnosticism, Rome's fides

the

implicita", Ritschl's anti- dogmatical school,

new

school of Sabwell as the

batier

in

Paris,
it

Rome's concealing of the

Bible,

as

dethroning of

by higher
is

criticism,
all

and so also the increasing

confessional indifference, are

terminus of that line

symbolical adoration.

moving on the same Hne, and the no other than sensual worship and dim

Meanwhile
serious

let

there be

no misunderstanding.

Pointing

to

the

danger with which Symbolism menaces

the future of our

Calvinistic
principle,

Church
and
for

life,

and pleading

for a decided return to

our

firm

and staunch devotion

to

our holy vo-

cation, I don't

mean

to lay all the fault at the door of our antaentirely.

gonists,

and to exculpate ourselves

abuses

There have been and

there
fathers

are

among

us also.

In the heat of the battle our

more than once became

guilty of onesidedness and exag-

geration.

Our
and
I

own
at

churchlife
least

was

often

far

from

being

well

balanced,

should hesitate to assert that, without

perfect

any further
of the

essential

rent elements in

harmony of the diffeour worship could be attained. The appreciation

development,
of the
to

sound

understanding

Truth has

ofted

led to an

offending
to

narrow-mindedness,
of the

an odious quarrelsomeness, and

self-conceitedness

ignorant,
Spirit of

by which

Christian love

was wounded and the

Holy

God

grieved.

Assurance

23
of faith,
resting

on

the

dogmas of

election

and of the persever-

more than once has been asserted in such a cool and outward way, as to bring down the mystical union
ance
of the
saints,

with

Christ to the freezing point.

Justification

by

faith

alone too

often has

become an excuse
at.

for the uncharitable

and

lazy to abstain

from,

if

not to jest

Christian works.

And

in

our holy services

frequently offended

both the ear and the eye were, and are

still,

by such

neglect
if

of what

is

beautiful and sublime,

fair

solemn and

dignified, as

Christian faith and a

and melodious utterance

were antipodes.
Beautiful.

God

in

His Revelation always recommends the

it

Even of

Christ

is

said

"Thou

art fairer than the

children of men."

Our decided
silence

opposition to
claims.

Symbolism, therefore, should never

Calvin

the

liturgical

with

his

musical

friends,

Goudimel and Bourgeois,

not
pure.
a

tried

the utmost to

make

the singing,

of a

choir,

but of
to

all

the people, thoroughly melodious and

let

And

as

the

Liturgy,

me draw your
of a

attention to

more

elaborate
character,

Calvinistic

Liturgy

mixed

Dutch and
Cal-

English
forty
vinists

which

had the privilege

of republishing

years

ago

in

the works of John a Lasco.

The Dutch

in the

middle of the sixteenth century, were persecuted to

cruelty,

death

by Spanish
in

and then

sought refuge under King

their mi-

Edward VI
nister,

London.
sagacious

There John a Lasco became

and

this

man
is

predicted to

Cranmer now more

and
in

than
the

three hundred years ago,

all

the pernicious results to which

common
proved

prayer book

now

effectually leading,

every
I

point

himself to be as sound a Presbyterian as you or

that

can be.

And
in

same man composed

(thus
title

for his

Dutch church

in

London such
published
read
it)

a splendid, touching, solemn and elaborated Liturgy,

Latin

enabling

every
Ratio,

Calvinistic

minister to
to

under the

Forma ac

that
at.

we have only

return to our old treasury in order to have

hand just the model

we

want. Let us never forget that what John a Lasco, by his rare
in

penetration of mind, prognosticated

true in our days.

his time,

is

so

much more

We

may

not always keep to the beaten track.

civilization

Three centuries of increasing

have refined the public

24
taste in
tural
life

such a remarkable degree, that

it

should be an un-Scriplife

disregard
of grace,

of the inner relation between natural

if

and the

our churches did not discern these signs of the

debars
all

times.

He who
it

equitable liturgical demands, and even

all

deems
but

point of honor to banish

that
to

is

solemn and har-

monious from
indeed
it

our
is

services,

may presume
its

oppose symbolism,
straight.

he

who makes
or

highway
and
leaves

All

this,

however,
ot
if

refers exclusively to the

is

reform of abuses, to the balancing

to

what

one-sided
of

exaggerated,

the

harmonizing
itself,

you

like,

discordants,

but

it

the

principle

untouched and untried. Symbolism replaces Revelation and makes

us
fall

back from conscious

to unconscious religion. Calvinismal

ways

places Revelation in the foreground, and tolerates no other perfor-

mances than such

under
its

as

are

able

to

echo

it

and remain carefully

sway.
I

And now if finally, for me, how we can discern

cal,

must come

to

my

conclusion,

you ask

the pernicious influence of the Symbolifor Liturgi-

which we should antagonize, from the pure love

which
is

cal reform,

to be encouraged, see here, then,

my

answer.

In case

you have

to deal with a

gentleman or a lady, who pleads

brilliant

enthusiastically

for

splendid

music,

singing
for

and richly

decorated churches, but to

died,
is

whom the confession

caring
;

which our martyrs

immaterial

not

bit for

the most fundamental

points
if

of our confession
is

and almost refusing to give an answer,

is

a reason

asked of the hope that

in

them,

then know that

try to save

the

symbolical blood-poisoning has

fear.

commenced, and
if,

them with meekness and

But

on the contrary, the man

who warmly and even

more
dignified

with cogency vindicated the rights of a

liturgical worship,

becomes threefold more earnest

and eloquent, as often as the foundations of the divine Truth are

assailed,

then do not be afraid, such a one has no drop of symin

bolism
rather

his life-blood.

In him speaks the true Calvinist.

And,

than
of

mistrust
to

him,

you might

better

correct

your own

lack

obedience

the law of the Sublime and the Beautiful,

which God has ordained.