PROFESSOR HARNACK'S REPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12238, 6 April 1903, Page 4

PROFESSOR HARNACK'S REPLY.

A reply to the Kaiser's manifesto has been published by Professor Harnack, the leading German authority on Biblical criticism and author of the well-known book, " What is Christianity?" The interest of Professor Harnack's article is enhanced by the fact thab he enjoys the personal friendship of his Sovereign, who is known to share the general opinion that he is not only one of the most eminent German scholars, but also one of the foremost men of letters of the day. The, Professor, in the course of his article, : deals as follows with the Emperor's remarks regarding the revelation of religion and the Divinity of Christ:—"When the word 'revelation' is employed the distinction between faith and science in their bearings upon religion at once becomes manifest. Science, strictly speaking, cannot admit the conception of revelation at . all; it regards that conception as transcendental. Conversely, faith § cannot give up revelation. ■Nevertheless, as things have developed, a rapprochement has taken place. The Evangelical Protestant faith nowadays recognises revelationapart from the reverent contemplation of the universeonly in persons. The whole subordinate range of alleged revelations has been abandoned. There is no revelation through the instrumentality, of

things. The letter of the Emperor also takes up this position : it says that the revelations of God in mankind are persons, and, above all, great men. Now insomuch as the individuality and power of great men constitute their secret the formula for the reconciliation of faith and knowledge is, so far as may be, established. Yet when I and others feel that these personages are revelations of God this is an act of inward experience, which science is not able to produce or to prohibit. The Christian community must reject every estimate of Christ which obliterates the distinction between Him and the other masters. He Himself, His disciples, and the history of the world bare spoken in such olear terms on this point that there ought to be no room for doubt; and in His word He still speaks to us as clearly as in the days of old He spoke to His disciples. Yet the question may and must be raised whether the rigid formula, ' the Divinity of Christ,' is the right one. He Himself did not employ it; He selected other designations ; and whether it was ever adopted by any of His disciples is, to say the least, very doubtful. Nay, the early Church itself did not speak of the 'Divinity of Christ' without qualification; it always spoke of His 'Divinity and humanity.' ' Godmanhood' is, therefore, the only correct formula, ' even in the sense of the ancient dogma. This formula implies the almost complete restoration of the ' mystery' which, in accordance with the will of Christ Himself was meant to be preserved in this question. Of the truth that He is the Lord and the Saviour He made no secret; and that He is so was to be experienced and realised by His disciples in His word and His works. But how His relationship to His Father arose, this He kept to Himself and has hidden it from us. According to my reading of history and my own feeling, even the formula, ' Man and God' (Godmanhood), is not absolutely unexceptionable, for even this formula trespasses upon a mystery into which we are not allowed to look. Nevertheless, this formula may well remain, since it really does not profess to explain anything, but only protects what is extraordinary from profanation. The Pauline phrase, ' God was in Christ,' appears to me to be the last word which we can utter on this subject after having slowly and painfully emancipated ourselves from the delusion of ancient philosophers that we could penetrate the mysteries of God and nature, of humanity and history. 'If ye love Me keep My commandments ;' ' thereby shall everyone know that ye are My disciples if ye love one another' is more important to meditate on these words and to live in accordance with them than to put into formula what is incomprehensible and venerable. And moreover, the time will come and is already approaching when Evangelical Christians will join hands in all sincerity in confessing Jesus Christ as their Lord and an the determination to follow His words; and our Catholic brethren will then have to do likewise. The burden of long history, full of misunderstandings and replete with formula;, which are as rigid as swords, the burden of tears and of blood weighs upon. us ; yet in that burden there is vouchsafed us a sacred inheritance. The burden and the inheritance seem to be inextricably linked together, but they are gradually being severed, although the final ' let there be' (sic) has not yet been uttered over this chaos. Straightforwardness and courage, sincerity towards oneself, freedom and love these are the levers which will remove the burden. In the service of this exalted,mission the Emperor's letter is also enlisted." ENGLAND AND AMERICA. The Duke of Devonshire 2 who was present at the banquet given by the American Society in London to celebrate Washingtons birthdaj, proposed the health of President Roosevelt'in a neat little in which he touched very happily upon the relations of England and America. His Grace said:—The personal character of President Roosevelt is one which presents to Englishmen a singular and an attractive combination. We recognise in him at once the author and the orator, the soldier and the statesman. We recognise in him the patriot and, at the same time, the. friend — intelligent and earnest friend —of our own country. Not only on account of hits personal qualities do I ask you to do honour to the President of the United States. I ask you to do honour to him as the head of the Government and the chief representative of that great nation between whom and us there exist so many, and so strong ties of kinship, of history, and of common interests. Never, I believe, at any previous time have the relations between the Governments of Great Britain and the United States, or between the peoples of Great Britain and the United States, been more cordial and friendly than they are at the present moment. I say nothing as to Governments, because I believe that, notwith- i standing some difficulties which are bound from time to time to arise between Governments which to so great an extent control the destinies of the great Continent of North America, the relations between those Governments have generally, in diplomatic language, been termed perfectly and absolutely correct. But, as to the peoples of • those countries, I believe that at the present moment we are both in a fairly good humour with ourselves, and when we are in a good humour with ourselves it is not likely that we should be in a bad humour with each other. We have both recently passed successfully through considerable wars, which, while they may not have proved that our respective military organisations are absolutely perfect, have at least proved the possession on the part of our people of great military qualities— which will in the future tend to make our friendship valued, and to cause our respective rights o be respected. We have welcomed in this country the tendency which we think we have recently observed on the part of the people of the United States to take a stronger and a keener interest in the affairs of the world outside their own continent. We are finding every day, in every part of the world, subjects of common interest. I believe that as between ourselves and all other nations it would be very difficult to find a question upon which those interests were not found to be identical.

OUR CABLE NEWS. The rising in the Balkan Peninsula is assuming alarming proportions. Eighteen thousand Albanians are already in the field They are said to be marching on Novi Ba- ! zar. It is stated that they lost 600 in the engagement at Mitrovitza. Four battalions I of Turkish militia have arrived at that place. The Pan-Slavonic party in Russia > is clamouring for armed intervention, but ! there is said to be an understanding between Austria and Russia that the Sultan is to have a free hand in putting down the outbreak, though in Germany it is believed that the latter Power has/ planned and financed it. The Sultan is sending a special mission to Albania to try and bring the I Albanians to a reasonable frame of mind bub it is doubtful if his envoys will "be received. King Edward received an enthusiastic reception on his; arrival in Lisbon which was richly decorated in honour of his visit. His Majesty, in reply to addresses of welcome from the Cortes, dwelt upon the close and friendly relations which had existed for centuries between England and Portugal., The King visits Malta 4 Marseilles, .

Paris, and Rome. In the latter eft* JL® will have an interview with the Pons » is reported by the Paris correspondent S the London Times that political and pnW feeling in France is more friendly at ««! "" sent towards Great Britain than it has w! ■ ' for a decade past. British operations* 11 Somaliland are being carried on with m/ cess, but the troops suffer greatly from th' excessive heat and scarcity of water. p r jj. * Tuan, and ex-General Tungfuksiang ' ha? presented an ultimatum to the Dowager Em press of China, demanding the deposition'J ■'■■:, of the Emperor. It is reported that th» ■ general election at Home will take place jthe autumn, and that the main issue will bo ' a proposal by the Government to establish a • Legislative Council for Ireland to deal with-non-Imperial subjects. It is proposed, to erect a national memorial to the ' hit* ; Ri« IP Hector Macdonald. , ;•'-';