ON FAITH AND SECULAR PHILOSOPHY.—THE DYING INFIDEL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 82, 21 November 1874, Page 8

ON FAITH AND SECULAR PHILOSOPHY.— THE DYING INFIDEL.

Some time ago I came across an eloquent panegyric on the celebrated James Wutt, by Francis Jeffrey, the late eminent editor of the farfamed 'Edinburgh Review.' After describing Watt's labors as the improver, or rather inventor, of the steam engine, and delineating the various intellectual gifts and vast stores of varied knowledge wh ich that wonderful genius possessed, the writer conies to describe the last scene of all. It struck me as something remarkable that in describing this scene, he makes not the slightest allusion to the faith in which Watt died. The description might aptly apply to the closing scene of the life of some Pagan philosopher, such as Socrates or Plato. If he died in the Christian faith— as I presume lie did — Surely some allusion to his disposition and hopes as a man at that awful moment might have been looked for from his biographer. But no — nothing of the kind. We are merely told that a few weeks before his death he became aware of his approaching end, " and with his usual tranquility and benevolence of nature" seemed only anxious to point out to the friends around him the many sources of consolation which were afforded by the circumstances under which it was about to take place, " and thus, full of years and honors, in all tranquility and calmness, he yielded up his soul •without a pang or struggle." The reader of this graceful panegyric is left to conjecture whether this wonderful man died in the faith and hope of a Christian or not, aud the impression thus left on our mind is of a sad and painful kind. Here is a man who has filled the wide world with the fame of his name, and whose labors have contributed to revolutionise the whole system of manufacturing industry and of travelling by sea and land ; yet lie* passes into eternity without giving one sign that lie believes in Christ or a future life. Truly, mathematics and secular philosophy and learning will not conduct us to Heaven, and console the parting spirit ere it quit this world. We are told in holy writ that publicans, the most disreputable of men — and harlots, the objects of universal pity and horror — will be seen to enter Heaven when the respectable and decorous Pharisee will be excluded from that place of bliss. Would it be irreverent to say that many of the worst characters in our time will see salvation, while many a gifted genius like James Watt will not be numbered hereafter among the friends of God on the great accounting day ? The death of the celebrated Scotch infidel Hume is described, and by a kirk minister, too, Dr. Robertson, if I remember right, in a manner much resembling that in which Jeffrey here records the end of Watt. The scoffing infidel might erroneously infer from all this that the consolations of the Christian religion are after all but of little moment at the awful hour, when what Macauley called " the mystery of the grave" is about to be revealed to the dying man. Sir Humphrey .Davy was perhaps little, if at all inferior, in genius and accomplishments to Wutt. His biographer and brother, Dr. John Davy, has described bis death-bed. The scene was dreary. No word, no sign, there of the faith in which the great chemist and philosopher aud scholar died.