FORD UOLLECTI THE APPROACHING CRISIS: BEING A REVIEW OF DR. BUSHNELL'S RECENT LECTURES ON Supernaturalism. BY ANDREW JACKSON DAVIS, NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. By ANDREW JACKSON DAVIS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York. PREFACE. THE GREAT QUESTION of this Age, which is destined to convulse and divide Protestantism, and around which all other religious controversies must necessarily revolve, exegetically foreshadowed in this Review; which is composed of Six Discourses, delivered by the Author before the Harmonial Brotherhood of this City. Religious truths present themselves naturally to a good mind; and by such a mind they will be most accurately comprehended. Men of the greatest talent and learning frequently reason themselves into the profoundest errors, by commencing with the confusing impression that Truth is complex and supernatural. He who would apprehend the simplicity of Truth and worship at her shrine, must be ready at all times to divest his mind of prejudices and of preconceived opinions, whenever Truth reveals their falseness. The Author's method will be found to be plain, because such is truly the seal of reason. The views presented concerning the " Word," it may be remarked, are mainly connected with the external peculiarities thereof; as the occasion does not now demand a deeper criticism. The Author is acquainted with a more spiritual Logos, within the original symbolical expression, (8 Xóy05 TOυ Oɛov, “the word of God," to be found, with identical meanings, in the Zenda Vesta, in the Vedas, also in the Bible,) which lies quite untouched in the present work. Indeed, the spiritual "Word" here alluded to, as originally signified by JOHN, not (ὁ λογος and λόγοι) Divine "Truth" and "Reason" dependent upon the paper and ink habiliments of the Old and New Testaments; but upon the intellectual progress and religious development of the human soul-a growth of parts into a completeness. The organizing, unfolding, and energizing Spirit of God (which is the true translation of John's meaning) will surely be more manifested, or inworlded, in a New Dispensation than in any conceivable number of sacred canons. Supernaturalism adheres to the form; Rationalism seeks the spirit. Among all the Authors recent impressions, there stands no one question so important and conspicuous as that set forth in the succeeding pages. The most external and superficial aspect is first presented; but deeper investigations are certain to follow. There is much to illuminate our present existence, and far more to joyfully anticipate. HARTFORD, FEB. 25, 1852. A. J. D. |