and the Opening Century* TH BY CHARLES W. ELIOT, LL.D. 'HE first thing to be observed about progressive liberalism in the closing century is that it is characterized essentially by a series of slow, gradual, and related developments, and not by a succession of sudden, spasmodic, and unconnected shocks. In the opening century it is sure to be characterized by a slow quiet, giving effect to a few ideas not new in themselves, but new in respect to diffused acceptance. I shall deal with only four aspects of the broad subject. 1. One deep-striking change to which liberalism has contributed is the change in Protestant opinions concerning the Bible. The Reformation substituted for the infallibility of an institution and its official representative-an institution vast, varying, complex, pervasive, and, on occasion, vague-another infallibility,—namely, the infallibility of a small, unchanging, compact, apprehensible collection of ancient writings-the Bible. Contending vigorously against the infallibility of the Church and the Pope, it set up the verbally-inspired, inerrant Bible as infallible authority. Fortunately the Reformation taught that the humblest Christian might have direct access to this infallible Scripture; and, therefore, it ultimately set up the human reason as the legitimate interpreter of this new infallibility. Now the human reason since the Reformation has not only added wonderfully to its stores of knowledge, but has also developed greatly its penetrating and exploring power. Some new sciences have arisen; the old sciences of philology and history have made astonishing progress; and the general This essay has no application whatever to the great Greek and Roman communions, those Churches being founded on an unqualified authority which does not recognize the right of private judgment. It relates exclu- · sively to the Protestant communions. method of inductive reasoning has been applied during the nineteenth century more widely and with much greater success than ever before. The languages of Scripture and the literatures written in those languages are far better known now than they were before the present century; the other sacred writings of the world have become known to the Christian nations; the history of Egypt, Palestine, Greece, and the Roman Empire has been illuminated by modern archæological research; and the natural sciences have demonstrated countless facts, and have established a few general principles, which throw a flood of light backward on to the beliefs and practices of former generations and the real history of the human race on this earth. Gradually there has appeared a new critical spirit towards the Bible and the supernatural side of religion. What is called the higher criticism is nothing but the application to the Bible of methods of research which have been successfully applied to other bodies of ancient historical and literary compositions. Naturally, the influence of these new powers and new growths is to-day felt chiefly by scholars and reading people; nevertheless, the popular mind also is not without preparation for the acceptance of new views concerning revelation and supernaturalism in general. In the first place, all people have gradually learned to look always for a natural explanation of the marvellous; and secondly, they are thoroughly habituated to incomprehensible or mysterious effects which they firmly believe to be due to natural causes, although they do not in the least understand the modes in which the effects are produced. Thus, the comet and the eclipse have lost their terrors even for the most ignorant. All men are persuaded that these phenomena portend nothing, being due to natural, though uncomprehended, causes. The entire audience at a magician's show is firmly persuaded that there is no magic in the performance, but only skill. The familiar miracle of driving a street car by an invisible force, brought miles on a wire, though entirely incomprehensible to the common mind, is universally believed to be a purely natural phenomenon. In short, many effects once called miraculous or magical, are now accepted as purely natural; and on the other hand, many effects known to be natural are just as mysterious and wonderful as most of the occurrences described in former centuries as miracles. This state of the popular mind, which has been chiefly developed during the nineteenth century, has prepared the way for the acceptance of new views concerning the Bible and the supernatural in religion. Again, all through this closing century the relative importance of fact in comparison with theory or speculation has been mounting. Down to the present century the prevalence of myth, fable, and imaginative narration has characterized the most precious literatures; and even history until lately has had highly imaginative elements. Of late years history has become realistic, and even fiction is photographic in quality. This preference for facts has grown stronger and stronger during the closing century, and is likely to be still more characteristic of the opening. Indeed, theory and speculation are almost discredited, except in a hypothesis which temporarily or provisionally explains or correlates a group of facts. Even in such cases the hypothesis is avowedly accepted on sufferance and with suspicion. Still further, we observe that in the present generation, broad and hasty generalizations from few particulars, and immense superstructures on small, slight foundations are in modern instances almost universally derided. They do not excite indignation or scorn; they excite ridicule and contempt. Now the hugest superstructure ever reared on a diminutive foundation, and the most formidable speculation ever based on a minimum of doubtful fact, is the Augustinian systematic theology, resting on the literal truth of the story in Genesis about the disobedience of Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden. The whole superstructure of the generally accepted Protestant systematic theology is founded on the literal acceptance of the Scriptural account of the fall of Adam and |