PUBLISHED BY THE Board of DIRECTORS OF THE DOMESTIC **The LUTHERAN MAGAZINE is published monthly, at Schoharie (C. SCHOHARIE (C. H.) N. Y. PRINTED BY A. A. KEYSER, FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Postage on the Magazine-under 100 miles, 3 cents; over 100 miles, 5 cents. REVIEW OF SCHILLER'S ESSAY, EN-this subject, shall be the following: ( TITLED THE MISSION OF MOSES.' We will give a faithful translation of those parts of Schiller's essay, against which we have the strongest objections, promising at the same time, not Frederick Schiller, the celebrated historian of the German nation, has, in the above-mentioned essay, given his views of that interesting and im-to tear them from their natural connection, so that the reader cover the true meaning of the author, and then we shall subjoin our animadversions, leaving the judgment to the reader. may dis "The founding of the Jewish State by Moses," says Schiller, "is one of the most re markable occurrences, which history has preserved to us, important as the result of the strength of the rational powers in the founders, but still more important in its consequences, which have been felt over the world, and which exercise their influence to portant event to the world. No one, acquainted with the religious sentiments of that celebrated author, as he has expressed them, for instance, in certain poems, entitled, "Resig-| nation," and "The Gods of Greece," can be surprised at his views; but to the Christian, it must always remain a source of grief, that the talents and learning of Schiller, have been employed in representing the mission of Moses, in a light, in which he never the present moment. Christianity, and Mucan view it, unless prepared to sur-hammedanism, two religions, which extend render his own faith and hope, to the over the greatest part of the habitable globe, have their foundation in the religion of the speculations of a vain philosophy.Hebrews, without which, neither ChristianAs German literature finds more and ity nor the Koran would have had any exismore friends among us, it is, perhaps, tence." now the most suitable time to detect Neither the Christian nor the Jew the inconsistences discoverable in can allow that the Hebrew religion the strong assertions of a boasting phi-has been founded by the strength of losophy, before these representations the rational powers of Moses. This shall have made an improper impres-||great lawgiver himself, disclaims any sion on the American public. The|| such power, and describes himself alwriter of this review, asks no other ways as insufficient, and as merely an favors from the reader, but to suffer instrument in the hand of Jehovah, his unbiassed reason to weigh the as- for the accomplishment of this great sertions of a celebrated man, as well undertaking. But the reader will as the refutations of these assertions, observe from this expression of Schiland to let that scale preponderate, on||ler, that he means to give us thereby which, plain and unsophisticated rea-ll to understand, that no supernatural agency was concerned in the estab-||dence, to convey truth, the most noble of lishment of the Jewish state and religion; an assertion, in absolute contradiction to the whole tenor of the Mosaic writings; an assertion, which, if correct, must forever brand the Hebrew lawgiver, as the most consum-it, which is its incontestible property.” mate liar and hypocrite. And yet Schiller characterises him in the sequel as a scrupulous lover of the truth, sacrificing to it many advanta- to the revelation, which that God has ges, which the superstition and ignorance of the Hebrew nations would readily suggest! Rational reader! can you bring these opinions into harmony her gifts, to us, which channel, however, has been destroyed, as soon as it had accomplished what it was designed to effect. By viewing the subject in this light, we shall neither confer a value on the Hebrew nation, which it never possessed, nor rob it of a mer with each other? The Christian, conscientiously believes, that we owe the discovery of that great truth, that there is one God, made of himself, first to the Patriarchs, and afterwards, by means of the Mosaic religion: but a glance over the pages of history, must also convince him, that human reason, left to itself, never has discovered that truth, and the acknowledgements and declarations of the most celebrated philosophers, both of ancient and modern days, sufficiently prove, that human reason never could have discovered it. “In a certain sense, it is undeniably true," continues Schiller, “that we owe to the Mosaic religion, a large portion of that light, which we now enjoy. For the doctrine of one God, a precious truth, which reason, left| to itself, would have discovered only after long and tedious researches, was by means of that religion, propagated, and preserved among that people, as an object of blind faith, Among the Greek philosophers, until this great idea could ripen in brighter minds, into a rational conviction. A large Socrates and Plato, were those, who portion of the human family, was thereby entertained the brightest views of the prevented from wandering in those sad laby- Deity, and we may, without fear of rinths of error, to which a belief in Polythe-contradiction, say, that they carried ism necessarily leads; and the Hebrew con- their conceptions as far as it is possistitution enjoyed the exclusive advantage, that the religion of the wise did not stand in ble for human reason, unassisted by direct opposition to the religion of the peo-revelation. But it also appears from ple, as was the case among the heathen na- the conversations of Socrates with his tions. Considered in this point of view, the disciples, that this wisest of heathens Jews are an important people, exercising an admitted, besides the supreme Deity, influence over all other nations: and neither the evil which has been spoken of them, nor the endeavors of witty minds, to detract from their merits, shall prevent us, from being just towards them. The unworthiness, and the abandoned character of the nation, can the existence of a number of other spiritual intelligences, which govern and direct the fate of man; and that by means of augury, as it then was never lessen the exalted merit of their law practised, according to the religion of giver, nor destroy the extensive influence, the State, man not only may, but in which that people justly maintains in the his- certain instances ought to inquire intory of the world. We have to consider to the will of the gods. His friends them as an impure, and common vessel, labor in their writings to prove, parwhich has been made the depository of a pre-ticularly from his own acts and dec cious jewel; we have to respect in the He brew nation, the channel chosen by Provi-larations, that Socrates conscientious Review of Schiller's Essay on the Mission of Moses. 75 ly believed in polytheism, and that|| Confessions of this kind, we find in the accusation of his enemies, as if several works of Plato, especially in he had rejected the religion of the the 4th and 6th book of his work, enState, were absolutely void of all titled "De Republica;" expressing foundation. Plato taught the eterni- at the same time, a hope, that the ty of matter; [see his Timacus and Deity would, at some time or other, Philebus.] In Timacus, he sets make such discoveries, as might disforth, that the soul of man is formed pel the cloud of darkness, in which by the Creator, or the supreme Deity, the world was enveloped. And in but that the subordinate Deities unite these sentiments, modern philosothis soul with the human body, which phers coincide. Platner, for instance, they have formed. According to says in his aphorisms, § 959, " Every him, the universe is an eternal sub-thing in nature, proves the unity of its stance, enlivened by one, or rather by own adaptation, the unity of its object, two souls, a good and an evil one.- and the unity of the means for that The evil soul is most intimately con-object. There is nothing which can nected with the self-existing and justify the idea of different systems, obeternal matter, and is the ground of jects and means. AND BEYOND THIS, all physical and moral evil, and of all REASON CANNOT CARRY THE PROOF the imperfections, which we observe OF THE UNITY OF GOD." From in creation; and he declares, that this confession, it follows, that, in as God is not able to subdue, or over-much as reason cannot disprove the come this powerful agent of evil :-union of effort of several intelligences, [see Philebus, page 244, Sophista, p. to produce harmony of system and 266, and Timacus, p. 300 and 310.]||object, and their agreement in regard If such, was the God of Plato, what to the use of the means, reason alone shall we say of the God of Aristotle, cannot PROVE the unity of God. And of Zeno, or of Epicurus? As the hence, another philosopher of our Roman philosophers chiefly drew days, says: "No one has yet proved, their sentiments concerning the Deity that it is impossible, that SEVERAL nefrom Greek sources, we cannot won-cessary and eternal beings should posder, if we find these nothing but a rep-sess creative power, and should have etition, and frequently, a curious mix-produced and governed this world in ture of different systems and opin-common." What becomes, now, of ions, taken from the most celebrated that boasted capability of reason, to Greek philosophers on that subject. ripen the blind faith in the unity of From the few transcripts of the opin-God, into a rational conviction ?ions of the greatest heathen philoso-When Schiller says: a large portion phers, concerning God, just now giv-of the human family was prevented en, it evidently appears, that they from wandering in those sad labydid not discover the great truth, of rinths of error, into which, a belief in which Schiller speaks, and their own polytheism necessarily leads, it is evacknowledgements prove, that they ||ident, that this large portion of the hudespaired of being able to discover it, man family, are the Christians, and without a revelation from the Deity. ||Muhamedans, both of whom, have |