JAMES WALKER. . 493 



me have since then been earnestly discussed by writers of great ability. 

 Accordingly, any treatment of them which should omit all notice of 

 these works would be justly regarded as behind the age. 1 should 

 also be sorry to think that my own mind, during so long an intei-val, 

 had made no progress in correcting and clearing up its conceptions on 

 points, many of which, to say t!ie least, are still fiir from being defi- 

 nitely settled. I love consistency; but I love truth still more. Old as 

 I am, I am not ashampd to learn. Under these circumstances, so far 

 as I make use of the old materials, I shall feel it to be due to myself, as 

 well as my audience, to rewrite 'and restate every thing. And this is 

 not all. Instead of taking up and following out the same line of argu- 

 ment as before, I shall limit myself, for the most part, to what may be 

 called, so fixr as the public take concern in these matters, the problems 

 of the day, and so be able to discuss them at much greater length." 

 The subject of this new course of lectures was the Philosophy of 

 Religion. 



"What Dr. Walker said of himself at this time remained true of him 

 to the end. He was never ashamed to learn. Though his mind was 

 unusually mature at thirty years of age, the ripe fruit continued to 

 hang upon the tree, growing larger and more perfect with every sum- 

 mer sun for half a centuiy longer. He read largely, and digested what 

 he read ; keeping himself familiar with the latest thought on science, 

 pliilosophy, education, and religion. Amid the revolutions and dis- 

 tractions in human thought and society, he never lost his faith in man 

 or God. Dark problems, which troubled many spirits, he discussed 

 dispassionately and hopefully. He continued to think and write on 

 such subjects to the latest moment, and the ink was scarcely dry upon 

 the last sheets when the summons to prepare for the great change came 

 to him. Besides fifty unprinted sermons, he has left a large amount 

 of manuscript, but no wholly completed work. In his final illness, he 

 expressed regret that he had not had time to finish one work which he 

 thought might do some good. Formerly, he said, religion was every 

 thing and science nothing ; now, in the opinion of some, science is every 

 thing and religion nothing. The subject which he undertook to dis- 

 cuss, and upon which he has written at great length, is this : "'Are 

 me-n outgrowing Religion?" He has also left a long and elaborate 

 analysis of the lives and opinions of atheists and alleged atheists. 

 **Is God Know^able?" is another of his subjects. He projected an 

 exposition of the New Testament, which he began, and carried into 

 the seventh chapter of Matthew. He prepared, probably while he 

 was professor, portions of a manual on Comparative Psychology. 



