434 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SHALER 



so. I believed all that I now shudder at. I have heard ministers denouncing 

 pangs inconceivable to little children whose life had passed like the fading 

 of some springtime flower, promising woe of ten thousand deaths, all con- 

 centrated into one and lasting forever, to feeble and worn mortals tottering 

 on the change. While I could not shake off the toils which were knit round 

 me I still felt within that it was a lie; there was no answering voice that it 

 was true coming from my inner nature such as I have ever felt when truth 

 came to me. How I escaped from this net I cannot in detail say. Partly 

 my escape from what was called the "House of God" was accomplished 

 through the study of nature, no, study it was not, rather contemplation of 

 nature (a feeling which I am not sure is not higher-souled than the study 

 which came to me at this time; my age forbade deep study and I believe 

 that it was better so). Without the absolute severance which I made with 

 the dogmas of religion I never could have thought. . . . The church is op- 

 posed in its dogmas to the advancement of man whether it be through the 

 ways of science or agency of political changes. What the church of Rome 

 has been to Italy, to Spain, and to others of those most beautiful spots on 

 earth, so are the modifications of the same institution in its thousand names 

 in every land ; it makes men miserable or careless of those great problems of 

 existence which men are not born to solve but must strive nevertheless to 

 understand. 



This feeling of revolt against the old hell-fire punishments, 

 as their letters indicate, was shared by others among Mr. 

 Shaler's associates. At that time, it is true, a youth often felt 

 called upon to work in a dash of skepticism to show that he had, 

 as it were, put on his mental toga virilis; but beneath this bra- 

 vado there was with them a heart-felt repugnance to many arti- 

 cles of the prevailing belief. Yet despite his inability to accept 

 many dogmas of the orthodox, his frank expression of his views, 

 his clear and candid thought, was found wholesome not only 

 by the laity but by many of the clergy. The Rev. Leighton 

 Parks writes : 



I have just finished reading " The Interpretation of Nature " and am moved 

 to thank you for it. My only excuse for bringing myself to your notice is 

 that as one of the preachers to the University I am profoundly interested 

 in the spiritual life of the young men of the day. I know what an influence 

 you have in the College and with what admiration you are regarded, and 

 I rejoice that you have been able to accomplish such work as this. If your 



