The St. Paul's Society held the first of their series of socials last evening in the room of Mr. C. E. Hutchinson '93. The attendance was very good and the guests were treated to a very interesting talk by Professor Sumichrast on Renan, and his philosophy, Professor Sumichrast said he had chosen his subject because Renan had lately died and because Renan had more influence than any other one man on French thought of today. Renan was an optimist, while the majority of the young writers and thinkers of today are pessimists of the worst sort. Renan, says Professor Sumichrast, has not been the prime cause of atheism in France, which really has been steadily diminishing in the last twenty-five years.

Renan was of mixed Celtic and Gascon blood, and inherited the traits of both. From the Celtic or Breton side he had his deeply imaginative and conservative qualities and from the Gascons his light and vivacious nature. He received his early education in a Breton Roman Catholic seminary, where thought was simple and religion sincere. From there he went to Paris, where he found everything more gorgeous and splendid and less real and earnest. To complete his education he went to another seminary, where he first learned that he was not a Christian in the real sense of the word.

As a result of this discovery, he left the seminary and sought for the truth in science. All seemed dark to him and he went to Palestine to travel. When he returned he was changed to an optimist. He was deeply imbued with Christ and wrote a passionate account of his life.

Renan's idea of God was that the highest there is in man is in itself God, and this is expressed in the beautiful. Thus God is an attribute of man, and therefore man must strive for perfection, to be attained through the intellect. Renan said that prayer is not needed.

Renan was intellectually an aristocrat. He looked down on all inferiors and be lived that man should not attempt any good deed unless he could be sure of moving the whole mass of people. This made him scornful of all ordinary men.

Renan was distinctly an intellectual man without sentiment. He never felt love as a passion.

After their interesting talk the guests enjoyed light refreshments.