The republic., 1851-07-09
THE REPUBLIC.
From the Boston Transcript
The Peace and Dignity OF tho Common
WeaIth.-NO. xvii.

between men whose declared or OStenslble de-
signs are dametrlcally opposite. Henry Sa-
cheverell the tory clergyman in the reign Of
Queen Anne, became famous by his scurrillous
sermons. He was bitterly opposed to revolu-
ton principles. He rallied SO iuriously against
the revolution of 1858 that there was some lit
tie danger of his bringing about the very thing
which he affected TO deprecate-another revo-
luton.
There is a very concelted and turbulent
priest in this city who appears to have no sym
pathy with the anti-revolutionary principles Of
Sacheverell, and who seems quite ready to
bath6 white men in blood that black men may
go free; and yet-Si cOmpOnere Hcet-there are
strong points of resemblance between the char
acters of these two seditious preachers. 1t IS
needless, perhaps, to say, that refer to Iheo-
dore Parker, prominent member of Garrison's
".4ltt- Sabbath CoRcentiOn" and who, upon a
stated salary, carries out his principles by the
grossest violations of the Sabbath; for there can
be no violation of its sacred character more
gross, more revolving, than for man on that
holy day to desecrate tabernacle dedicated or
assigned to the service of Almighty God by
the utterance there of doctrines equally scurril-
lOus and reasonable, of sentiments which, how
ever they may interest the unconsecrated feel
ings Of his hearers for an hour, their sober sec
ond thoughts must utterly condemn.
Is there man of that parlsh-no, that word
is altogether too respectable-is there a man of
that hybrid clique who will lay his hand upon
his heart, and say that he really thinks he
keeps holy the Sabbath day by attending upon
the nlinistrdtiORS of man who converts his
pulpit into mortar for the purpose of hurting
missiles of mischief amidst the community?
Can he look upon a man as a teacher of reli-
gion, follower of the meek and lowly Jesus,
who bids them despise the civil ruler, and
look with contempt and scorn upon a magis
trate for no imaginable reason but because he
fearessly administers the law, and keeps that
oath which he has sworn, by Gods help, to
keep invioatel The sun does not more GER
tanly rise and set than those who have lent
their ears to this impudent charatan will one
day thoroughly despise the blind guide whose
lead they have followed
The description given of Sacheverell by
those who were good judges has been preserv-
ed. The old Duchess of Marlborough said of
this turbulent priest that she was an ignorant,
impudent incendary-a man who was the
scorn even of those who made use Of him as a
tool" Bishop Burnet describes him thus: ''He
was bold, insolent man, with very small
measure of religion virtue, learning, or good
sense; but he resolved to force himself into
popularity by the most petulant ratings against
| dissenters and low churchmen, in several ser
mons and libels, written without either chaste
| ness of style or l.veliness of expression.
Now, if we substitute the friends Of latc and
order for looc churchmen and disSenterS, it will
not be easy to find more fitting description for
Mr.. Theodore Parker.
| 1t is by no means my purpose to offer the
public this bald assertion with nothing to sup
r. II
| Parker has been, and still is, accounted man
of talents, and even person of some learning;
now firmly believe that Bishop Burnet, while
| describing Sacheverel, if Mr.. Theodore Parker
had come in his way, would have cast him
| into the very same scales as the dust of the
| balance.
| With the view of ascertalnlng the actual in
| telectual tonnage of this man. | have taken
| the trouble to seek for the true length of his
| keel and the breadth of his beam, and the depth
| of his hold, as it were, by carefully reading
such of his productions as his advocates pro-
| nounce the best and have been wholly una
BILE to discover the evidences Of any remarkable
talents or learning.
| doubt not thats MIR. Theodore Parker is the
| greatest man in the Melodeon-alarinpts inter
mininl0S. In such an assembly his learning
may pass for something extraordinary. But the
talents and learning of those men and women
who are humble enough TO be edited by the
teachings of this man. can never be accepted as
standard for the adjudication Of question
like this lie cannot be permitted to measure
himself by himself, nor by his deacons, nor by
those around him, who join with him in wor-
shipping the uaknoWn God. He must be
brought forth into the clear light, and tried by
| the standard Of other men and other measures.
Presently, we propose to do this to some lit
| tie extent; but, as preparative, let US deal in
one or two distinctions which it may be well
to establish in the readers mind
Some fifty-two years ago had school-fel-
low at Billerca Academy by the name of Will
liam Jarvis He was accounted, among the
| boys, lad of uncommon talents for he contra
| dicted everybody, disputed about every thing,
and had notions upon all subjects which differed
from those of other people; and which, however
absurd they might seem, he defended with sur
prising volubility. He also obtained the repu-
tation of knowing more than the rest of us; for,
by the aid of an uncommon recolective power,
he surprised us often, much after the manner in
which Jenkinson surprised DIR. Primrose upon
the matter of cosmogony
Great things were expected from this Mr.. Jar
Wis, when he came-not to maturity, for to
| 1
came to manhood Politics seemed to be the
very field for him, and there was a prestige of
celebrity in the very name he bore. Theology
would have answered quite as well; or any
craft or calling in which thereis no limit to the
elbow room of the professor, and in which there
is little of that uncomfortable confinement to
fixed and peremptory rules which lattudina-
rian mind as utterly abhors as nature a vacuum
in the old philosophy.
Hundreds of my friends who do me the honor
to read these passages well remember the debut
OF this young gentleman at Faneuil Hall, in
opposition to Mr.. Otis, then in all his glory.
That pre-eminenty graceful and eloquent ora
tor had just then delivered one of his most at
tractive harangues, and was in the act OF re
suming his seat amidst the acclamations of the
people. At that moment a clear, sharp, deto-
mating voice from the centre Of the eastern gal
lery demanded the attention Of the moderator
and thousands of eyes were, in an instant con-
centrated upon young man who was bowling
gracefully to the assembly, and for the an
nouncement of whose name the moderator was
indebted to some bystander, who whispered il