The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-04-13
For the Middlebury Register.
Theodore Parker.

Theodore Parker.
Nh. BARRETT:
Your Cornwall correspondent
rs. B. r." has seen fit, in a recent arti-
Gle, to favor your readers with a relation
of what he heard, during his pilgrimage
in Boston, from the gentleman above
named. Upon the Lecture as reported,
| have no comments to offer, except that
it must have contained many interesting
thoughts, some of which we're not remark
able for their originality. But from
your correspondents highly wrought GU
logium upon the character and course of
MIR. Parker, l am constrained to dissent.
1t is not true, I apprehend, that Mr..
Parker has been the object, as your cor
respondent intimatcd, of groundlcss per-
sccution, or wen of opposition except
for his errors. That he has been oppo-
sed by his former Unitarian friends is
doubtless true. But this opposition has
been rather negative than positive,-that
is, it has been the Withdrawing of frater-
nal fellowship from him as a christian
minister, because he has discarded all
the cardinal doctrines of the christian
system. Nay he has scoffed at many OF
the leading truths of revelation, and
thereby placed himsclfin the same cate.
CORY with Hume and Paine, the more
discerning of his Unitarian brethren
have felt, since this exhibition of his rank
infdelity, that they might as consistent
ly introduce into their pulpits, as a chris
tian teacher, a follower of Mohammed,
or a disciple of Vishnu or Gaudama
Still he has claimed to be a christian
teacher, and an adherent Of the Unitari-
an faith. Hence the opposition he en-
counters, according to IS. b. R." from
that denomination-an opposition, it
seems to me, to be commended, not cell
sured. To sympathizc with him, under
these circumstances, as an injured man,
is to initiate the Observation-Disclosures
of our day, who would have us regard
every miscreant, upon whom falls the
penalty of violated law, as a martyr.
Among the clergy of evangelical de-
nominations, there are many who have
harmonized with Mr.. Parker, in his
views, on the subject of slavery, and so
far. they may have spoken approvingly
of those views, but from rs. b r." the
writer of these remarks has for the first
time learned, hat while Mr.. Parker, in
the commencement Of his career, was en-
%counterins the maledictions and abuse Of
Unitarians. from whose faith he had apps.
tatised, she, at the same time, received
much deep, and real kindness, from min.
listers of every sect,"-or indeed that he
ever received from evangelical ministers
any kindness at all, except that which
they are wont to extend to all misguided
and %erratic contemncrs of revelation.
In politics, Mr.. Parker has not hesl,
tated to denouncc every man, high OF
low, who presumes to differ from himselt
in reference to topics of national inter
est,-in reference, especially to the sub
ject of slavery. His opinions, like til,
bed Of Procrustes, are made the stan
dard by which to try every man, wh'
comes in for a share of his aspersions.
Your correspondent may claim for
Mr.. Parker ability and independence
and his claim will not be disputed. Blu
when he claims for him "rare integrity
&C." some will dissent, and it will re
quire some argument, in addition to mucl
strong assertion,to convince all your rea
ders, that Mr.. Parker is a very meek
forbearing, aud innocent sufferer oil tina
he is likely to inherit the blessings c
those who are prosecuted "for righteous
ness sake" A Lover OF Truth.