Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-14
DAILY EVENING STAR.
THEODORE PARKER.

ranny fern went recently to hear
Theodore Parker, (the Abolitionist,) who
entertains an audience every Sabbath
day at the New Music Hall. Her impress
slons derived from the occasion are thus
stated -.--.
"Do you call this church? Well. I
heard a great singer here few nights
ago; and bright eyes sparkled, and way
ing ringlets kept time to moving fans
and opera glasses and ogling, and fashion
and folly reigned for this once trium-
phant. can't get up any devotion here,
under these latticed balconies, with their
fashionable freight. If it were good
old church with a cracked bell and un-
hewn rafters, pine pulpit with the hon.
est sun staring through the windows. a
pitch. pipe in the gallery, and few hob
nailed rustlcs scattering round the
uncushioned seats, should feel Alright
but my soul is in fetters here-it won t
soar-its wings are earth clipped. Things
are all too fine. Nobody can come in at
the door whose hat and coat and bonnet
are not fashionably cut. The poor man
minus Sunday suit might lean on his
staff in the porch long while before
he'd dare venture in, to pick up his
crumb of the bread of life. But, thank
God, the unspoken prayer of penitence
may wing its way to the eternal throne,
though our mocking church spires point
only with aristocratic fingers to the rich
mans heaven. s-' I. s..-.
The hymn was beautifully read, there
is poetry in the preachers soul. Now he
takes his seat by the reading desk-now
he crosses the platform and offers his
hymn book to female who has Just en-
tered. What right has he to know there
is woman in the house, 1t isn't cher
ical. Let the bonnets find their own
hymns. . ...
Well, 1 take a listening attitude, and
try to believe am in church. / hear a
great many original great many start
ling things said. | see the gauntlet
thrown at the dear old orthodox, Calvan.
istic sentiments which l nursed in with
my mothers milk, and which (please
God) l II cling to till l die. l see the
polished blade of satire glitteringl in the
air, followed by curious, eager, youthful
eyes, which gladly see the searching
Sword of the Spirit parried. Meaning
glances, smothered smiles, and improved
mods, follow the witty clerical sally. The
orator pauses to mark the effect, and his
ace says, that stroke tells! and so it did,
for the 'Athenians' are not all dead, who
love to see and hear some new thing. But
he has another arrow in his quiver. How
his features soften-his voice is low and
thrilling, his imagery beautiful and
touching. He speaks of human love;
touched skilfully chord to which every
heart vibrates, and stern manhood is
struggling with his tears ere his smiles
are chased away. ---
o there's intellect there: there's poetry
there: there's genius there: but L remem-
Der Gethsemane, [ forget not Calvary. |
know the rocks were rent, and the
sheavens darkened, and the stone rolled
away, and a cold chill strikes to my
heart when hear Jesus of Nazareth light
ly mentioned. III
0, what are intellect, and poetry, and
genius, when with Jewish voice they cry,
Away with him. rrsi..-r --
With Mary let me battle his feet with
my tears, and wipe them with the hairs
of my head. --.- .-.. .z
And so 1 went away sorrowful that this
human preacher, with great intellectual
possessions, should yet lack the 'ene thing
needful. --3 80 --;.e- 1898