Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-10-11
PhrenOlOgy in the Pulpit
NJ RsY. HENRY WARD BEEcHBR.


at Is very hard Tor minister Of the gos.
pei, standing before promiscuOus audience
to deal with the facts Of their minds, and o.
their inward lives. Il is a melancholy fact
that men know less Of that which is the very
element of their being, than about anything
else in the world, suppose il we're to go
among the intelligent men in my congregation,
| could get every variety Of information on
subjects connected with the daily business af-
fairs oflife-upOn questions Of political ecOnO
my, upon various questions of commerce, facts
concerning the structure Of ships, steam en-
gines-I could collect any amount of nforma-
ton on all these and thousand other kindred
subjects. But when ask them what is in
side Of themselves, they can tell me Of great
mandatory, and explain 10 me the operation
and use Of all the machinery il it; but
upon the question Of the machinery of their
own minds, they cannot say word.
In regard to commercial matters, they know
all abou. them; they have examined them,
they have compared their ideas on these sub.
jects, and have classified them. They be-
lieye themselves to be immortal creatures, that
they have throbbing within them a soul thai
shall live as long as God himself shall live
yet, when l ask them any questions in regard
to their inward nature, their only reply is, q
don't know They do not know what theil
REASON is, they do not definitely understanl
the nature or operation Of any one faculty o
the mind.
They understand the nature Of the soil @
the earth; they know what it is capable of pro
ducing; they know the use Of the plow and al
the implements of agriculture; they know Wha
to do with plant that is not thriving, they
are skilful to mplant to it a fresh life and make
it flourish. But if any plant that ought to grow
in the mind is stunted and does not thrive, they
cannot tell how to make that grow. The,
don't know what to do to bring itlOrth.
ut is difficult for minister ofthe gospel t
set forth the truth intelligibly in respect to it
relation tc che human mind. think it
partly because men have not been curioun /
! respect to themselves, aud partly on accour
of the many bewildering systems of mentt
= philosophy that are in vogue in our day. Fo
if there were none Of these systems except tht
} old school of metaphysical philosophy. / woul
} defy any man to obtain by means of them an
clear idea about the soul, for at best they ar
of but little more value than so many cobwebs
Men may study them, however, if they have
taste for them: if man loves logic and discus
sion, let him take one Of the old metaphysics
PHILOSOPHERS, and he will find means of busy
ling his mind until he gets tired of such bus
!, luess. But if man wishes to know PRACTICAL
what he is made up Of, if man wishes know
} Hedge Of human nature for definite practices
purposes, there is no system which will al
: them in acquiring that knowledge like the sy'
TEN of phrenOlogy; not interpreted too narrow
ly or technically. but in its relations to physio
ogy and the structures Of the whole body.
And Imay say here, whatI have never sal
before in the pulpit, that The views of the hu
man mind as they are revealed by PhrenoIog
are those views which have underlaid my Who'll
ministry. and if have had any success
bringing the truths Of the gospel to bear prac
tically upon the minds men, any success
the vigorous application of truths to the wan
of the human soul, where they are most neeC
ed, owe it 10 the clearness which have game
for th is conscience. And could not ask f
the members of my family, nor ola church, an
better preparation for religious indoctrinatio
than to put them in possession Of such pra'
tioal knowledge of the humon soul as is give
by phrenology.
"I have avoided the use OF the nOmencli
ture Of Phrenology IN the pulpit as FAR as po
sible. because I did not wish to seem to be
mere teacher of philosophical system, viii
: l was minister of the truth as it is in chris
but have now been so long with you that
am justified in making this statement
Al II may say in regard to the objections som
y times urged against Phrenolagy, its tendenf