Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-30
OIL and Vinegar.

OIL and Vinegar.
CONF AND SEE WHAT IT is TO DE UNITARIAN.
Discourse delivered in Burlington, YER
mont, Nov. 26, 1854. With an Appendix.
By JosuuA YorNG, Minister of the First
Congregational Church.
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. A Discourse de-
livered in the Calvinistic Congrega tionnl
Church. Burlington, Vt, Dec. 81, 1854.
By j. ii. Worcester, Pastor
We have not had time, until to-day, to
read these interesting sermons, which have
lain Tor couple of weeks upon our table.
1t appears from these discourses that the
orthodox minister at Burlington had declined
uniting with the Unitarian minister there in
funeral service, on the ground of an inabi-
lty to recognize Unitarians as Christians.
Whcreupon, Rev. Mr.. Voting, in commencing
n series OF lectures on the doctrines of Unita-
rianism, indirectly rebuts the objections of
Mr. Worcester, and endeavors to prove that
it is prejudice, alone, which allows people to
entertain any such notions of Unitarianism
as would justify them in denying it C.rstiun
fellowship. The orthodox minister, perhaps,
finding his conduct sharply criticised or care
lessy misunderstood, puts forth his dis
course on Christian fellowship, in which he
adduccs apostolic authority for refusing God
speed to heretics, and very ably and honestly
endeayors to show that Unitarian ministers
fall within the ranks of false teachers.
The sermons are both excellent good
samples, we arc inclined to think, of the res
pective schools of preaching they represent
/ Tho Unitarian minister is broad and generous
in his views, and appeals mainly to the natu-
raj and spontaneous sympathics Of man His
style is lively and cordial, his resources va
rious and freely used, with no special ohscr-
vance of sacredness or secularity in their
source. Logic plays a very unimportant
part in his performance, and learning none at
all. He appeals much to sentiment, and re-
lies good deal on his own character and in
divldual experience. Personal asseveration
of faith in Christian doctrines takes the
! place of any theoretic demonstrations and an
unconscious and lustifable special pleading
| from respectable Unitarian authorities, fur
nishcs the argumentative ground of his posi-
tions. 1t is manifest that the Unitarian is
in minority has large body of Jealous
folk to conciliate, and can afford to yield no.
tlhi5nS yhGh b q be paus9y retained Of his
recommends tntarianism to orthodoxy hv
arguments that would not be necessary, or of
much force, to its own friends that whereas
they like it for that in which it differs from
orthodoxy, it is commended here for what it
has in common, or in the appearance of com
mon with orthodoxy. This exhibits the ami
ableness and the weakness OF Unitarianism
at once. 1t wants to reform, yet can't bear
to differ. 1t comes out Of orthodoxy, to get
rid Of it; yet can't bear to have orthodoxy
think 1t has got rid of it. 1t don't like or
thodoxy, but is very unhappy if orthodoxy
don't like it.
In its positive form, 1t is free, generous,
hopeful, and strong-as it appears in Mr.
Young's sermon in its apologetic form it is
weak, illogical, unlearned, and wanting in
| frankness and courage, as it appears there
and everywhere We do not like it the less
! for Its want of logic for its inconsistencies,
or even ts independence of learning. For
seeing that, in its popular form, 1t owes its
being and prospects to its fidelity to human
instincts, TO its courageous sympathy with
popu ar wants and feelings to the world
| WEAKNESS ot eccleslastlca! history. ana her-
mcneutlcs, ana schooi-l"glc, we think 1t more
iaithiul TO ltseii, and to its mission, when 1t
holds logic and learning amenable to Its own
instincts and convictions, than when 1T en-
de"vorS to base Its instincts and convictions,
where they don rest, upon logic and learn
ing;
lhe orthodox minister is eminently logi-
cal learned, ana scrlptural. Ills sermon Is
a nodel oil method, oi correct phraseology
ana cogeht augmentation 1t seems to us,
too to be candid and written in coo! and
thoughtful spirit. 1t does, Just what Calvi-
nlsm processes to do-holds carefully and
precisely 10 thc language OF the scriptures
as the inspired word OF uod' and on tins
ground, makes capital, ana Tor aught we
see ihVincioie argument for denying fellow
shlp 10 enltarlans. we are not clear thai
Johh "a Episue, 'th verse; meant by thos'
y
hesn, 'hosc that ue'heu 'this incarnation
the ord but Mr. Worcester reasoning
on that point are strong and highly plausible
anu we dare say, correct we are not AZ
learned as Mr. orcestcr, ana should not lik
10 dlsPutc the roiht with MN. But Mr.
worcester sermon ike great many othe
strong ana sensible, and highly Scrlptura
sermons oi the school he So excellently re
presents though very logical and very Scrip
tural' does not seem to us to be very Chris
nan +; ana whilc IL continues unanswerabl
on any grouhd we could both stand upon, Is
none the less, not bit convincing. Ii salts
mes ms conscience, we doubt not, and frame
MS conduct put we uOh oelieNe II saushe
even his o,cn heart. For we see clearly tha
his Christian heart Is very pure and kin'
one II Is only his theological and protes
sional heart that IS narrow and unchristian
And, as we think he does not even convinc,
himself so we are very sure that he does no
'ohpince ANYBODY else though he may silenc
or control great many; The fact ls-an
every kindly and sensible person in Americ
leels 1t to he so-it Is Il shame and a blot o
> Christianity, that people protesting faith i
} CHRIST, ana leading pure aud blameless live'
: should be dlsowned and prosecuted by eac
other on account oil theoretical differences {
opinion That 1t as pei secution' for a porr
$ lar and powerful majority to brand with wha
they mean for opprobrium, an unpopular M
iority OF their iellow-cltizens. cannot be d'
, MED Ol course 1t is mild form Of persecl
uon, thanks to the existing state OF publ
$ sentiment; hut 1t comes irom the spirit, an
t is the proper her, 0, the old inqnisitlon.
e Now, we charge this temper, or rather al
d pearance OF temper, IN Mr.. W orcerter's Sc
:, mon, not to him, but to has CalNin'sm, al
+ his capital hdellty to II. lie happens to hay