The Kanzas news., 1857-06-20
Theodore Parker.

From the Institution for the Blind, with
a mind full of the thoughts arising from a
few moments in the presence of Laura
= ridgman, we took an omnibus, and in less
Sthan one hour we were on the top of Bunker
Hill Monument. What prospect 1t can
not be described. Let us pass on till the
Sabbath morning. And at first we dropped
into the Hanover-st. Methodist Episcopal
Church to see Boston Sabbath School
Then we spent moment with Father Tay
lor- Then we went a little before 1 o o clock
to the Music Hall to hear Theodore Parker
: The hall will seat 2, 500 persons. AT 10
O'Clock, we suppose there were from 700 to
1000 persons present. They came in, as
persons ordinarily, with us, would go into a
coneert-room.
Not few had secular newspapers which
they sat and read till the service commen-
ced. There were bows of recognition across
the Hall, and everybody seemed quite at
ease. The sexton set a vase of beautiful,
fresh flowers upon the speakers desk. The
organist came in and threw open the doors
of an instrument of tremendous power
Presently grave. serious looking man of
medium size, slightly bald, and sprinkled
with grey hairs, came IN, and ascended the
platform, laid his manuscript on the desk,
and took the HYMN Book or Psalm Book or
book of some sort. II was Theodore Par
ker. He read "a Psalm of Thanksgiving.
1t was sung by choir with the organ, in
an appropriate tune. The deep bass notes
shook the great Hall like mighty thunder
After the Psalm was ended, Mr. Parker
offered a deeply impressive and eloquent
prayer, in which there was not the slightest
reference to Mediator. He called God
-'tour father and our mother" and the strain
of thanksgiving for mercies temporal was
unsurpassed by anything We have ever heard
His discourse wasan Independent Discourse
He announced no text. His theme was
.sAmerica and her opportunities. It was
marked with great originality; and many
passages of that discourse would compare
fayorably with the finest things in the an
nails of oratory. There was nothing fiippant
no attempt at display; but his whole man
ner was marked by the greatest solemHity,
gravity and earnestness. His feelings were
frequently excited-tears came to his ewes,
and his voice trembled with unaffected emo
ton. But who ever heard such ideasi He
thanked God that in Boston all religions and
creeds were tolerated. He thanked God
''that a club of Atheists could assemble and
enjoy the rights of conscience, and none
dare modest them" He thanked God that
there was Mormon temple in Boston.
. But mercy on US, how he showed up the
peculiar institutionl'' ssThis great coun-
try of ours" said he, .'presents magnif-
: cent and beautiful landscape, when seen in
the distance. We have a vast foreground
OF ocean. Almost every indentation on our
extended coast is marked by growing COM
mercial city, with its halls of learning, tenn
pies of justice and churches of religious
worship, with their lofty spires-the finger
of mans sderotion-pointing to heaven In
the background there are villages and ham,
lets embosomed in trees, and fruitful fields
and broad streams that gush out from our
mountains and traverse the bold land, bear
ing the agricultural products of the thriving
country, to the sounding seas; there are
boundless forests, wide-spreading prairies,
roaring eataraets "a beautiful landscape
scene in the distance; but plant your foot
on the soil, and every eighth person is a
slave" This was foul blot-a stain-a
disgrace
With tears have been preaching to you
IN this city for ten years; and besides the
nuititudes addressed here, I have addressed
a hundred thousand annually in excursions
through the country; and IN that time the
area of Slavery has increased an hundred
fold Theodore Parker Is polished Pan
fheist- He sees God in everything; in the
flowers blushing at their own images, re
hected from the flowing streams; in the trees
and In the stars. s.the geometry of the d.
rins mind - ckristias -davocote