, 1859-01-18
Henry Ward Beecher on Orthodoxy.

Henry Ward Beecher on Orthodoxy.
The young men connected with the church
Of Theodore Parker, some time ago provided
for q course of lectures by eminent men
during tue winter, tue proceeds Of which
were to be devoted to benevolent purposes
among the poor Of. Boston. Henry Ward
Beechcr having lecsured In the course, has
been taken severely to task by some of tie
religious journals, on the ground that his DO
ing So will reflect q certain lustre upon Mr.
Parkcr's church, and "upon the man whose
iafjlelity is its pervadiug spirit.' Mr.. Deecher
publishes a loug reply in the Independent Of
tue 18Th, from which we take the following !;
have long ago been con-
WINGED that it was better to love tnen than TO
hate them; that one would lie more likely to
convince them Of wrong belief b., showing
cordial sympathy with their welfare, than by
nipping and pinchiug them with logic. And
although do not disduiu but honor rhiloso-
ply applied 10 religion, think that tue
world just now needs tie Chri-tian Heart
m"rc than anytl,ing e|sr. And, even If tlo
only ind greatest qa' siou were The propsga-
tisu Of right theology, am couideut that
right speculative views will grow up E4ster
and f1rmer in the summer Of true Christian
loving, than in the rigorous winlcr Of solid,
congealed orthodoxy, or tue clustering March,
Of controversy.
Does anybody inquire wby, if 70 thinking,
We occasionally give such sharp articles upon
the great religions newspapers, 0Ae Obserrer,
Tie Intc{{igtnesr, aad the like! Oh pray d.
not think it for any il}-wil. It is all kind
nens! We only do it to keep our voice III
practice. We hare made orthodoxy 4 study.
And By an attentive examination OF The Pres.
dst'eFidn, The Observer, The Puritan Recorder,
aud such like unblenllshcl confcssors, ne
hare perceived that no man is truly sound
Who does not pitch into somebody that is no.
sound and that real modern orthodox ulan,
Hike nervous watchdog, must sit Ut the
doOr-stone Ut hie system, and bark inccss.lnt-
II ut everything that comes in sight alyng
the highway. And when there is nothing to
bark a' either be must grox1 aad gnaw his
reserved bones, or bark at the moon to keep
up the sonorousue.s OF his voice. And 20,
fur lear that the sweetness Ut our temper may
lead men to think that ne have no theologic
zeal, We 1iftup an oljuration now and thcu--
as much as 10 say, Here ne are, fierce and
orthodox !: ready to growl when we cannot
bite"
But, it will be asked, will the public under
stand Jour position, and, however you may
design it, will not the impression 60 abroad
either that you sympashiz with infids.] views,
or are Indifferent to them? No. The public
are just the ones who will not,misuulerstand.
There i. formed and forming moral judg
ment in the intelligent part Of the community
that popular Christianity needs more love IN
it. Mea at large will be Il great deal mora
apt to cay that have done more exemplary
Christian act, in daring to avow all ethical
sympathy With Theodore Parker, betweea
whom and myself there exists an irrecoucil-
able theological difference, than il l had bonn
bardc1 him tur q whole year and refused TO
touch his hand!
What pititul thing it is to sec men who
have he chance Of saying What they believe,
who do say it two hundred times year, who
write it, sing it, speak it and fight it !; who,
by all their social afdnities, by al1 their life
work, by all positive and most solemn tcsti-
monies, are placed beyond miscunceptiou,-
always nervous lest thsy should sit down
with somebody, or spssk with somebody, OF
touch somebody, and 20 lose nm Immaculate
reputation for souudness! Therefore men
peep out from their systems as prisoners in
jail lF-Cp JUL VI l!OuNN2l4EU "lu0OHr5 uAk
dare not come out, for fear some sbarp sher-
| itf Of the Faith should arrest them!
II we held Theodore Parker's views, VIC
| should not wait to have it inferred. Men
| would lear it from our lips, and bear it past
| all mistallng. And NC are not going at our
| time Of life to begin to watch over our in.
auence;" to cut aud trim our sentences lest
eomc mousEng critic should pounce upou an
| iufellcity and draw upon Us suspicion. We
have never sought influence, and ne never
shall seek it. Auy that We have now, came
| 10 us because We went straight forward, do
ing whatescr was right, and always believing
that loving heart was better judge Of
what rls right than cold and accurate
head. Neither is iniallible. Both make
! mistakes. But the errors OF the heart dis
! solve in the kindness of mems natures Us
nowfakes dissolve in Tarm-bosomed lakes,
while the errors Of cold intellect pierce and
stick like arrows. If cannot make my peo.
pie understand my belief, in fifty Two Sab
| baths Of the year, 1 shall not mend the ma;-
ter by refusing to follow the generous sym
pathies Of my heart.
No. The common people will not misuu-
lerstand. Nor will practical Christian min-
istcra. They may differ from my judgment,
but they will understand my deed. It Is
only those professed defenders of the faith,
who, having erected suspicion into Chris
tiau grace, practice elander Us Christian
duty, that will be liable to mistake. And it
makes no difference whether some men un-
desstand or not. These men are like aspen
trees growing on rocks. In conceit and
arrogance they are hard ~ granite, while
they tre,nble all over like aspen Leaves with
perpetual fears and apprcheusions Of dismal
mischief to GOMEZ
/ When Theodore Parker appears in his re-
preventative character. as theologian, am
Us irreconcilably opposed to him ~ it is pos
| sihle to be. The things that are dear to him
are cherries and unspeakably solitary and
| uou1nful to me. The things which are the
very center Of my life, the Inspiration Of my
existence, The glory Of my thought and the
strength Of my ministry, are to him but very
little. differ from him in fact, in theory
in statement, in doctrine in system in hope
and expectation, living or dying, laboring Of
rcsting-in theology VIC are separate ane
irTeconcilablc.
-
What must be the condition Of the pus1ls
mind, on the subject Of Christian charity
when the simple cooperation OF man, on I
ground Of common beuevoletee, Is made t
signify more than his whole regular life
work?
If tears could wash away from Mr. Park
er's eyes the hindraaces. that be might beholt
Christ as behold and adore hin, woult
bring to him this vision Of glory, beyons
sight Of philosophy, I would for him besieg
> the nudienee.chamber Of heaven with an end
less procession Of prayer until anothe
voice sounding forth from another lgh
| brighter than the noou day gun, should Gus