The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-06-13
New York Historical Society.

ADDRESS BY TEE Hon. GEoRGE BANCROFT ON
JONATHAN EDwARDs.-DEATH OF HUMBOLDT
The promise Of an address by the Hon George
Bancroft on Jonathan Edwards, the eminent
New England Theologan, drew large au-
dence on Tuesday evening to the Horticultural
Society Room. So large was the attendance
that seats were placed in the aisles, while many
were obliged to stand.
After the transaction of routine business, Mr..
Bancroft came forward amid applause.
He said that many years ago he lived in
Northampton, and had under his eye tho room
where the subject Of his address resided. The
speaker mover had the opportunity of going
into his study, but the man who had doubled
the value of Astor's bequest, Tapplause,1 Mr..
Cogswel, has verified the story that in that
room could be seen the marks of his feet where
he sat when studying L-H-
He was the only son Of his parents, but had
ten sisters, four Of whom were elder than HIM
self. With his parents, they fitted him for
college. lie entered Yale very young, and
there distinguished himself by his manly cour-
age and lore. But the work which gave the
impulse to his mind was Locke's Essay on the
| Understanding. At fifteen sixteen he ar
gued out for himself his theory of the will as
well as that of virtue. At seventeen his scru
pies with regard to the justice and goodness of
God were overcome, and Gods sovereignty be-
came to him delightful conviction. Often
dent enthusiasm in his heart. II often used
to sit and gaze at the moon, and look at tho
sky, seeing in ali nature evidences of the good
ness of the Creator Prayer became as natu-
raj for him as the breath which relieved his in
ward burning. In August, 1922, two years af-
ter he graduated, he was selected to uphold the
cause of Calvinism here in New York. A
small church in Wall street was the sphere of
| his lRbors. Here he made u new dedication
| 0f IN Gnd hp
long enough to learn to love this lovely place.
In April, 1928, he left, and when he sailed
away he kept sight of our city as long as he
could. In his fathers study, at East Windsor,
he pursued his Investigations. Mr.. Bancroft
then road Dr. Edwards sketch of Sara Pierre
| pont, whom he afterwards married. In 1925,
| Edwards received an invitation to become pas
| tor of the Northampton Church, and in 1927
| he accepted the Office and entered upon the
discharge his duties. Northampton was one
of the wealthiest and most beautiful villages Of
New England, as it is now A short time after
| his settlement he was united in wedlock to
Sara Pierrepont. There was nothing lacking
to perfect the happiness of their union, which
lasted thirty years. In July, 1881, be delivered
the famous Thursday Lecture in Boston, which
gained him such wide applause. Edwards
stunned mere speculative questions, but the
Arminian doctrine, which made mans work
his own salvation, was regarded by him as
most dangerous. In 1874 he opened war
upon these doctrines. During all this time he
was sweetly happy. His wife also experienced
the deepest religious convictions. Mr.. Ban
croft then sketched at some length the promi-
nent peculiarities Of the eminent theolo-
gian's system. In 1850 he was driven
away from his congregation, in which thirty
four of the best years of his life had been spent
He must leave the streams along which he
had wandered, and the places which had be-
come consecrated to his heart. Scotland
would have offered him a home, and so would
Virginia, but there was no time to make these
arrangements, and he was obliged to accept q
small stipend as missionary among the In
dians, laboring under the auspices of London
Society. But here he was happy. His wife
alleviated his toll and anxiety. Aaron Burr,
President of the College of New Jersey, visited
him, and after a courtship of three days he re-
turned to Princeton, sending his servant back,
Isaac-like, for one of Edwards daughters
Like Rebecca, she followed the servant and
Burr was married to her. On Burr's death he
was elected to the Presidency Of the College.
The smallpox was prevailing at that time,
and having been persuaded to be inoculated,
he died in thirty four days after having been
elevated to the head of the institution. The
lecturer then proceeded to sketch some of the
leading characteristics of the subject of his ad-
dress.
First-There was his unquestioning faith
and firm belief in the truth Of every word writ
ten in the Holy Scriptures. His attachment,to
Calviuism, as opposed to Arminianism, lis
worthy of remark. Sprnging from these
principles we find, first, that he looked to the
establishment of the reasonableness of his
views.
Secondly-All his teachings bear the marks
of universality. With him, Christianity was
no temporary expedient, varying with different
ages. The Iogos, in his belief, took counsel
with the Father. The practical character of
his system, in its adaptation to the life and
action, must be observed, in the third place. 1t
is an absurdity to charge him with having
copied his system from Locke. He agrees
much moro nearly with Leibnitz, whose
theories Cousin has made popular. Edwards
never undertook to arraign God at the bar of
human reason, and there to plead for verdict
of aoquittal from man. Mr.. Bancroft then
entered into lengthy examination of Ed
wards metaphysical theories, and said, in con-
clusion, that the distinguished theologian made
turning-point in the intellectual, or, as he
would have termed it, in the spiritual history
of New England. In the age following his,
New Jersey and New England gave more time
and thought to religious study than any other
equal portion of the world did.
The speaker concluded amid applause. The
Hon. Luther Bradish made few remarks rela-
tive TO the deeease oil Baron humboldtJ ana
expressed the hope that some gentleman had
prepared suitable resolutions.
The Rev. DR.. 0sgood then read series oi
resolutions commemorative Of the services
Humboldt had rendered the cause of Science
aluding to the fact that his name had for forty
years been enrolled among those of the mem
bers of the Historical Society. He proceeded
to speak Of him as student of nature, and 6
fast friend to all with whom he had stood il
kindly relations, no matter how great misfor'
tunes overlook them. He concluded by running
/ parallel between the results achieved by Wei
D Iington, Napoleon and Humboldt, all of whom
were born in the same year, and closed amit
= applause. .......-.
DEFENCEs OF New YoRK.-Major Barnard
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