The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-02-09
Henry Ward Becher ON Theo-
dOre Parker.

Henry Ward Beecber in recent mum.
Der of the Independent, closes up re-
ply to some structures of the Examiner
upon his delivering one of course Of
lectures, before an association in Boston
chiefly composed of members Of Mr.: Park
er's church, as follows:
When Theodore Parker appears in his
representative character as theologian, I
am as irreconcilably opposed TO him as it is
possible to be. The things that are dear
to him, are cherries and unspcakably
solitary and mournful to ms. 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 min
istry, are to him but very little. l differ
from him in fact, in theory. in statement,
| in living or dying, laboring or resting,--
in theology, we are separate, and irrecon'
clable.
Could Theodore Parker worship my
God? Jesus Christ is his name. All
that there is Of God to me is bound up
in that name A dim and shadowy
effiuence rises from Christ, and that am
taught to call the Father. A yet moro
tenuous and invisible film of thought a
rises, and that is tho Holy Spirit. But
neither are to me aught tangible, restfus
accessible.
They are to be revealed to my knowl--
edge hereafter, but now only to my faith,
But Christ stands my manifest God. All
that know is of him and in him. | put
my soul into his arms, as, when / was
born, my father put me into my moth
er's arms. l draw all my life from him.
l bear him in my Thoughts hourly, as l
humblv believe that he also hears me.
For | do truly believe that we love each
other Il, speck, particle, a nothing,
only mere beginning of something that
is yet gloriously to be when the warmth
of Gods bosom shall have been a sum-
mer for my growth and He, Wonder
full Counselor, the Mighty God, the Ev-
erlasting Father. the Prince of Peace!
And this Redeemer of the world, this
Savior Of sinners, l accept not only as my
guide, my friend, my deliverer, but as an
atoning God, who bore my sins upon the
cross, and delivered me from their penal
ty. And, since my life is spared to me
by him, l give to him that life again.
This hope of Christ is the staff of my
ministry. First, highest, and in measure
beyond all things, l preach Jesus Christ.
And all other topics are but arrows, shot
out of this Divine bow. And this has
been SO for twenty years, eleven of which
laborcd in Brooklyn. And vet tho
E1anainer is pleased to reproach me, as
if, against the sweep of my life, and the
current and testimony of my being, had
gone to Boston to give ''eclat to an inf
del enterprise" because l gladly helped
men who do not agree with ME in theolo-
gy, to do deeds of mercy in which all
good men are unitedi
What must be the condition of the
public mind, on the state of, Christian
charity, when the simple cooperation of a
nan, on n ground of common benevolence
is made to signify more that his whole
regular life-work?
The disposition to find common ground
of kindness and beneyolcnce to work
with those from whom we are known to
differ, will be real preaching Of the Cos
pei to tens of thousands who are unmo,.
ed by dogmas or doctrines. 1t is Love
that the world wants. When Love goes
abroad in the full worth of its nature, and
endures, and suffers, without reward K
cept the sweetness of suffering born for
another, then men begin to sec what is
the heart and spirit of Christ, and to
have some motions towards faith in
him! s @ a fE,3
If tears could wash away from Mr..
Parker's eyes the hindrances, that he
might behold Christ as | behold and
adore him, | would shed them without
reserve. If prayers could bring to him
this vision of glory, beyond sight of phi
losophy, would for him besiege the au-
dience chambe: of heaven with an endless
procession Of prayers, until another voice
sounding forth from another light, bright
er than the MONDAY sun, should cast
down another blinded man, to be lifted
up an apostle with inspired vision!
But since may not hope so to prevail, I
at least will carry him to my heart, will
cordially work with him when can, and
be heartily sorry whenever [ cannot.
While we yet write, word comes that
Mr.. Parker, broken down by overlabor,
seeks rest and restoration in warmer
cline. Should these lines reach his eve,
let him know that one heart at least re-
members bis fidelity to man, in great
public exigencies when so many swerved,
of whom we had right to expect better
thilgs. God shield him from the ocean,
the storm, the pestilence; and heal him
of lurking disease And there shall DO
one Christian who will daily speak his
name to the heart of God in earnest pray
er. that with health of body he may re-
celve upon his soul the greatest gift of
God,-faith in Jesus Christ as the Di-
vine Savior of the world. z