Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-02-11

and his sect: II a man would establish and
endow a hospital, must I refuse to co-work
with him because, being a Unitarian. its sue
cess would reflect certain lustre upon that
faith;
When, in the pestilcnce in New Orleans,
the Sisters Of Charity did not count their lives
dear to them, but night and day, fearless Of
death and defiant Of fatigue. gave their ut
most being to the care of the miserable sick,
must /, a Protestant, refuse admiration or
fellowship for fear a "ccrtain lustre' would
shine upon the Roman Catholic Church
If a jew does nobly, he deserves the lustre
which rght-doing ought TO confer; if an A.
theist or an Infdel live virtuously and act
honorably, he should have the "lustre' be-
longing to virtue and honor
Does The Eraminer think that we do not
care for our own theologic views; We care
a good deal We shall yield them to no
mans dictation. We shall not indorse any
mans theology which differs from them. We
have enough of the disciple nature left
to feel very desirous that folks who will cast
out devils should do it in our train. If they
won't-why, then, We will help them TO do it
in their way But if we were TO help an
Episcopal movement for general benevolence,
would any man say that we ndorsed High
Church notionsi If we were aiEectionately
and urgently invited to Princeton, TO examine
the senior class in theology and give them
some tender cautions on parting from Turre-
tin and entering the life Of realities. would
anybody be so cruel as 70 say that we believ-
ed in high Calvinism. or were indifferent to
all woes of conscience produced by that en-
ergetic system; Bishop Hughes will never
invite us to speak in his new cathedral and
we not promptly accept it, But we affec
/ tiouatelv appeal TO The Examiner whether on
such an interesting occurrence, he would think
/ it his duty to pierce us with such remarks as
are now puncturing our peace from his words
If ! had gone to Boston to buy carpets or
books or if had gone T. Boston to help the
Republican cause. no question would have
been raised In selfish and worldly interests
men are allowed cooperation for common
ends But if divest myself of all selfish or
secular aims. and rise TO higher plane of be-
ncyolence and seek 20 raise the fallen. to re-
store the lost TO purify the vicious. 10 elevate
the ignorant. and 10 cheer the poor and neg
locted. Christian ministers and editors will
not let me cooperate for such divine objects
with every man who will sincerely work for
them; but must pick for men Of right phil
osophy. for men right in all theology Thus
we allow selfshness TO 60 with flowing robes
and a loose girdle. We make her feet light
and her hands nimble But upon religion we
put iron shoes and steele gloves. We bur
den her with mail, and underneath it all we
draw the girt of conscience to the last hole.
Then She goes slowly forth, scarcely able to
walk or to breathe
have long ago been convinced that it was
better TO love men than to hate them; that
one would be more likely to convince them Of
wrong belief by showing cordial sympathy
with their welfare than by nipping and pinch
ing them with logic And although do not
dsdain, but honor philosophy applied to re-
ligion, think that the world Just now needs
the Christian Heart more than anything else.
And, even if the only and greatest question
were the propagation of right theology, am
confident that right speculative views will
grow up faster and frmer in the summer OF
true Christian loving than in the rigorous
winter Of solid. CONCEALED orthodoxy, or the
clustering March Of controversy
Does anybody inquire why. if so thinking,
we occasionally give such sharp articles upon
the great religious newspapers. The Observer
The hte1iqencer, and the like; Oh, pray DO
not think it for any ill-will. It is all kind
ness We only do it to keep our voice in
practice. We have made orthodoxy a study.
And by an attentive examination Of The Pres
luierian. the Observer, The Puritan Recorder,
and such like unblcmished confessors, we
have perceived that no man is truly sound
who does not pitch into somebody that is not
sound and that a real modern orthodox
man, like nervous Watchdog, must sit on
the door-stono of his system, and bark inces-
sanity at everything that comes in sight along
the highway. And when there is nothing to
bark at either he must growl and gnaw his
reserved bones or bark at the moon to keep
mp the sonorousness Of his voice. And so,
for fear that the sweetness of our temper may
lead men to think that we have no theologic
zeal, we lift up an objurgation now and then
--as much as to say, Here we are, fierce and
orthodox: ready to growl when we cannot
bite"
But The Examiner says "The pastor Of
the Plymouth Church in Brooklyn has ap-
poared upon Mr.. Parker's platform, to lend it
his popularity" Inoithor borrowed nor lent.
went before an audience in the fremont
Temple, the place for the chief part Of public
lectures, to give my own ideas, and to exert
whatever power had by my thoughts and by
my feelings upon such audience as pleased to
come. If they were good men, they needed
me less; if they were bad, they needed me
more. But either way, ] was responsible for
my own testimony, and for nothing more and
this was not lent to Mr.. Parker, but to the
audience. Yet, whenever Theodore Parker,
does what is right and noble. if it were pos
sible for me to lend him anything ! would do
it gladly. have nothing to lend, however.
but good will, and that never lend, but give
free as Gods air
But, it will be asked, will the public un-
derstand your position, and however you may
design it, will not the impression 60 abroad
either that YOU sympathize with infdel views
or are Indifferent to them; No. The public
are Just the ones who will not misunderstood
There is formed and forming moral judg-
ment in the intelligent part of the community
that popular Christianity needs more love in
il. Men at large will be great deal more
apt to say that done a more exemplary act,
in daring to avow an ethical sympathy with
Theodore Parker, between whom and myself
there exists an irreconcilable theological diff
ference, than if had bombarded him for a
whole year, and refused to touch his hand
What pitiful thing it is to see men, who
have the chance of saying what they believe
who do say it two hundred times year, who