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

draw upon us n suspicion we have never
sought influence. and we never shall seek It.
Any that we have now came TO us because we
went straight forward boing what was right
and always believing that ioving heart was
better Judge Of what mas right than cold
and accurate head Neither is iniallibe
Both make mistakes But the errors Of the
heart dissolve in the kindness of mems ma
lures as snowAakes dissolve in warm-bosomed
lakes. while the errors of cold intellect pierce
and stick like arrows. If ! cannot make my
people understand my belief, in fity-two Sab
baths of the year. shall not mend the matter
by refusing to follow the generous sympathies
Of my heart.
No. The common people will not misun-
derstand. Nor will practical Christian min
listers. They may differ from my judgment.
but they will understand my deed. 1t is only
those profcsscd defenders of the faith, who,
having erected suspicion into a Christian grace,
practise sandcr as Christian duty, that will
be liable TO mistake. And it makes no diff
ference whether such men understand or not.
These men are like aspen trees growing on
rocks. In conceit and arrogance they arc hard
as granite. while they tremble all over like as
pen leaves with perpetual fears and apprehen-
sions of dismal mischief to come
When Theodore Parker appears in his rep
Iresentative character as "a thcologian, l am as
irreconciably opposed TO him as it is possible
TO be- The things that are dear to him are
oheerloss and unspeakably solitary and mourn
full to me The things which are the very
centre of my life, the inspiration Of my oxis-
tence, 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 or rest
ing-in theology, we are separate, and ire
concilable.
Could Theodore Parker worship my God !;
Christ Jesus is his name All that there is Of
God to me is bound up in that name A dim
and shadowy efluence rises from Christ, and
that | am taught to call the Father. A yet
more tenuous and invisible film Of thought
arises. and that is the Holy Spirit But
neither are to me aught tangible restful, ac-
cessble.
They arc to be revealed to my knowledge
hereafter. but now only TO my faith. But
Christ stands my manifest God. All that /
know is of him. | put my soul into his
arms, as, when | was born. my father put me
into my mothers arms. l draw all my life
from him ! bear him in my thoughts hourly,
as ] humbly believe that he also bears me.
For ! do truly believe that we love each
other l a speck. particle, a nothing, only
a mere beginning of something that is glor-
ously yet to be when the warmth Of God s
bosom shall have been a summer for my
growth and He, the Wonderful, Counsellor,
the Mighty God. the Everlasting Father the
} Prince of Peace
And this Rodeemer of the world, this Sa-
vor of sinners, | accept, not only as my guide,
t my friend. my delivcrcr, but as an atoning
God who bore my sins upon the cross, and
Z delivered me from their penalty. And. since
, my life is spared TO me By him, give to him
that life again. This hope of Christ is the
= staff of my ministry. First, highest, and in
measure beyond all other things, l preach
Jesus Christ. And all o.her topics are but
! arrows shot out of this Divine bow. And
this has been so for twenty years, eleven OF
which have labored in Brooklyn. And yet
f The Eraminer is pleased to reproach me- as
; if, against the sweep of my life, and the cur
e rent and testimony Of my being, | had gone
to Boston to give "eclat to an infdel enter
prise, because l gladly helped men who do
j not agree with me in theology to do deeds OF
, mercy in which all good men are united
> What must be the condition of the public
d mind, on the subject of Christian charity
! when the simple cooperation of a man. on a
ground of common benevolonce, is made to
= signify more than his whole regular lifo-work
The disposition to find some common
3 ground of kindness and benevolence work.
with those from whom we are known to diff
t fer, will be a real preaching of the Gospel to
( tens Of thousands who are unmoved by dog
mas 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 except the sweetness of suf-
fering borne for another, then men begin to
, see what is the heart and spirit Of Christ, and
to have some motions toward faith in him
+ If tears could wash away from Mr.. Par
ker's eyes the hindrances, that he might be-
] hold Christ as l behold and adore him, l
would shed them without reserve. If prayers
could bring to him this vision of glory, be-
yond sight of philosophy, would for him be-
f siege the audience chamber Of heaven with an
endless procession of prayers, until another
t voice sounding forth from another light
brighter than the noon-day sun, should cast
} down another blinded man, to be lifted up an
, apostle with inspired vision
t But since may not hope so to prevail, |
cordially work with him when | can, and be
heartily sorry whenever | cannot.
, While we yet write, word comes that Mr..
Z Parker, broken down by overlabor, seeks rest
and restoration in warmer cline. Should
these lines reach his eye, let him know that
one heart at least remembers his fidelity to
man, in great public exigencies when so many
} sweryed, of whom we had a right to expect
&, better things God shield him from the ocean,
3 the storm the pestience and heal him OF
lurking disease. And there shall be one
Christian who viii daily speak his name to
: the heart of God in earnest prayer, that with
health of body he may receive upon his soul
the greatest gift of God-faith in Jesus Christ
? as the Divine Savior of the world,
p EDITOR BEARD VS.. DIR. HALL on How TO
Go TO BED.-Dr. Hall instructs his subject
! l.. IL. -