The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-07-06


whatever, were it not evident from the
language and spirit of its conclusion, that
our aged and Reverend friend is full OF
beligercnt impulses and like the Emerald
er we read of-''Spilin' for fight" so
our habitual dcsiie to please leads us to
review his article.
In this review we shall consider the fol-
lowing points =
lst.-The introduction and allusion to
the labors of woman.
2nd.-Tho assertion that the JOURNAL
has endorsed the Professors theology,
3d.--The opinion expressed of the Pro
fessor.
4th.-The request to reconcile tho opin-
ions of the Professor with a belief in the
Divine origin of Christianity.
5th-The talk on witchcraft.
6th.-The allusion to President Ed
wards.
7th.-The reference to the Lpdepen-
dent, aud concluding remarks.
Let US now take up these points in or
der.
1st. We are happy to learn that ''you
have generally beer pleased with the tone
of our paper" ard we agree with you cor
diallv in your remarks about those who
unnecessarily and unjustly criticize "oyery
thing that women say, CT do. or wear"
We are not aware that the JOURNAL has
ever been obnoxious in this respect.
End. You assert rcE eatcdly that we
have endorsed and recommended the SEN
timonts advanced by the Professor in our
paper Of May 4th. In this you are COM
pletely mistaken, sir. We have done no
such thing. 1t is our custom to notice
tho atlantic, and in our notice of May
4th., we said: "The Professors talk on
Theology is ono of his best papers, and
will be widely road" This is all We said
with regard to it. 1t has been widely
read, AMI we still think it one Of his best
papers, and in saying so We no moro en-
dorse its contents than we do the contents
of tho N. Y. Herald, in saying it is por-
haps the best conducted paper in New
York-iu either case we refer to the abil-
ity displayed-the manner, and not the
matter contained. In addition to this we
published nearly column Of extracts,
from the article referred to, without note or
comment. Does this amount to an en-
dorsemcnt? If you Judge SO, we COM
mond to your careful perusal the follow
ing extract from an article to be found in
another part of this paper.
"There is method, principle in iouanal-
ism that some of those who follow it and MANY
ofthe reading public find it hard to understand,
and still harder to admit. The man who sets
up to print public newspaper has no right TO
control its contents by his personal prcudices
or his private tastes; and the man who sub
scribes for and reads it has no right to ask, and
no reason to expect, that he shall find in it on
ly what he wants to read and what he can APP
prove nothing to offend his prcjudices or shock
his sensibilities.
Here in few plain words is defined
the true relation which an editor sustains
towards his readers, and the readers tow
ards the public journal. 1t is upon this
principle that we have conducted the
JOURNAL and we have frequently printed
articles, sometimes by request of others,
sometimes selected by oursolf, containing
sentiments directly opposed to our own.
At the Same time,en editors opinions may
be seen in the general character of his Sc
lections, and you admit that you have
been generally pleased" with the tone OF
this paper.
Sd. You express the opinion that the
Professor IS weak and wicked. We shall
not argue the case with you. We only
remark that those holding this opinion
are in desperate minority. The almost
universal voice of the best writers and
ablest papers prononce him the most bril-
liant ossayist since the days ofProf. VII
soN,-the leading English press admits
that he has no equal in England, and
with this judgement, DR.. HOLMES may
well afford to bear an occasional word of
detraction from those who feel the pun
gent power of his pen.
4th. You request us to reconcile be-
lief in the Divine origin of Christianity.
with the opinions advanced in paragraph
which you quote. As we believe that
paragraph contains a truth, the recogni-
ton of which is necessary to a thorough
and satisfactory belief in the Bible, we
print it again.
"The heart makes the theolegian. Every
race every civilization, either has a new reve-
lation of its own or new Interpretation of an
old one The Bible was a divining book to
our ancestors and is so still in the hands Of
some OF the vulgar. The Puritans wentto the
Old Testament for their laws; the Mormons
go to il for their patriarchal institution. Every
generation dIssoirCs 5o.aething new and pre-