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


not slightly ''countenanced by American
clergy"
Again, tho American Trac. Society IS
supported by great majority OF the A
merican clergy. That Society has oppos-
cd card playing and novel reading. 1t
has grown eloquent over The sin Of dan
cling. 1t Iaments in fourpage pamphlets
over the evils of tobacco using, and yet
you know that it has persisteutly refused
TO oppose that cursed system which John
Wesley pronounced to be "he sum Of q"
vMaines." Is not this 'barbarlsm' thus
countenanced by the clergy? Have you
not read Beechcr's speech, in which tins
Society is denounced in sevcrer terms
than Holmes has used:
We can give more instances, involving
the position of portion of the clergy on
other questions if wished, but will let these
two suffice for the present.
6th on demur to Holmes comparing
Jon. Edwards to Babbage's calculating
machine. lie has not done it. He spoke
of Edwards as-s'a man with, n braln as
nicely adjusted for certain mechanical pro
cessos as Babbage's calculating machine"
which you will not deny ia true.
Yod do not attempt to disprove word
the Professor said about Mr.. Edwards,
but only show that some ndiridpaE' be
came sensible of bis error in voting to dis
miss him. We apprehend this does not
greatly impair the force of the Professors
remarks. We know Mr.. Edwards was q
great, and doubtless a good man, but
some of bis sentiments arc discredtable
to his heart, and repulsiye to all the bet
ter feelings of our human, not to say
christian nature. AS evidence of this VIC
give paragraph from his sermon on Hell
torments. 1t needs no comment.
"The sight Of hell tormcnts will exalt the
happiness of the saints forever. 1T willnot on
" make them more sensible of the freenessand
greatness of thr grace of God in their happi-
ness but it will really make their happiness
the greater as it Will make them moe sensible
of their own happiness it viii give them a
more lively relish of it ; it will make them
prize it more. When they see others who
were of tae same nature, and born under the
same circumstances, plunged i'll such misery,
and they so distinguished, O, it will make
them sensible how happy they are. A sense
of the opposite misery in all cases, greatly i'll.
creases the relish of any joy or pleasure"
18th. You say your views arc endorsed
by the Independent. We regret this is
SO. We read that paper with much pleas
ure, and deem its criticism on the Profess
or the most unjust and ungenerous article
we ever found in its columns.
In conclusion, although We have not
hitherto endorsed the theological views of
the Professor, and do not now. as we do
not fully know what they are, yet we most
heartily endorse the spirit and temper Of
his writings. He has paid the modest
tributes to whatever is best and hottest
in our natures For nice and affection
ate appreciation of whatever is beautiful
in the world around us-for "a knowl-
elge of that which is most subtle in hui
man thought and feeling"--for genial
humor that irradiatcs all bis speech, we
admire him; while his spirit Of broad and
catholic liberality-his preference of vital
religion, the religion of life, to that of
trust in the dognas of belief. lead us TO
regard him as truly Christian man.
Following the example of many success
full preachers, we VIII close this discourse
with a personal application. The Unit
arian denomination is respectable for its
piety and intelligence. DR.. Holmes is a
prominent member of this denomination.
He had the honor to be Chairman of its
last annual meeting, and gave short adj
dress. Let us now recccllect that chart
ty is sail by Divine authority to be the
greatest OF the Christian virtues, and care
fully read the following sentence which
occurs in his address.
stThere is so much good in all good
men, whatever creed they teach, that we
must never forget to love then. while we
are constrained to differ from them"
Now, please compare this with your
own remorscless damnation of Holmes
of whom you evidently know but little
declaring that he "wWJ be remembered on
ly an tie maledictious Of those whona he
has led astray."
Which is the most Christian-like?
We believe that when the summer of
Christian love and fellowship shall smile
upon the earth, Holmes will be remem-
bered with gratitude, and of many of his
maligners it will be said, as is now said of
Cotton Mather, that they 'were without
doubt conscientious, pious, cody men,
but their characters were strange mix
ture of desirable and undesirable quail
t:ac y Fin JoYTREAJ