Worcester daily spy., 1860-07-21
00ottester 0ailp gpp.
George w. Curtis in Music Han.

On Sunday, 18th inst, George w. Curtis
repeated his lecture on Modern Infidelity. in
Music Hall, Boston, closing with the following
eulogy of Theodore Parker -
As | end this DISCOURSE | am of course
thinking OF what you are thinking of, the man
who stood in this place, and whose whole lie
was an act OF faith in the doctrine of private
Judgment Sirce Roger Williams preached in
the old Colony of Massachusetts Bay, that the
government had no right to inquire whether
or not a citizen believed in God. since William
Ellery Claiming petitioned for the uncundi-
ti0nai PARTON OF a man VINO had been sentenc.
ed to prison in the city of Boston, for denying
the existence Of God-on the simple ground,
IN each case, not of sympathy with The opin-
ION, but OF the absolute right of religious lib.
brty-no man in the world has more bravely
and proudly yindicated that right than lie who
has made this hall precious in your memories
forever. The colony of Massachusetts Bay
sent Roger Williams out into the wild forests
among wild men and beasts the city of Bos-
ton Indignantly protested against Dr. Chan
nng petition, and the governor of Massachu-
setts refused its prayer, and here, in the same
city, the cloud of cOntumely which hovered
over the head of Theodore Parker would have
harmed and hidden him, if his heaven-tipped
virtue had not despised it and passed its light.
ming harmless into the ground, you know bet
ter than | can say. When l remember, under
the exterior Of the farmers son, these soft
graces that made nobility, when l reflect how
his days and powers and opportunities were
never wasted, but were only too profuse
ly spent, how the hearts of young men
in the land, looking for light, turned
to him, as flowers to the sun-how he
strengthened more purposes in this country
how he stimulated honest thought how he
encouraged free speech how plainly lie
taught that love to man meant love to him
whom the law deprives of all right, equally
with him who makes and declares the
law; and how he scorned the plant and bril-
liant Judases who betray Christ in humanity
with kiss-l do not wonder that his name
sh0ne in other lands, and ought we to be sur
prised that it was obscured at home? Old
Cotton Mather said that Roger Williams had
a windmill in his head old Hubbard of Ips-
wich declared he had dy-blown imagination
SO an ecclesiastical body near by prayed the
Lord to close the mouth of your minister; and
In his good mercy he has closed it, but only
as the Arabian fruit closes, after the precious
seed is dropped. Theodore Parker was the
intellectual child of Claiming. Only four
years before the South Boston sermon was
preached, DR.. Charming had written these
words AS to human favor, feel more and
more that it must be given up. If | know
Christianity, it is so at war with the present
condition of society that it cannot be spoken
or acted on without giving great offense" OF
robust and gadatorial nature, how gladly
the young hero accepted the great debate with
human wrong. He leaped into the lists, and
though his Ephesus was called Boston, the
contest was sharp and life long. Friends,
friends, not the orators of pcrfumed praise,
not the speakers of adrot avoidance, have
consecrated this beautiful hall but he who
taught here that religion is life, not cere
mony; he whose opulent and vehement mind
beat out truth, as with the incessant blows of
a trip-hammer, fitting it alike to the sernest
and sweetest duties of life = he who preached
and lived in this city that eternal truth of
God which was before Abraham, and shall
ontlast the world. friend and teacher 0
loving heart, large brain open hand and tire
less foot of charity, hail, hail, and farewell