New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-21

acter that he ranks with the leaders OF ihe race nu
among an hs opinions that CHARACTERISTIC ana supreme
which asserts the absolute religious auloii1? ~
moral sentiment, and demands iIh so.Lu correct
docmas mis- opinion certainly prophecies the tendency
OF the age In all schools ana ~ an iss, me t on,
timent Is recovering its sovereignty WIN the nOs.
lghtepcd believers and teachers. IL Is becoming gene
rally understood, among religious 'nkers tat 1Vi pi@i
and sect founded dogma slOuu h"d pace %
subordinaon to principle and good lfe as our states
are subordinate 10 the CONSTITUTION ana the Marion,
spirit of dogma, and OF sclsn III le interest OF
are discovered 10 be false 10 humanity ana reNE
appears at length that Jesus dd not forget himself anu
lapse for the moment mo CniiatleSs moiantS' nnn
he summed M "al the law and the prophets IN one
pure commandment Of love- The time of The end Oh l
quisOn aud exclusion III me interest OF the oilnoo
belief aud Of strict communion, undoubtedly approaches
is even nov Tpou 1s Emerson IS the pproanded
the reverence Of Theodore Parker and commands low
thinkers In the search for truth this American master
ranks with Socrates; his spirit listens patiently ana
the Holy Ghost" III the doing Of pure truth, by the cu
of principle and the conduct Of life this eyeTlnoa
the ndwelng hottest presence OF divinity To love truth
and 10 do it is the burden Of Mr. EmeTsOns constant
counsel What more could any masterl 10
Alcott is probably of thinker than Emerson ne
certainly has gwen time and pains TO pure think
master by his friend and neighbOr Perhaps no man IN
America has mcdtated much as Mr. Acot has or tld
ptda of M steal speculation, ard not Of this only but
of the application of speculation in the criticism OF men
attending upOn the birth of thought IN other men ;
minds he is most himself His conversation IN his nap
Il
Consult HIM upon any topic OF ne OF thought OF ash
read select passages from his journal and yOq hu
yourself in OF all precious things II You 90 not
90 away enriched ii will be your fault. There Is,
perhaps with him a deficiency OF common talent, winch
would be- In an age Of greater liberation and finer
this would have been of small account II Tor
been in Harvard University as y should have been
youths ardent for knowledge would have CLIMBED up 10
the kindly sage. and scanned through his heaven
sf scar stbronrh which our little world OF
vfctpp IN
an intellectual counselor of nqurng minds no man mas
accumulated larger stores of wisdom In some respects
there has perhaps never been enthusiast remaTka-
BILE; refer particularly TO the marvellous serenity Win
which This most gentle soul has kept the tenor of his
way through a world never good to him LIE without
h"on nncrii, snScess The Lrh ana glad repose Of
uec h t 80 ranE win The miracles OF character in
all human history Geneness so genial ana so steauis
so generous and so enduring the last and the
most divine which cuture brings OF all men in Amer
lea when the first of John Brown at Harpers
Ferry AcOtt took IL quietly and said upon the instant
with the content of prophecy, that the gaOws
would be gorified the cross To him. OF an men
poverty, denial, and cOnumey have been hoilhg at h
The light that never goes out has been his covering
through the wilderness, although Cambridge has gwen
him refuge. and the world has not known MN Inc
phase Of religious feeling which has excluded sucn man
from his proper place of influence upon the BEST young
minds is relic of gross barballsn. A.. -
Charles Eliot Norton although not an attendant upon
the Club meetings. because of his numerous engagements
as an editor and writer should be named WIN INC Gnu,
leaders OF the free religious movement lie JOINS 10
organization, but otherwise lends cordial helping hand
to the cause III every way within MS power Itou nTt
speak Of the quality Of Mr. NOrons mind nor OF bis rank
writer His radcaism is the radicahsm OF hlgh cu
ture he desires above all things il 10 see race OF
thinkers and scholars take the business OF religion ont OF
the hands of priests and dOgmasts Sincere ana tho
Ough conformity to reality, uncomprOmshR lIu' n, ~
principle and Of thought are all IN All WIN NM ING
usual ministry ofprayer of creed aud ordinances ultey
repugnant TO bis severe loyalty tOaDSOute trnh eINee
him and the accredited churches there Is tins abyss OF
profound conscience: he viii not 90 them ana they
cannot come TO him. Too religious iOr the eO
ism II the temple too humane FOR Sectarists VINO ueilD
eratcly cut themselves of from their fellows Mr.. Nor
ton is content TO look FOR redemption IN the new aWahen
ing Of culture Culture signifies 10 him pure devotion 10
truth and sincere allegiance OF soul ana heart ana mnd
to the best principle In the pursuit OF culture MT NoI
ton undoubtedly leaders the younger generation VI Amer
lean free thinkers.
inence among the extreme liberals he would ere inns
have filed much larger place hut for the TACT that lot
nearly ten years he has been almost broken uoWh IN
steal health. Those who are best acquainted WIN inc
working OF his and the dhculues win when nc
has contended during the best years OF MS maturity arc
Think doubt justly, that n him has Deen
hndered genius as acute and as hardy as iat OF a5ca
rare power subtle ara vigorous WaS ia mn
endowment OF the first order And TO dlaectc accom-
pshment nature had added large Poec lHf t w.
lend spiritual grace TO philosophy But Tor IacKlhg PAL.
the poses1r Of these gifts would have borne his part
and II the necessity OF seeking TemuneratNe
very much only he could ind market for The results
Of his labors Philosophy Is an oat9aIt IN AmesS W n
sents to the livery OF popular superstition
has too severe sense OF the authority Oh
entertain the smallest respect for authority Oh most
genial humanity, generous gver OF painful toll eatho
demands for free thought the sovereignty of human life
Had we any suitable provision in this country Tor men
whose vocation IL is TO prepare the way OF lhteleclu
progress there Is man among US more worthy 10 DC
called TO this service than David A. WATSON 40,
Not TO speak particularly of other members OF tle
Club may mention the names OF those who parelpaleu
in the conversation upon the Rev John Welsss pIllla
ESSAY at the November meeting. These were LncretIa
Mott. Robert Dale owen, Mr.. Was.On. MIS- Edha H.
Cheney Mr. AlcOtt, Lord Amberley, Mrs j. ward Howe
the Rev Samuel LOngfelow, Miss Lizzie Dozen the rev
John r. Sargent, and the Rev. Edward {. Iowne, the
Secretary of the Club. Mr.. WATSON, omitted 10 men,
tOn above the Club in December very long ana
mastery essay THE Epic Theory OF Human LIE,
finished treatise Of remarkable power and beauty on inc
reconciliation OF struggle and Tepose IN the universe
Both Lord and Lady Amberley the latter one OF me
most int igent and most charming OF genuine Engnsh
women, as democratic in all social kndliness as she
is arstOcratic by birth and breeding have expressed
very great interest in the cause OF free religion
America and Lord AmbeTy has taken part IN the AIS
cusslODs of the Club At home religious liberalism
has I'm them the most and most earnest advocates
Lord Amberley who is in society quiet and undenon-
strative person. has written in defense OF freedom IN he
Church OF England with admirable force, and WIN a
breadth and bodness OF view OF the most remarkable
character. refer particularly TO paper In me fori-
ni0hHy Rerieo " Liberals, Conservatives, and the
Church" Vol H. OF The Reriel, and 10 two papers ON
1.-The Church Of England a Religious Body NOls VI
and VII OF The RerieoJ