New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-17
THE BOSTON RADICAL CLUB.

LILA WARD HOWE, MI. WEISS, MIR. WAS
SON, AND OTHERS.
RosToN. Nov. 16.-The November meeting OF
the Radical Club Of THE city occurred on the 10Th
mat at the residence Of the Rev. {. A. Bartol'
the well-known Unitarian clergyman. The Clu0'
which Is entertained alternately by Mrs. j. l. sar-
gent and Dr. Barto. formerly held its meetings IN the
afternoon or evening but for the present season u assem-
bes at devOng the better portion OF the day 10
the meeting The number present on Monday was about
he the october meeting say about % persons
IN all Mr. Higginson, who present then, was away
aud rice versa Mr. Alcott present Mr.. W. H. Chan
ming who Is delivering course Of lectures at the
Lowell Institute present. and promised TO reaa
something at q future meeting
The essay which the Club had the pleasure Of listening
to was read by the Rev. W. J. Potter Of NewBedford
one OF the brightest lights Rad cal armament
fne subject Christianity and its Definitions. as
will be scent by the full abstracti given below the
speaker gave lucid and comprehensive statement U
the different regimes under which Christianity mas a.
various times and under varying circumstances helu
sway over the minds and characters OF men, Inc uls
ousson which resulted brought several points not m
cuded In the essay and is especially worthy OF HOUSE.
as exhibiting the wide and vital difference between the
respective positions OF such advanced thkers SS
John Weiss and Jas. Freeman Clarke
THE ESSAY.
In commanding Mr. Potter said II is most signih-
ant gauge of the which Chr1stendom has traV
ed away from the primitive conditions OF Christian SEN
t,men that the question everywhere earnestly dis
cussed within the limits Of Christianity itself what
Christianity is In the primitive apostolic days although
there was vehement dispute between Paul and some OF
the leading apostles Of the original twelve which we can
now see involved very vital issues bearing the devel
opment OF Christianity the only question raised was
what II really amounted and what required OF
the Jewish converts. But now the question is what
Christianity really is and what is that which has gwen
"a unspeakable vitality and power To this question
there are as many there are Christian secs
for each originated something which It's members
regard as essential to Christianity We may group the
secs three four divisions. First we have what
may he called the orthodox evangelical form OF belief
which has prevailed the most largely IN Chrstendom
and which is still held by a majority In this form
Of Christianity system which rests on the super
natural authority Of Jesus who thereby the infable
redesmer OF men, There much latitude of belief allow
able in this system We accept the trinity or reject
il: may believe in the vicarous atonemen OF only IN
mediatOrshp; may be Catholic or Protestant
accept the Bible only the Bible and tradition
and yet make this the definition Of Christianity.
The essential point well enough understood under the
common phrase recognition OF Christ confession or
Jesus on the earth the expected Messiah the Re
ne has come tojpas in the course Of eighteen centuries
that confession, though continued In the same terms
dd 70 those primitive followers Of Jesus and the deh'
thng very different from what it did For present the
moral and religious significance OF the acceptance OF
standing social conformity Few persons think tnat
10 confess Christ to renonnee the world ana an M Joys
about with solemn face as II u were SIN TO tk
anything pleasant as II holiness were 10 De shown Oy
trying get away from the earth TAKE the majority OF
'c6urcbmembers and what does that confession cost
thems Not particle OF sesaerhee, not one hOur OF
selfreproach What difference between the mean
ing of confession OF Christ 70 them and 10
those primitive disciples, when it meant 20 go TO
all the cruelty that devise And more or less OF
this meant by 1t till Christianity eonquered the
Roman Empire, was adopted by II as the established
religion. II has become part OF the stock
of hereditary opinion OF ChrlstendOm ana even 10 ma
lOrlty OF those VINO take pains 20 ASSUME tny n"o VI
Christian and 20 connect themselves with Ieglous IN
situations. and become active partisans OF Christianity,
comfortable Christian church on sunday, and an annual
be paid back improved social position. There Is
conceament Of tho fact that going into new places
60 set up business young lawyers, ply cans, mer
b; raeT 20 1psnTe GOOD bnsiness constituency
iust as apple women the Common seek good stand,
for their trade suppose u may be 6ale asserted hat
half Of the stock aud gold gamblers OF New-Hork are
regular attendants in the churches and orthodox In their
faith Some OF them knew noted for their pety
handing over TO Cnis they have cheated out OF
the devil What wonder that cheating and the gambling
spirit have got INTO the Church itself seeing that such
mon have got into 1t! Many ecclesiastical corporations
corporations. The same skill that successfully waters
stocks through six days III the week trles us
we near TeTv much said about the
irrelgous tendencies Of the people as maniesedt IN
pect is respects bad one. Yet am thousand
fold more anxious concerning the religious condition OF
society large proportion Of the church goers
are mo- more improved and exemplary their
as il they had no connection with the Church
. whatever and 10 whom religion is only
cloak to conceal from the public positive moral de
pravy and rOttenness To such an extent does religious
insiuoerty prevail that IL is wonder that the makers
do not peep from under their masks 70 laugh at each
Others cOnce No cautious man trusts another Tor
calling himself Christian II you want testimonials OF
character Of real mercantile value you must nave some
thing more than eertncate OF chufch neH0ershP so
patent has this become that many people in Chrsen
dOm Of them attached TO the church. but more out
aide OF the church. refused 10 define Christianity by
this any longer and say there must be something more
experimental change OF heart. But many. seeing what
bypocriscs are possible so long as such confession y
They assert that this was not the main thing IN the
Masters teaching His work What he did .each was
love to God and love lnan-the Fatherhood OF God
and the brotherhood OF man The Unyersast says the
meaning of Christianity is all contained in the sentence
Bear We anOtheT's burdens" Others, meaning sub
stantslly the same thing, make Christianity synony
Generous loving, revefent, Is a Christian. That is
another definition OF Christianity. and may be called the
Tent in all the sects Henry Ward Beecher breaches
more than of his Unitarian neighbors An argu.
Christianity in the words Of Jesus himself, for
me. Lord Lord, but he that dOeth the will of my
Father in heaven" DC II to take the Sermon
employing the substance Of Jesus teachings it does
as If we might sum it up IN the words love to
milton OF Christianity general attitude toward the
nation and its beliefs and institutions However frag
mentary and uncertain may be the biographical accounts
OF his nsnctvely feel that lie was the great
radical OF his the dangerous nnovator the pestier
agtsOr, the believer IN the IDEAL the champion Of
humanity against the tyranny Of institutions dying at
last martyr 20 his faith aud his fidelity. Now the
OF the world does not easily give such
character few sOnOrOus phrases 70 be banded be-
pulpit and pew IA the ecclesiastical interest Of
such religion that against which his character and
teaching once an indignant protest His words
have always furnished arguments and stimulus to social
and religious reiOrmers 70 the Luther the GarrisOHs
the Theodore Parkers. Some OF the mghtest weapons
that have been hurled against Christianity have been
easily found in It's original armOTy. IL establishes
broader Of fellowship than has ever been realized in
any Christian church BY II those may really be Chris
tlans who called udes even VINO have never
heard Jesuss NAME while many who the title Of
(thriafinna are really Innasnran by this