Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-08
Positive Theology and Broad Charity

There il no necessity for connecting
christian breadth of charity with a loose,
indeterminatc theology. That A. has clear,
firm, intelligent ideas on any disputed sub
jet, whether it be philosophy, politics or
religion, is not fact in any respect incon-
.istent with his cherished respect and love
for his neighbor B. whose views are differ
ent. Indeed, with that spirit of love, it is
surely much better, both for his intellect
and heart, that he should have thought
himseif out TO some definite conviction. Of
oil wishy -washy characters deliver us from
the man of no clear opinions, whose mud
died brain is the servant of mere good ma
ture, or of momentary sympathy. We have
great respect for an out-and-out, pronounc-
ed OPPONENT, who meets us fairly and
.qusrely in counter argument, and wax
es earnest against our position because he
believes it to be false. We have little or
none for the Indifferent mind, which is
either too shallow to see the distinction
between truth and error, or else to feel its
importance. Paul was the author of the
famous description and eulogy of charity
in the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthi-
ans; but he was none of the sentimental,
rose water, universally complaisant relig-
ionists, who hold that almost any theology
will answer a mans purpose well enough.
Tho soul Of charity though he was, and
las the epistle to Philemon proves the
beau ideal of courtesy, in its proper rela-
tions, he was a sturdy defender of a posi-
tive, clearly defined faith, and did not hes
tate to pronounce him accursed' who
preached another gospel" from his own.
A charity which is intelligently liberal,
will so distinguish between false systems
and certain individuals involved in them.
as neither to ascribe to the character of the
latter the logical demerit of the former,
nor yet to credit to the erroneous system
the personal good qualities of the individ-
uals misled by it. Charity may lead US to
respect our neighbours sincerity, and to ad-
mire his many good works but it does not
require us to speak favorably of his relig.
ious errors, or to trace his goodness to them
or to believe that his character and life are
AZ perfect as they would have been, had he
been inspired by truer conceptions of Goo
and redemption. Every truth has sancti
flying power, for which error has no substi
tute. If delusion as to fundamental point
must operate harm in spiritual character
the less serious mistakes cannot be withou
their measure of evil influence.
A genuine charity, moreover, will no
degenerate into the folly of thinking favor
ably of the effect of a false theology o.
masses trained under it, because favorabl
individual specimens may be presented
Error IS well as truth takes time to develo
its effect No tree bears fruit the first yea
and heresy fails to ripen its peculiar fru
till after generation has passed away AN
those have come to maturity who wei
born under it, and were trained by it, Thu
Charming was a far more favorable, bl
C perhaps not truer specimen of Unitar
Il anism than was Theodore Parker, or tha
q are his radical, nationalist successors. "
. are not bound by charity to accept the
L. latter as Christians" any more than
give that name to a moral and philanthr
o pic Jew, Mohammedan, or Boodhist.-
u "Charity," said the apostle, "rejoiceth
" truth. "-Adpdnce.