New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-27
THE GREAT UNORTHODOX.
HORTICULTURAL HALL LECTURE-TIE REV. SAM
UEL JOHNSON ON THEODORE PARKER AND
THERELIGIOUS MOVEMENT OF HIS TIME.

Boston, Feb. 2G.-The Rev. Samuel Johnson
OF salem, a lifelong radical OF the Theodore Parker
school delivered lecture in Horticultural Hall to-day
on Parker and relation 10 the gous movement of
our time. There a large audience present the an
nouncemen Of lecture this subject is always sure
10 call out many Of Mr.. Parkers admirers who seldom
minge much In religious assemblages nowadays.
Mr. Johnson began by saying that while hr. Parker
lived most men thought him the founder OF new school
IN theology. and the impression f. st common one
But let us deal justly with the man, and say that
he was prophet OF natural religion He had power be-
cause he was no cratic but came I'm the straight line Of
tendency the line OF Professionalism and Science OF Pur
tan honesty, OF the New Worlds claim for uniyer
sal rights and duties Thirty years ago the edn-
Gated New-England brain had come by natural
gravitations OF freedom 10 that sense Of
direct relation with God which religion always seeks
when II is mature and into this interior movement Of
modern faith and freedom Theodore Parker was born
His first teachers its reluctant instruments, It's
halblind iuitiatOrs its ceareyed seers Parker
has recorded the aud Joy with which lac heard
Dr. Channings sanity call for reconstruction OF BELIEF
bis defense OF human naure his discussion from dogma
and sect Carlyle had passed sentence on the sensational
philosophy and the church that represented IT, Emerson
had struck the keynote OF the future in his address 70
the graduating class at Cambridge in 1858, admonishing
them be not priests but prophets 20 leave the dead
Journalism OF the churches and teach that man drink
ing forever the soul OF God The young preacher hears
soul ON fire will take counsel longer from his sefds
trust; and opens judgment the church. lie ali
sOrbed the vital tendencies Of the time, but he not
therefore less spontaneous and original in his
proper force. Wei might this target for the anathemas
Of the churches stand the sitter for the shower
Time has been swift 10 ndorse his political
rldicalism. But his religion came from the
same root Theology wanted It's John Brown and he had
come singe-handed that limo also. Human nature
proving her right Of way through Church and State
az once. Halfway policies and externates were alike
failure. The age swept past the teachers who dared
not could not accept its tasks The American claim
for needed 10 become man. ample broad. realistic
whose sword Of the spirit could up and down among
the people, In their name 10 break the spells and
terrOrs and smite OF the bonds. II wanted one with
whom the dignity III human nature, meant trust
in il, meant instant and full appeal to IT,
taking God AT His word and going straight to the com
mon reason and heart. II TO this in Theodore
Parker.
Mr.. johnson gave sn interesting account Of tho Uni
tartan Controversy" which ended with putting Parker
outside the Unitarian Church and said that the task OF
showing religion to be natural and normal was In the
very mako Of the II not In his blood 10 crave
the Christian change Of heart. His first experience IN
teaching told him that natural theology attempted To
prove what child thought " duubtpg The nate OF
all NERVOUSNESS aud ndirection gave him positive pa
expected nothing without paying tue p5lctmand What
strictly, must remember how sterny he Judged HIM
ence and affairs came Of the absolute honesty that could
be content only with knowing and facing the tact This
constructive honesty was genius for orderly develop
ment. He never weary Of teaching how ideas haste
| 10 institutions II was because ms, Own con
science VIDE the instant pressure OF IHIh 10
action. Hence the moral power that could hold
every pulpit and statesman ~ the ia'd attemlye
10 ~ warming or rebuke ever ready VAN me SQUARE
blow that land open the very heart 81 wrong going
sD%u not IsS oo gG VI %e To- he lost III power was not
shown in speculative Thought 20 much a. In practical
II partly because his na-terinstinct was sympathy
He was full Of human nature. CulpNated minds were
apt 10 ind detail Of prccept and Illustrations
Democratic Socrates, sent 10 open the simplest mind
to itself He summoned men not 20 subtitle Thought
nor art but 10 the sefrespect that must prepare
the way for these Interpret bm from NJ SympatheS,
no man ever forgot m9le noroughy the anolim Ior
n" teacher Gathered about him so large variety Of
minds His living bread was broken t0 millions. No
Tel Ous teacher In America ever had such an audience
as hei and a. he vent up and down, the
wear after year, feeding the multitude, me
Phillips well said that hc criticised other pupits not
much by censure as by creation-hy pulpit proper
strife with % surprise al mems dsoyay to convictions
that grew 10 indignation, ana Ills fust deceived re-
acted INTO scOrh. iQ5 Mok Wa Ts',AIllly CohsIuI-
tive. Charged w9Iestroying faith he was an ideal
ist at the core, and tbe more 50 for his realism which
straight To the facts of actual human nature Few
men loved 10 seek out the remedial forces
in character; none had greater gft AZ ldedzng
He ideazed Jesus as no other scholar could who
fully believed what he did about the imperfectons OF
destiny an ideal goal rs Its prophet must see H. II
the hope OF his life 10 trace out IN broad and per
way the definite functions Of human faculties,
races and beliefs Tho sketch he has left u OF this great
survey, though cannot accept all its Judgments proves
at least how large the scope Of his interest and how
Inc xhaustible his resource
His affirmative faith in man seemed the outcome Of his
faith in God. His ~ God hs solution 0f man
and Of nature. bringing them guarantees Of I'll ideal
good. The hcuons OF lost race ana world without
God seemed ~ him hdeGus that he could not make
his cOunteIclam too strong 10 a manly instinct Of
freedom repudiating all forced ana serVe relations ana
beggsr OF deity, but " companion Beliefs whose alb
is exceptional in mankind, lac held 10 be intuyey
given. But for tbc nobler form OF these beliefs
in cod Duty, and Immortality, and for the higher evil
thai belong to their higher planes his appeal was
civilized consciousness, Che best in 1t
needless ridcue. Indeed he showed II little tenderness
But the theological tyranny II exercised left no chance
He held Jesus the greatest person IN the ages,
yet thought God had greater yet Ia store. No Christian
can clam TO have surpassed this hereto IN
moral homage TO Jesus. Ii carried him on
his proper ground, and offered handles 10
his TfTinitarian opponents. His treatment OF Jesus
was incomplete in the direction OF positive inquiry
can free hereafter give that prominence tOJesu
that heSgaye lie not primarily metaphy stefan or
d speculative thinker, hut prophet man inspired by
do an instant work. to his powers rather than study
them. He took spiritual common-sense for granted,
and suffered nothing To dlsparage THESE natural forces
20 his appeal 10 Intuition did not demonstrate God,
Duty. Immortality. IL presumed the power OF
spiritual perception and sought to stir II to action Mr.
johnson defended the assumption or lutubOna pWer,
and said that the future philosophy OF religion VIII not
be located in part OF man. bat only mud IL authenca
ton In every atom Of his manhood IL would not he
easy to Oyercstmae Theodore Palkers work IN the IL
r0ctOn OF universal religion. He was the representative
Of the people In this great initiation, which means TIE
people, because II means human nature ana the lhdl
vidual soul. His memory VIII mingle WIN All coming
hbertes as sublime religious aud political resurrection
today thinning the ayr that breAtAes around hs
grave