New-York tribune., 1871-01-19
HERETICS AND CHRISTIANITY
THE posTON RADICAL CLUB.

M pARroI MRS. CHENEY, COL. HIGGINsON,
THE REV. FRANCIS TIFFANY, AND OTHERS.
BosToN Jan. 17.-There is pleasant, old
world look about the spacious drawngrooms at No II
Chestnutt in which the Club met yesterday. They are
f OF solid old furniture; the woodhrc gOws behind the
ouantest possible rerons, wrought by some cunning
artaoer ancient time; old pictures on the walls
portraits OF them. OF sweet young facesyoung so
long ago that living heart remembers them, though
they made many heart beat in their bonny prime In
these rooms, whichione cannot help thinking must DC
filled with ghosts-gracious, webred ghosts, OF good
famy-ve the only inmates who would be precisely IN
keeping with this abode, DIR. and Mrs Barto-boh Sc
siyerhared and gentle Of voice and manner Under
their hospabe roof gathered in spite OF the pouring
rain numerous company Gancing at their faces, ana
recognizing wit after another, one saw pen-
teous promise OF good things to be said and could
scarcely ungraefu enough regret the absent even
though Wit and Wisdom" in the guise Of Weiss ana
wasson, were both among the absentees.
Presently entered the essayist of the OCCASION Miss
Mary Grew of Philadelphia accompanied by her friend
Mrs Sargent, whose guest she ia during her stay In
Boston. As she is less known among than most who
have addressed the Club there when she came in
glance of curiosity transformed quickly into kindly IN
terest. We not young save with the you'h
OF the immortals beautiful with the beauty OF
the spirit butsweet and gentle with placid yet ear
nest face Her own faith assured that she appeals
fearlessly faith of Others her nature so religious
that to her religion seems fact and not question:
This woman for SS the Secretary OF the femae
AntiSlavery Society long foremost indeed, In every
good and work. chosen by the managers OF 'he
horticultural Hall Free Religious Course as the one rep
resentative of the conservatively Christian side The
lecture she delivered before them, on Sunday laSt was
the same paper which she reead yesterday before the
Radical Club. To the Free Regionists 1t seemed doup
less that Conservatism could further though very
likely the entire absence OF dogmatc theology wouu
have made it appear to certain orthodox theoosianS
quite radical enough to be alarming The SUBJECT as
Miss Grew announced il. was
ESSENTIAL CHRIsTIASrTY"
The founders system of religion OF every Sect
of every school of philosophy. have been more OF es
misreprescnted. and their teachings grossly perverted
NV their disciples and followers The more intense the
interest exced by the system the greater VIII he ths
Misrepresentation and per!ersoh ds ~ he b bU
man intellect the great number OF Interpreters ana e
terprettons when the opposing for
ict- The religious element being the strongest IN tle
human sou religious controversies and wars have been
the most bitter and deadly which the world has known;
and in their process not strange that creed or theory
transformed into battecry, should lose lts oIlsnai
spirit ,,, . o ,s
been grossly misrepreSented by both friend ana
foe than Jesus Christ. Few thoughtful persons VIII deny
1t shall be interpreted or defined from ITS founders ne
and teaehn not from tnSe Of his & S nToposa wa m
What did he say the object of his missonf He
was born and for this cause came into the world.
that might bear witness unto the truth" But ohdt
Which Which confounds theology and religion-the one
science schedule OF propositions 10 De %
question. What l. ChrstianityY Ii but asking what were
the main dsa IN t9s ne sasnS an be SFd6erhood Of msS
The ideal of God which he presented was that or
tenderest TO those who most needed him. The duty to-
ward God which he enjoined was reyerent love, ana
trust and obedience; the duty toward man, Dro.nerS
love and brothery service His religion was preaenea @
TO the humble uncnured souls OF m I m Ds an ST
or metaJhvsican has ever evolved system oI ethcs
equal to that which he taagn or & ge as 70 b o nreerpt
ye would that men should do to YOU DO ye
which required laborious intellectual comprehensiSn
& on the ssoSd SI tr the Father Whom he revealed
this end desired that they should become as h.'e ~
man. by feeding the hungry clothing the naked minis
tering the sick, and comforting the ahcteu
false they not belong to the religion OF Christ
We hear sometimes ana douIess II IL hf sT, ' Iess a
born gave the world moral precepts OF similar nat
70 i 1u viii bo nrecepts! and why has not one Of
them taken such grip the worlds heart-unless 1t wa
reject Christianity, demur at accepting it az the
highest spiritual revelation given TO are
classes will regard at present only the true uprgn
men, whose inquiring souls doubt honesty ana ~nost
objections can by no means he answered na m
Christian, because il am must sanction slavery snc
Christianity md u sanction for these things" The
responsibility of such rejection as this rests heavy upon
the leaders OF Christian churches They not CHRIST nave
piled upon shoulders burdens grevous TO be borne
Their standard of morals has confored itself less to The
teachings Jesus than to the prevalent notions OF the
people among whom they have lived. That the chuIcn
and the clergy have usually been IN an ases r tne OPO
nents OF moral reforms is the testimony OF Albert barnes
clergyman h0nOred in the Presbyterian Chureh o
America But the Church Is NOT Jesus, true re1gGI I
tends to the development Of ones whole nature. III VII
never dwarf man; but it Will strengthen ana gmdt
him Churches, Protestant as well as Catholic, have
forged feters They have placed spiritual detectives II
the departments OF art and science as wei as reg0h
course has made many true man say II this be rel
g0n. will have none OF it, But the responsibility o
afnctfn razfS
sandored Christ and his teachings Let us turn from
ne was or Let us 20 back to that life spent doine
good TO that boundiess pity that tender love whcl
reserved its rebukes for prosperous hypocrtes and
poured out its treasures on pubcans and sinners. The
fruit all, but by its fruit know the tree The
lives, indeed by faith but il is not faith in creed
the minds assent to series Of propositions 1t l.
confidence and trust in God our Father t e9ndenGe nee
goodness and His love. From tins springs naturally
trust and pursue unfalteringly under all circum
stances knowing that Right must win, since God is God
WHAT THE HERETICs THOUGHT OF ESSENTIAL CHRISTI
ANITY."
The discussion which followed unusually ami
mated as there subject which doctors disagree
90 widely as on religion 1t CHANGED that on this occa
sion many different shades Of opinion were represented
for the company included orthodox General who's,
father was orthodox missionary and who held stout
I'm the very camp of enemy the faith of his fathers
Dr. Barol whose religion isanfecsacy, though his
NAV be an interrogation point Mr. Tiffany whose stOu
commOn-sense cOnstrans him to justice; and Col Hg
pinson whom the heather unbeievers boldly claim. Gu
OF the hush which followed the essay, Dr. ,rtO spok
first We should all unite, he thought, in feeling tina
Miss Crews dissertation in Tone manner, and spirit
the thing 1t professed TO describe II was essentially
Christian Ii would be good direction OF our thought
TO ascertain how far could agree In regard TO wha
Jesus was or is what he meant 20 do and be- for ofte
oudest defamation in his Is surely fnrthest frol
his spirit Jesus scarcely sought TO be worshped wou
have felt perhaps that he had failed when men stoppe
at his feet His wish TO give his followers direction
D IMPULSE He did intend to put forth system