Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-27
Gbs aap spp aalorns, Gursoag Moming february g. 1872

essays or papers on a variety of topics which
have excited his interest. DIR. Bartol writes
with more vivacity and terseness than he speaks
extemporaneeusly. but his speeches and his Is.
says are Overlooking with love, trust. and pure
est and most kindly spirit, and keen enioy-
ment of bright and innocent fun. This is a
good book to have, and TO read, and all through
it are scattered sentences that we can gather as
we gather flowers, or shells, beautiful and bright
in themselves, and suggesting the richness and
beauty of the fields and the shore where they
were gathered Here are a handful: at is
against the law for private persons TO carry
arms; but what stiletto or pistol is so dangerous
as tonguet 1t is harder to hold than a bull by
the horns" "Love is free as a planet not to
leave its orbit and the free love that refuses the
gravitation of order is a crime and a curse, re-
tain what male or femlle pleader it will"
Freedom is no differentiation, but thinking
and acting according to law" Theodore Par
ker made no feast for few of nightingales'
tongues, but board with bread for millions.
He was not a seer hut an Off 'er-the deputy
sheriff of ideas. Never lived man more strong
and faithful TO execute the writ. Pety and
philanthropy were as the coming and going of
his breath. Like an old Hebrew, he turned
every piece of paper &c see ii the name of God
were on it; and all his study went into act
"There are two kinds of radicalism The one
boasts, the other prays. Tae mark, not to be
counterfeited, of the genuine radical is humiI-
ity-confessng Godin history that we are lifted
to our vantage ground by all foregoing action,
as mountains rise by successive throcs" "The
great achiever is never wiful, but possessed. In
wilfulncss the will Of God or man were lost"
''Frce love and free religion are the phrases of
the day. But freedom is of no worth save to
express truth and conform to the divine order.
Love and religion are not choices, but inspirl-
lions and necessities, the laws as well as liber-
ties of our being. They are stones in gear to
grind our daily bread, but falling they grind to
powder whoever would shift them to the service
of his passing whim.' These have been
quoted at random, as | turned the pages
of the book. DIR. Bartol gives his Eevidence
against spiritualism. He says, "the guise the
departed return III, hints reduced condition,
as if their absence had been one long dinjn
uendO; and in going to the other world, the ex-
change had not been in their favor" He tells
Of lively Frenchwoman who said "sprits were
but mortals who, though dead, had never been
able 20 60" All that he writes of men is de-
lightful reading-hiS sketch of Father Taylor,
and bis notices of Dr. Claiming for example
The book is pleasant and tender; though the
table of contents sounds tough with its seven
different "isms" treated in as many chapters.
and followed by "Origin" and Correlation. A
table of contents and a bill of fare are often
false reporters of the book and the dinner they
announce.
christian Theology and Modern Skepticsm,"
by the Duke Of Somerset, is the smallest in bulk,
and perhaps the most easily read of the
books have named. The style is clear, pol
ished, concise, without sharpness and without
conceit, yet it has the tone of a man who knows
what he thinks, why he thinks so, and who is
accustomed to being listened to. The social and
educational disturbances caused by religious
questions, tine imprecations of the church of
Rome; the doctrinal disputes and perplexng
doubts of the established church, and
the evaporation and threats of the non-con-
formists have led the duke of Somerset to again
examine the fountain head of all these differ
ences, and to see whether there is any possible
solution of the Protestant difficulties. The
spirit of the book is fair, earnest and religious,
while the author is a skeptic in regard to many
dogmas of sc-called Christian theology. His
criticisms of ST. Paul are exceedingly interest
ing. In fact, the whole book is interesting;
though it is surprising that it can be so, for it
seems as if for us the subject had been worn
threadbare, and as if any talk about skepticsm
were only Monsieur Tonson, come again."
One encouraging thing in this group of au-
thors is that they all come out right and happy,
and all in different places. Figuier follows in
imagination his own development, till he finds
bliss in the sun; Professor Parsons thinks the
ETHEREAL life next after this is the final one, and
he is happy and content in his new church doe
trine; DR.. Bartol leaves himself with unqucs-
tioning faith in Gods hands, sure that he is i'm
mortal, and that the life or lives after this will
be ordered by fatherly love and wisdom; and
the duke of Somerset closes his volume with ga
glimpse of better days" and prophecy of uni
verSal education and harmonious church. So
whether they come from natural or spiritual in
tellects, from believers or from skeptcS, they
all teach morality, cheerfumess, love of God
and faith in Him.