New-York tribune., 1875-02-23
RosTON LITERARY NOTES.
ND o,NNrT-r AND UNITARIANIsM.


BosroN, Feb. 20.-Roberts Brothers nave
arIv raadv the Memoir of EZRA s.ies Gannett Uni-
tarian Minister in Boston, IS2flS7l," by MS so' 'u
Rev Vim. c. GauDett. Tais work is perhaps soa'01y
more the history Of a man than OK hio'e"oN
Gapnett was so closely associated with the Deenn'e
Unitarlanismthe rise and progress OF rau'o''
An Roston that any account OF one must neeus IN
.,e tho other The book should have large hearing
-, =, ,,os M, alone 10 those who interested In
,his one good man. but TO the yet larger circle VINO
watch with interest the progress OF thought ana '9o ue
yelopment OF human Deiief'
Rzra stiles Gannett was born In 1901 in Cambridge.
xass in "a true New England home, such as homes
were in the Of seventy year ago-a solemn
spot for little to be born in" These odiashoneu
homes had more duty In them than OF beauty more OF
command than persuasion; moro OF silent selt-saernce
than of aeotOnate demonstration, Caleb, the father'
NJ this particular New England home. was thicsset
man. with a slow dignity in his face, and momentoos
manners; exact, not fluent; given to precepts; not
10 be imposed upon; intellectual by balance OF
faeutes rather than by talents" He had been minis
Tar carly in nfe and was liberal In thought, for that
day. since styled himself BIxtorlau, rather than
Calylnist, and wanted Dr. Gay of Hlngham-someumes
styled father of American Untaranism-to preach
his ordination But long before the real Uniia
nan rising had begun he had given mp the ministry and
was back at Harvard mathematical tutor, and after
ward until his DEATH he the steward OF the College
Back Of him lay four vo generations of Massaohn-
setts farmer life One of his great great grandmothers
had been Mary Chiffon. "Maynover' girl. but the
annetts had been quiet counryfok through all these
years Calebs generation was the hrst 10 WIN the
good fortune OF n Harvard education.
The frat wife OF Caleb had died, leaving behind her
two girls and two bOys and, year and q half later
the widowed husband married, for his second wife,
Ruth Stiles daughter OF tho President OF Yale College
There was probably little romance IN these nuptias be-
the sober widover Of IS and the equally grave
maiden Of IS; but Mistress Ruth had lovely face with
refined sensitive features and nature sngulsrly pure
and conscientious. or this marriage Ezra STILES. tho
future Dr. Gannett, the only Offspring. The step
mother did her duty, with tender fathfuness, to the
children Of her husbands former marriage but 1nd
her praying that she might not show any undue psr-
tally to her own baby boy. MotherlOve seems
20 have been the ono great passion OF her sanity
ME- Prom the timo She first held her baby
her arms, her constant thought Of him and his
future She died when he only seven years old J;
but all his life through her cherished with sacred
care the relics Of her ten1erness Among them a
small brown book inscribed The mothers gift TO her
ntte boy" which contained, in her handwriting
childish prayers and hymns, and tiny, trusting
caecbism that she herself composed for him. Her boy
inherited from her bis enthusiasm his energy his i'm
pulsivc speech his sensitive conscience; and alas, he
also inherited from her certain morbid scldistrust
which darkened his whols life with its shadow.
Her latter years years OF pain aud her Birth
Gay keHeCuOnS" SHOW IO anxious, Selt-de epreclatng
srov p, h"r highly spiritual nature She writes dur
jDg illness:
Is to give mo timo to fn up the measure OF my
E9nty. and TO ripen for destruetioni dare not au,
unregenerate stale, and that my will has not yet oeen
Ihat God is waiting TO be gracious; tnat light
yet arise out Of darkness and the wauderer 6e re-
th6uehfO complete work Of grace already begun
tbe sou aud to perfect that holiness without which
fenncs aud trials, Affections aud sOrrows for. though
the feeble body shall shrink from them, The soul shall be
II light.
This spirit OF seltnqulsidon and seltdepreciation
hequeatbed legacy 10 her son, exerted ncalcua-
bic influence his future Fortunately for him.
nc inherited more stOd and practical qualities from his
father-a strong sense steady clmch on con-
vetions once formed, an uuspeoulatng but keen in
telect. l have no space TO dwell on his upbringng
after his mothers death; but he have been
terribly good boy. and very solemn. At fifteen he en-
tered Harvard College, and o good scholar, but
siten dismal and Respondent" for the mothers self
reprQachiu habit Of mind IN him then,
end he was never that he doing his best. He
Kept journal all through his life. and in these
sollege DAYS 10 was full Of religious anxiety
AT time no desires TO devote himself TO
The ministry and die a the end OF life given to God
But after this passage tie writes that religion and
be strdngershe knows it only from report-he has
all these extracts might Indicate
He was popular with his fellows; he chosen Presi-
dent Of the Hasty Pudding Club" and with some Of
his friends ne could be merry enough. When he was
midway his COLLEGE career his father died, and thus
after his graduation he was free 10 choose his own
career. He began by taking "a far Journey" which
embraced New Haven, York, Brunswick, Albany,
sehoodlck, Northampton and BratteborO. and which
cost him slO9 r. Then ne back in Cambridge; and
after brief period Of indecisOn he entered the Divin
ity School there.
At this point the author introduces q succnct and
able sketch OF the Of UnaranisIn in New
II is OF the valuable portions Of the book
since it details the whole series Of events which led to
the establishment OF Unitarians sect, with funess
and fairness which scarcely leave anything to be de-
sired. These the stirring days, when
Emerson boy with Furness aud Ware.
and when Claiming young. Tho "AD-
thology Club" belonged TO those times-a club
rich 10 members that the ladies OF Boston Village"
did not invite company the evenings Of its meetings
all their and brightest gentlemen would he at
club. The club had literary magazine, Qs0IlslD
beginning Of the ivelinked chau OF Liberal maga-
nine OF which old and Ne0 is the last luk. 1t
seeded by The General Repository Qsl21sS, and Tie
RepOs.tory succeeded by The Christian Disciple
which, In turn gave way to The Examiner and this to
od Eeo. The OF Unitarian was not really
sccepted by the Liberals until 1876 and after Its accept
auoe followed twenty stormy years. Claiming kept the
place OF leader in the attacks left the defense TO
ether hands Both parties appealed to the Bible as
authority.
the midst OF this controversy that Gannett
hnshed his at the Divinity School, presently
"approved" by the Boston Association, and was In
vHed 10 be the colleague OF DE- Claiming the pastor OF
the Federal Street Church. With his habitua distrust
OF bis powers he hesitated for awhile. then ao-
eepted, and finally ordained June 80 1874 pastor
Of the chnrch with which nc remained connected to the
day Of his death-a connection OF nearly fifty years.
The story OF this pastorate is chiefly told by