New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-11

presented uUofda fidlyiiS 81 '''
future character of the work TAe selection oi topics II
,uaeons ana Inc treatment in the main, solid and In
structive free from fancf sYccu'atons, and Inartca
by wide learning and sound reasoning. IEere are 10
traces Of Gcyotou 20 an exclusive school, oo' ever
thing TT misses loyal allegiance to tie cause OF liberal
thought and generous culture.
HARPER.
IN The review Of American literature, when
fores the sixteenth number OF The First Century Of
Gle r. piuic" the writer, Mr.. /. r Whppo, derote~
himself 10 comparatively small number vi th' nn'h"iS
who have Illustrated the period treating en-, iy OF Jon
athan Edwa,us, Dr. Franklin, Hamilton Jefferson and
Na,liaon. Dr. W. Z. Claiming and Andrews NoreoH'
WashinSton Irving Cooper Bryant H. II. Dana, X. W
t,pets H. and Theodore Parker. The whole paper 10
rare aDdiclitos piece Of icsm, dealing with tAe rn-
cple Of literary rather than with ephcEttl details
and uor1Iayins the intellectual features OF the re-
receive authors with equal business OF conception Gil"
oehcacg of touch. Mr.. Wipres analysis OF the tbeo-
logical movement IN this country 'cally n New
ruyauJ g.. siugarly instructive. AMI deserves the care
fui Study of az WHO would comprehend the develop
useDt OF thought religious direction since TIE epoch
o; the Revelation MoIc Than one able Pen has "eeN en-
plo,eI in delmcstiBc the character o jonathan Ia
ss1d. hui 10 one has produced a more admirable
r,ctrre Of the most ilus'ricus Of American
sjv;Dcs than tina: presented by Mr. Whipplc -
OF Jonathan Edwards tie greatest a Americas thco-
oya and uletauy Gul religious genius Vi the
lr. order &c impossible to speak without respect nnd
even reverence No tAo0lOgian bonn ia our country has
exercised more influence minds and souls Hhirtd I"
his own Those who opposed him recognized Lis pre-
.Eoa,nt powers OF intellect. Everybody fer; In "su!
In c;, cousmate rcasoner, the esraiHine modesiy
which iaser-suiril always svOkes w The minds c Ms
sdve,sar.s. His treatise On the VIII has been gen
orally accerted as ono Of tho m"rIes OF MET
Iectoal aoutouess, exercised on one Of the most az
tcnlt problems which have ever tested the
int
sas,sers to IT, hu, no answer which IS generally consd
Fred u,,al!sHelaie. SIch works indeed, IS t.is OF
Edwards TN the WI. not 50 much answered Ct re-
tacd - GRADUALLY ou,gOTn. Bat tho treatise has GER
t.inly cxereacd and Strengthened All the minds iti
have resoiIt-y car!e5 with &C. AMI has aided the DE-
vclopocrf Of lie logical fowcr6 Of American orthodox
eiyjnes iu a remarkable degree. Whether contf0-
rsis.t agrees with is author, Gisaeuts nom NM
Edwards alNaye guickens the mental activity Of every
body who sliyea follow The course Of his arilnena-
toa OF 20 detect the lurking allacy which Is supposed to
b. discovcfa!l. s0meele IN the premises or processes
Of BIS logic Perhaps this fiacY IS 70 be found IN The
various senses IN which Edwards uses the vital word
'acte73nation' 10 most readers. WHO believe the vii
10 lc ais:rdcly .ScC lat that tie actions OF mon com
n1oaly proceed from the characters they have gradually
formed The most satisfactory explanation OF tho mystery
l. tn, % Je;Groy who declares that Liberty ia the
Ideal OF the Ne OAcrs may obtain consolation from
GnGilau's somewhat Gippaut remark that everything
HAN does * not necessary before he does It, but Is neces
ss,y after he has done IT, Essentially the doctrine OF
Edwsris arees VITA that Of philosophical necessity, ana
With that so vchementy urged by many sc!ehuas tn"
The geuJus Of much controlled by law as The
movements OF tic planets The great difference D',|ccu
Udwarss taeory and Others il, that lie connects his
nettphysi cs wi;u theological Gystem, and BIS treatise
tnaius az al @. practical argument for the eyorlast-
tng dannaton OF those who question the in'ibhy Oi
us logic EIwarGs's large and subtle understanding was
with imagination % intense realizne power
- aim sfrfnra. trrffu ftrtgrtf IN
o1anv sides 70 communications from the Divine min.
lie had an almost pretcTnatTal conception Of the OK
sssalpz sinlgnoss OF su. His Imagination was Illec
with glas;ly images Of the rctribuoa which awaits on
haHsv and lie reasoned sermons on eternal torens
we're but the OutbTeak OF sensitive feeling holy pas
SION for goodness which made him into!erant OF any
sreclieneo Witch did approach his ideal Of goodness
Ia, then biz spiritual experience, though 1t iniamed cle
40 az his Imagination with vivid pictures Of the tcrrOTs
OF hell On tic other side gave the most enrariuing
visions oi tie spiritual joys O: heaven. IL Is unfortunate
To- liz fsiue that Lis he'll has obtained for him more
popular rooo milton than his heaven. Like other
poets such rs Dante snd Milton, his picurcs Of the tor
rents g. tic damned have cast into the shade at
ec!stjsl Light which shines lovingly over Lis pictures
o, the biss OF tho redeemed True religion he tells
eoos;sts IN great measure IN holy ahectionsin love
O, divine things for the beauty and sweetness Of their
moral exoel.ency' Sweetness il frequent word al
tireugh Edwarss works. when he desire 20 convey bis
ilis world and the in b, joy OF tic experiences o.
r,ouy gas in TIE next and this word he tau!ls with
trsnscend depth OF suggestive meaning which it heara
IA no diet onary nor in the vocabulary OF any Otic
writer Of the English language lie WAS certainly one q
ths hottest souls that appeared on the planet Tic
admiration which has been generally awarded to h-s
power OF reasoning should be extended % h5 power Of
Affirming that L. when he alirms idea: coming from
those moods u betseducss In which his sOui seems TO DO
In direct contact with divine tai g. and wildly bchoids
what in ether dccses his mind up TO o. about
20 reach these divine hghs however, must accord
Ing 10 Edwards mount tie s,3irs Of dogma built by
Augustine and Calvin"
According 10 SIR. Whipple reaction against CaIvn!sm
commenced even before the Revolutionary war, and
species OF ratonasn threatened the faith by
process OF sappag and mining without any express end
organized assault Tie progress aud ssus OF ths
movement are well told in the following paragraph
"The study Caynlsts al first puzzled what 10 do
"A the new heresarchs did not much offend by what
they preached as By what they omitted 70 preach;
they al as forced thO5e who Untarians IN opinion
10 beeoue Untarsns In profession, and thus what
Intended as peaceful evolution Of religious faith
compelled 70 ASSUME the character Of Revolutionary
poHe st against the generally received dogInas Of the
Cnfsisn churches The two men prominent In this In
surrec:lon against ancestral orthodoxy were william
Elcry ChaDiug and Aulrews Norton. Claiming was
pvus a.taI.aG; Motion Yas accomplished Bibl