The sun., 1878-12-19
TIE RELIGIOus QUESTION
Dr. Gottheirs Explanation or his Appearance
in the Unitarian Conference.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-lSn Your
comments on my address to the Unitarian Con-
ference recently held in this city. arc based on
| several misapprchensions. which | am conf
| dent you will with your wontcd courtesy. per-
nit mo to rcctify.
| I. was not present rs q member Of the Con-
| ference either by invitation or choice. / went
| To- the meeting from curiosity. or. rather, from
| an interest have always felt in the movements
and nbors OF n body Of Christians who are
! fellow believers in tho chief doctrine Of our
| faith and set such great store by it that
they have wrought It into their very name.
/ camo simply as listener, and would
have left tho assembly unnotced had not
my esteemed friend. Or. Bellows mentioned
my name to the Conference. and put the ques-
| tion whether they desired 10 listen to any ro-
marks might feel inclined TO make SO em-
| phatic was the response that could not with
| proprety. refuse to comply with IT, In spite Of
| my being taken by surprise, and although | had
| not minutes time for selecting topic or ar
ranging q speech, still II my memory serves mo
right, there was nothing in my words that need
rotract or modify. Icannot vouch for my phrase
ology. but nm quite clear as to my sentiments.
which were not manufactured for the occasion.
but are tho settled results of long years Of study
observation. and thought.
II. From speech OF fifteen minutes duration,
| your reporter cucd half dozen disiointed
phrases, probably as many ms the allotted space
| would permit him 10 insert. Such fragments
| displaced from their true relation TO each other
and severed from their connection with sur
| rounding thoughts arc not only inadequate TO
| convey true picture II tho speakers intent.
but pervert and distort it, Instance your refer
encc to tho veil and the broad phylactcrics."
| Your reporter made II appear ~ though men
| toned thom for the puruoao ~ ahptvfpts thot I
| too. had little respect for ceremonial religion.
and reioiced in having freed myself
| from these unnecessary cncumhrances.
The reverse however. is tho truth. AZ might
be expected from the theological school to which
the Conference belongs rituals and ceremonies
| came in for good deal Of contempt they had
been compared TO painted windows which pre-
fully into the church Itook the liberty OF cau
| uoning my auditors against such sweeping
contamination. saying that ] thought | had a
| right to tender IT, inasmuch rs / my
self had been reared in strictly ortho-
doe, and ritualistic atmosphere, aud knew
influence il had on me. II I no longer practised
"a" ancient rites. 1t was from a conviction that
suitable to our mode of thinking; but did not
speak In dieparaRement IA your correspoud-
| ont. An lsraelite. assumes. So positive IL my
belief In the necessity Of n reasonable meas,
| ure OF ceremonial environments OF religion
| anisin, which seeks its strength in progressive
| Thought ana feeling alone. can never hope To-
| sway the masses, and ought 10 vic with
| tho more dogmatic or ritunlistic forms Of Chris
| tianity in regard % numbers hut 10 content il
self To hr an acceptable form OF religion to tho
| more thoughtiul and cultured classes. Surely.
no mean isiinction! Pioneers I'm the spiritual
as well as in the material world are always aud
| must ie lew IN numbers; they only clear the
| ground, break the new roads. and show the
capacities OF their conque,ts. Later genera
| tiOns plant the fields. found tho cities and turn
| the wilderness into AN hRhituble land.
III. Equally misrepresented w'ls my refer
ence o. skepucisin. dad not avuw II Rs my
| creed. All | BiL1u tNQt the world il luryuly
Indebted 10 y Tor the freedom II enjoys to-day.
MIL hlnunfu ,haI II nus us great mission "a the
| privilege Of addressing Christian mon and
women IN the manner did 10 It's powerful and
Our duty is added. 10 keep the spirit of doubt
and question from running % destructive ex-
WHICH religious truth is Ia be- found
~. But The main error under which you and
| 50 many win you labor ~ this: You suppose
that II aJew ceases TO be rigid ritualist his
| Judaism must needs 20 down; in other words
! sull pInhvh''s inH Oh iruth as delivered unto
| tlr iHthers IL tlht wer" not your opinion.
| what elise could justify your assunptionth m that thr
| sur .loIs al','r now rvigloh i"lt disappointed
al my hNnwal that achangg had also come over
mef could gather no such impression either
| from the bearing OF the audience or the sub
| sequent commentS on my words. have not
the slightest pretonsion TO leadership;
able TO- guido these well-read and Ca
g,r-minded men 10 the promised land
| oi assured truth. | wenttl the meeting. aa |
! -Nd before, rs an humble listener and learner
| and seated myself at the feet Of tho GanulicIs
| as they APPEARED ON the platform. still there
| must have been something In my words that
| was not altogether dl~cuuraging. Witness thr
| various offers made To mo al the rits,, Of thr
| meeting 10 read papers al subsequent assem-
| hnes and occupy Unitarian pulpts offers
WhlGh Nalur hlghly, buth from tho character
Of the men that made them and the eVilont
garncsiness with which they were prolIerred
You seem 10 forget. or not to believe It pos-ible
| ihht, within the garment OF ceremonus there
lies "a kernel Of truth uf perennial uslre whichis is
not and cannot be- affected by any change n thr
| many Gentlles believe So nkcwisc. Mntth"w
| Arnold T. l.; And II is truth that We teach and
! prrarh-not her temporary enioldn-s.
v J. know not whether | used the phrase
hridtinE over ihe chaam between Judaism and
eshamsd hd'i oi nI' aI' i gin pIt a, "a a., t.e least
| oi achieving 80 grand u result Or ia II heiter
| lor boih religions that tho gulf continue to
who and thls distinctly rcmeinbrr navinE said
-ougul neNrr 10 have hrrn separated. mueh less
confronted IN battle array, Ia Il better for either
! side. better Tor religion. better for humanity
| lhut Instead OF joining hands in combined aud
! vigorous advance ON the vices and miseries that
| surround us. we should each fight under Our
| srparat" ildg IL The name OF God the com
| mon rather not glorious enough To rally
around II ali those who In tho love oi Him. find
| th"lr strongest incentive Tor sci-sacriurr and
d,yo'ion TO red9eming lab2rs In the eyes Of
| nave SAD somethu very shocking. lam conf
| d'nt that IN those OF the majority Of my hreth-
| own hearts They viii not suapect that / shnIl
| use the bridge for transporting my congrega-
! NN,lt 'N,A'iS Aiisp tlf AlIlStlhil camp.
| VI | ought hardly to notice the charge
! OF your corrnspond'nt, An lsrnelite," that
| haNa run down Judaism.' Ii he has any
| warrant for II, II does not lie in the words /
| used, may, perhaps. appeal to some of my
! hrurrte, whether | did 50 or not Mhy
! h. should launch out in a defence of the
| Iamud Is mystery to me. As never so much
| as mentioned tho name. ! suppose know
Nhht J"Ht, Frankc! Graz. a. o.. said about
mat work knew the WORK itself before | Wns
| Old enough 10 understand any OF The writings
| OF those IN n"nt authors. and have ever s.ncr
| continued It's study. Bnt what An Isrnelit,"
| do's ; not know 10 that { was from tho Tdl-
! Wdd arsenal that the lnlnrmors took thor
shArpost and most effective weapons ia their
| contest Tor Freedom and the rogenerai. .nn of
Judaism. Very recently the chief rabbi Of t'as-
| sci published a learned defence OF the JEWISH
| reform movement, brstns all over with point
| ~ qVoihtons from that very 1hlniud agninst
whlch am accused OF having sinnad in leaving
| snmo 81 It's ena'tmGnts unobservcd. | wonder
| II mere Is any one IN this cty to whom might
| not say, PHYSICIAN, neal thysolf" But why
argue with " An IsrHeiitn" to whom Judaism
and Ialmudlsm are convertible terms2
q. Gor1uEtL BSl Mad ay
Alum Baking Powders.