The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-11-13
STRONG LANGUAGE.

Every editor, writer OF speaker who
USES strong language III attacking
wrong or defending right, has tn run
the gauntlet Of Il host of effeminate
critics who think that deep-rooted evils
can be successfully fought and conquer
ed by soft speech" and ''loye," as they
are pleased to call their own effemina-
cy. They tried this on Slavery for
years while Slavery went on subjug;.-
ting them and making them its moral
slaves rs the negroes were its Slaves,
soul and body.
We have often replied to these critics
(who, by-the-way, are ready to use
strong language in their little personal
quarrels oyer property, etc., that the
Man OF Nazareth used exceeding strong
language in denouncing the Pharisees
ard wicked men of his time. They
either fatty deny 1t, or if we quote His
words, reply that he Was God and had
Il right to talk strongly and indignant
ly. When we ask whether His is not
the example to be followed, they admit
it III general terms, but will not allow
''sinner'' to follow Him too closely.
On this point, we find some excellent
things III the n. Y. Tribune in an arti-
Gle OH VIM. Lloyd Gar. ison, from the
pen of OLIVER johnson. Mr.. J. says:
Mr.. Beecher, III his recent sermon on
Mr.. Garrison, repeats this charge OF
bitterness. but without citing Il word
Ut proof. lie insists that, unlike Jesus
and the prophets, he was destitute OF
tile spirit of love for those whom he de
nounced. 1t Is very easy, 1T this dis
lance from the times i'll which the
prophets and Jesus respectively lived.
to talk OF their loving spirit as qualify
ing their deilunciatiOns; but il Alr.
Bcecler had been the son of one of that
band OF Pharistes whom Jesus il,dis-
cr'n'lnately denounced us genera
ton of vipersn and "hypocrites" who
'.dsvoured Widows houses: and for ii
pretence made long prayers, and been
called upon after the crucitixion to de-
liver Il discourse upon his life and char
acter, would he have been able to find
tile soul of love III such denunciatious
OF his clan? But lime has INDICATED
the Master, and it will yet vindicate
His faithful disciple.
The simple truth is. that this charge
of bitterness has been brought against
every reformer who ever did ANYTHING
tiff ctually for the redemption of the
world from any system of lniqnity, and
it never had less foundation III truth
than in the Case of Mr. Garrison. DIR.
Claiming has been accounted Il mild
man, but he found justification for the
harsh language" Of Milton in the
character of the times il. which he
wrote, and i'll the nature of the evils
will, which he WAS forced to contend:
and III yindicating the great champion
OF En- llsfl liberty has made all ul,an-
swerable defrnce Of the great champion
ct negro emancipation.
Great evils were struggling for per-
petuity, and could only be broken down
Ivy great power. Milton felt that inter
ests ut great moment were ut stake:
ana WHO will blame lin for binding
himself to them with the whole energy
OF his gre mind, and for defending
them with fervor and veh+mtnce? We
must not mistake Christian benevrIel,ce
lis 1t 1T lad but one vOice-that of soft
ehtreaty. 1t can sprak in awful and
piercing tones. There is constantly
ing oil in our world Il conflict bet ween
good and evil. ~ Men gifted with
great power of thought and loftiness Of
sentiment are especially summoned to
the conflict. *'* They must sppal,
with an indignant energy, and they
ought not to be mes snred by the stand
ard ofordinary minds in ordinary times.
Men, of natural softness and timidity.
ola sincere but effeminate virtue, will
he apt tn look OH these holder, harder
spirits us violent. perturbed. and un-
charitable; and the charge will not be
! wholly gronndless. But that deep feel
ing Of evils which is necessary to effec-
tual conflict with them, and which
marks Gods most powerful messengers
to mankind, cannot breathe itself in
| soft and tender accents. The deeply
moved soul will speak strongly, and
ought to speak so us to move and shake
| nat ions.
Some of the modern takers about re-
forming tie world by lovely which
they mean the reduction to moral fab
hlness OF every testimony against great
systems Of e"il-w"uld do we'll to study
the life of John Milton.