The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-11

posed upon their fellow English Professionals.
In casting of the yoke OF Rome our forefathers
had changed spiritual rulers, but did not CO.
cape spiritual domination. What lie popularity
known rs tho Puritan Sabbath for example.
was nothing more than n revival OF tho manner
OF keeping saints days and other church festi-
walls. which prevailed during the dark ages. and
which, discarded by the Continental Reform
ers, found a refuge and home in England. The
storm repression Of horosy by the civil arm.
which everywhere marked Puritan ascendency.
was but another form OF the discipline Of the
Indulsition. and the hanging Of witches took
the place Of those morciful executions by fire.
lest blood DO shed. with which the promnlRators
OF dangerous errors had been 30 often eNtir-
pated. From tho landing Of the Pilgrims until
tho day of Claiming and his allies. New
England groaned under moral oppression,
maintained both by law and by public opinion.
which made life to sensitive and liberty loving
natures altogether intolorable. Severity in po-
litical social and family government was sup
posed to be required by tho duty Of initiating
similar severity in Gods dealings with his crea-
lures. and tho worst examples Of cruelty mar
ratod in tho Old Testament were hnbitually
taken rs illustrations OF the divine nature. and
as models for mon to follow. political and
religious system such as this could not with
stand the progress of modern enlightenment
Clear heads perceived the logical absurdities OF
tho theological doctrines which composed its
franc work. and generous hearts rebeled
against the malignity with which IL had clothed
Itself as II with the garments OF righteousness.
The contest began. Of course. with nm assault
upon dogmas. but the real issue lay deeper IL
was whether men should continue to DO ruled
by the suporstitions of the paat or whether
they should walk In tho light and liberty
OF now and better era. What Unitarian
ism has accomplished by it's laborious
struggle with the old orthodoxy. ia. there
fore. not so much tho vlndication OF
tho Socinian view OF Jesus Christ. and tho
overthrow OF Calvinism. as the far greater and
moro worthy task Of freeing men from the con-
viction that intellectual error is fatal to saliva
ton, and that to be happy hereafter we must DO
miserable here. For. while Unitarians differ
widely among themselves rs to forms Of doc
trlne. they have always been rs one In their
philanthropy The crusade against slavery
commanded their undivided support from the
very first prison and hospital reform has al
ways found among them cordial advocates. and
every undertaking which has for its object the
amelioration of physical and mental suffering
has received from them generous assistance.
In word tho vitality OF Unitarianism is the
spirit Of freedom and OF humann; applied to
worldly ne we'll ne TO ecclesiastical affairs.
NATURALLY. however. ;so early New England
Unitarians and their immediate successors
perseycred In the ecclesiastical practices to
which they we're accustomed. There was moth
ing that offended and much that delighted
them in the services OF the sanctuary and In
tho forms of public worship. Human nature
rcvolts at a sudden and complete transition
from one set of habits TO another. We see this
in the way in which social ceremonies and
usages survive the exigencies Of their origin.
SO. when tho schism between tho Unitarans
and tho Orthodox took place. there was no
marked divergence OF religious practice. In
decd in many towns It was the Unitarian frag-
ment which kept the ancient meeting house
and maintained worship in II. while tho 0rtho-
dox seeded. and to this day in Kings Chapel
In Boston the Book OF Common Prayer with
few slight alterations Is used by a Unitarian
congregation. As Luther chung to candles and
affairs and the ceremonies Of the mass. and as
the Anglicans retain the surpllce and the stole.
so New England Unitarians adhered to the
fashions OF Puritan worship. More than this
they preserved and cultivated that personal piety
which Is the redeeming feature OF Purtanism.
and often makes us forgive its sternness.
Channings saintliness was the blossom OF q
6S ss fahfaRP rARsptef iRtte eu rev VAS t6e
same in kind as that OF Bunyan and Baxter and
Fletcher Of Madeley. No such shining exam
pies adorn the Untarianism OF the present day.
because the conditions for their development
no longer exist in the same intensity. The
Puritan stock has exhausted itself and the new
race is OF different character. There Is not
among Untarians in general the same earnest
ness in religious and devotional practices that
prevailed fifty years ago because the new gem
ha ~ han hr, ,tybN urftl
ideas. Hence DR.. Bellows breaches. as we have
said. mainly to q congregation OF elderly peo-
pie Their children and grandchildren do not
care for church going and had rather stay at
home and read the morning newspapers or the
latest reviews. II 10 no discredit 10 Unitarian
ism that this should be so. 1t is the inevitable
result OF the intellectually OF It's teachings.
Minds that have been trained from infancy to
regard God as an abstract ideal. and moral laws
as being as Interchangeable as thoee OF the oh Vsical
universe. find little that pleases them In repeti-
tons VI words and in essays even tho most ele-
giant. on religions subjects. They cannot be
Jealous in the support Of public worship
because they have been trained to attach no
| value to that which public worship symbolizes.
For these reasons we look upon the pamphlet
| which We have referred TO as q most valuable
historical landmark. While it appears to record
really commentaries its downfall Not with
such arms nor with such defenders as have
heretofore been prominent. is the war for rclg-
! iOus liberty now to be wRged. and grateful MS
| the world ought TO be at what has hitherto been
achieved by Unitarian churches. 1t will have
less and less use for them continually hereafter
till they cease to be needed at all. Tho press
has taken up the work OF the pulpit. and where
a single preacher formerly disseminated
| Unitarian doctrine hundred writer's are now
busy. Our essayists. our poets our novellsts.
and our magazine and newspaper editors are
mostly Unitarian in sentiment II not in profess
sion. and the influence they exert on public
opinion is none the less efficient because 1t is
not religious in its form and purpose Adher-
| ents Of the old order NJ things lament tho aid
| thus given TO what they call the progress OF In
| fidelity. but the friends Of liberal Christianity
have no reason to regret 1t, even though It shall
result in the closing OF their churches and the
| dsbanding Of their clergy TIL.
The Founder of the Modern German Nation.
The most important historical work
which has been published for some years In
England is the Lire and Times OF stein; or