The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-05
EMERSON on .TME PREACHED

When man OF the select intelligence
which characterizes the utterances Of Mr.,
Emerson speaks upon the condition Of re-
ligion at the present time, his words have
exceptional value, and, whether we agree
with them or not, are sure to have weight
in the thinking world. He has always
been reticent concerning his positive
statements on religious topics, but his re-
cent address on ''The Preacher" delivered
before the students in divinity chapel Of
Harvard University, evidently contains
his latest sentiments, and is so largely a
review OF the religious situation and an
outlook into the near future, such a frank
and large minded avowal Of opinions
which many have hoped he entertained
that no utterance OF his since the famous
sermon on the Lords Supper, delivered in
1882, on his retirement from the Unitarian
ministry, is likely to command wide atten-
ton. Mr.. Emerson justly remarks that
"the opinions OF men lose all worth to
him who perceives that they are accurate
ly Practicable from the ground of their
sect" and the men who count in the re-
ligious stock OF the life OF the world are
persons like st. Bernard or George Fox, or
Martin Luther, or Theodore Parker, who
20 beyond the confines Of mems everlast-
ing common-places, and throw personal
ity into their beliefs about truth and duty.
It's with the upper eyes" Of these large
believers that Mr.. Emerson ranges, and
hence his view OF the religious situation
has weight as the fruit OF his own exami-
nation OF current thought and life. Con-
corning the people who contain in them
selves the activity OF to-day and the as.
surance OF tomorrow, he says: 81 see in
them character, but skepticism; clear
enough perception OF the inadequacy Of
the popular religious statement OF the
wants OF their heart and intellect,
and explicit declaration OF this fact.
They have insight and truth
iulness; they will not mask their
convictions; they hate cant; but
more than this do not readily find. The
gracious motions OF the soul-piety, ado
ration-I do not find. Scorn ofhypocrisy,
pride OF personal character, elegance Of
taste and OF manners and pursuit, bound
less ambition OF the intellect, willingness
to sacrifice personal interests for the in
teerity Of character-all these they have;
but that religious submission and aban-
donment which give man a new element
and being, and make him sublime-it is
not in churches; it is not in houses. l
see movement, l hear inspirations, but l
see not how the great God prepares TO
satisfy the heart in the new order Of
things" "The oracle does not yet emit
any light on the mode OF individual life:
A thousand negatives it utters, clear and
strong on all sides; but the sacred, Affirm
alive Il hides in the deepest abyss"
This is a clear statement OF the situation,
hut Mr.. Emerson's idea OF the way out OF
II, not such as other men have conjectur-
ed, is, from his point OF view, the true
wav, the way OF the strongest and wisest
among US, equally the way OF nature and
the way OF God. He has struck the vital
principle OF the new religion when he
saws that I'VE are ina transition from the
worship OF the fathers, which enshrined
the law in private and personal history,
10 A worship which recognizes the true
eternity OF the law, its presence to you
and to me, its equal energy in what is
called brute nature as in what IS called
sacred history" "The next age will be.
hold God in the ethical laws" and twill
reward natural history, private fortunes,
and politics, not for themselves, as we
have done, but as illustrations OF these
laws. of that beatitude and law" This is
looking closely into our current life, but
Mr.. Emerson sees still further good omen
in the expansive humanity OF to-day, since
at seeks to find, in every nation and
creed, the imperishable doctrines" ~
see that sensible men and conscientious
men ali over the world are Of one religion
the religion OF well.doing and daring,
men OF sturdy Truth, men OF integrity and
feeling for others. My inference is thai
there Is statement Of religion possible
which makes all skepticism absurd" He
thinks the charm Of the study OF religion
| is "in finding the agreements and ident
ties in all the religions OF men,. and this II
| the essential things he looks for in the
olopian, that che shall be broad In BIZ
sympathies-not to allow himself to bt
excluded from any church." Then he ha
gone to the very roots OF religion in his
Statement that Tall positive rules, cere
monial, ecclesiastical, distinctions Of races
or OF person, are perishable;" tina
Honly those distinctions hold which
are in the nature OF things no
matters Of positive ordinance" Il,
nierces 10 the heart OF Christianity, when b
saws that 1t taught the capacity, the ele
ment TO love the All.perieCt, without
stingy bargain for personal happiness.
Then the clergy have o bit OF washing
They Iare always in danger OF becomin
wards and pensioners Of the so'caliea p re
ducing classes. Their first duty - sci
possession founded on knowledge" MI
| Emerson says OF the preacher o. toTeay
"Let him value his talent as door INT
nature. Let him see his performance
only as limitations. Then, over al, Il
him value the sensibility that receives, thu
! loves, that dares, that atIirms." An
further words that are golden: Speak tn
affirmative; emphasize your choice by u
ter ignoring Of all thst you reject seem
that opinions are temporary, but .0onvi'
lions uniform and eternal "-"seeing thi
y a sentiment never loses 1t pathos or i
j persuasion, but Is youthful after . thol
. sand years." He goes for the underlyin
3 IN t talent, but IN tone, in c6unselIng II
Young preacher, thus: "When thel
4 4 any difference felt between the foo
board OF the pulpit and the floor oil II
!: parlor, you have not yet said that whit
You should say" This reminds one
!. sydney Smiths saying that 10 pulpit is
j nIstform lust three feet above contradi
Kan. p Then he stands, like the stronge
! Puritan, for the integrity Of Sunday. .
; should say boldly that we should astonil