, 1880-07-04
JONATHAN EDWARDS.

From OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES ESSAY IN THE
"IsTERSATIOSAl4 REVIEW.
or all the scholars and philosophers that
America had produced before the beginning of
the present century, two only had established a
considerable and permanent reputation in the
world Of European thought,--Bcn1amin Frank
lin and Jonathan Edwards No two individuals
could we'll differ more in temperament, charac-
ter, beliefs, and modes OF life than did these two
men, representing respectively intellect, practi-
cal and abstract Edwards would have called
Franklin an inddeL and turned him over to the
uncoveuanted mercies, if, indeed such were ad-
mttted iu his program of the Divine administra-
ton. Franklin would have called Edwards d
fanatic. and tried the effect Of Poor Richards" +"
commou-sease On the major premises of his re-
m0rselcss gyllogisms.
In studying the characteristics of Edwards In
his life and writings, we find SO much to remind
us of Pascal that, If wa believed in the doctrine
Of 1,ctcmpsy ychosis, We could almost feel assured
that the Catholic had come back to earth IN the
Calvinist Both were of a delicate and nervous
constitution, habitual inyalids. Their features,
It is true, have not so much in common The
portrait prefxed to Dwight's edition OF Edwards
works shows us high forehead, calm, steady
eye, Il small, rather prim mouth. with something
about Of the unmated and no longer youthful
not large in the dome, but ample in the region
of the brow, strongly marked features, COM
mauding Roman nose, a square jaw, question:
ing mouth. IN asserting chin,-a look altogether
not unlike that Of the late Rev. James Walker,
except for its air Of Ioyalidism. Each was re-
mnrkable for the prccocious development Of
spiritual as well as their mental condi-
tons were parallel in many respects. Both
had strong tendency to asceticism. Pascal
war,l. which he pressed acainst his boIv when
he felt the aggressive movements 81 temp
tation. He was Jealous of any pleasure
derived from the deljcacy of his food. which
regarded solely as the means Of sllpnnrfinr I,fe
Edwards did not wear the belt Of thorns ia q
material shape, but he pricked himself with
" the same Jealousy about the gratifcation Of
the palate. He was spared. we NAV say in
pareDthesis, the living 70 see the republication
u Boston Of his fellow-countryman's Count
and Of tie Means that NAV Be Employed for In
creasing It." Pascal and Edwards were alike
sensitive, pure in heart and in life, profoundly.
peuetruted with the awful neanfnR OF human
existence; both fiIlcd with q sense Of their own
littlcness and sinfuiness: both trcmbllnr in the
presence Of God and dwelling much upon His
o,1o-ir ao rs nntuFe m ,tIais1s ennnHion Uu1n
ali tn @ Is as au
,t ne Jesnts and the other the arninians Ihey
kind of iif II asa .aeT ano nt 1nn ~
]tua ~ A4e- IAschi WAS u tEut Poet, Huo ulu 1iot
cio,. s5s 70 wear .he singing robes Asmucn has been
saa.a ~ aor Euwaras On Lne strcngtn oL pAss
t11s,;nat, no eIe n Wnlca SHOWS senI,n1eni aao
and ,h :. ~. hul Is was y nis u aufs,
n,1 T.; ~; eG .n l VILE noMGl " n.s o1ass a.osS -
TatbIahal n,s Poenc argalses, as tne sIa III u
itodas ~ - no loIisgt ulosstnns "nen Ins nus
is .1sGr '5 g.ass . Gtu"a atouIu A. fasca! pIoSe
m,nb ~ 4u nv. g siaslc tseryN4ele WIN espu
taTtc f,.. % y. taichehtu - ~ ~ WIN
ene1 hroad ~ tp tgunos us ~ uo
beaS,s ~ o4 ~ .o M ~? ~ ay ~. ~.
derhts I,a =; Palsa s tne , e1qusit "t MnlGn ~, 81
Edwar1. xn4 ha e,ad Gu ~ nGs u m ,e lo1 "
make tha a.~t n. oIa W. .1 iltaci ~ ~ Wy ~
scrnt{a, me m Frasese ~ pc5son suHe.-as IN inc 9e
tlis ~ as NJ. anilna! Inc t1asc!er
which ha 1o,,r,,s III de11a ue4 tneKo, wtIn
trestiac ~ ~ ~ - n.a 9ppolsuts ~ @ sE9ru II n!s
hail fha sn1na f,,,j,.ess ~ ~ u4e IL. 1otn
Of anhnris1ns Nmn.i'|s, Ut Mrang ~ Inc 10TH ,l
Ike me pankers whose habit it is to sign
NOT m nrc1v soiootoI ~ G't out moncy.-ana poln
for Their hr;of .t9at NC sauo VI slmlar suoJecls
In nrsicr r. ra+ ~, i1aa
system il nf whtt a. ~ aaea u wnat tne 1neotog1cal
Gland cxnrnen+ ~. IL Iii ~ the e!eAt NcW Ell
It's lcadInr feat,ro w MI lake up bf1ef1F some OF
say that EdYaris, n,a;,a a. - auataty necessary 70
those If the Wee4ni.o in uocts1nes agree Wl1n
cntechisns. Theso sn1oa assembly, Two
su1ned the character ~ 9 eeocIlneS almost as
the Confession Of FaIt, aaeo - ISnelon Wneh
sembled in Boston Mav - 1eas' " ae oyno4 as-
an order of the General Cnnrt 49, WIS P11ntea oy
passed May 10 of the same ree -. M1assacausetts
Look at these doctrines As EiSa.anb but We are 70
Interpreted them. accepted ana
The God Of Edwards ia mr.
<1.x.rx