The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-05-18

I
stood thA, Lonsfcllos aud Emerson set'
both Unitarians, In the Nes Eagland sen.'
OF the term in other words that they DID
DOT Accept the doctrine Of the Tnnity
Mr. Emerson LA. also been somewhat
vaguely called panthoist, hat that b.
firmly believed 10 the existence Of God
aud the reality Of future life can hardly
bo doubted, unless We arr ~ make the M.
sarfaniable assumption tina, certain poems
written by him we're not meant 20 be 20.
ems but formal statement ot hIs theolug
ical creed In their daily lives Longtel.
low and Emerson gave shining proof OF the
Christian religion for their pnrity, unset.
ashness and nobility OF conduct were dis
tinctly the result Of the influence OF the
great truths OF Christianity And yet, nc.
corjing TO Mr., Insersoll, either these two
men are now in He'll or Christianity is an
imposture.
"Mr Ingersoll has convenient habit
OF calling everything Christianity which
has at any time been taught by any church
or sect II ignorant fanatics were to form
themselves into new sect and assert that
human sacrifices should be made part OF
the Christian religion Mr.. lngersoll would
undoubtedly cite their preposterous dog.
ma as a sample Of what Christianity teach
es Just as he is never tired OF citing the
Spanish Inquisition az part and parcel OF
Christianity In the days when the Uni.
tarians separated from the orthodox Con
gregationalists OF New England there were
undoubtedly men among the latter who
believed that no one who denied the Trim. |
ity could be saved; but to assume that
these controversialists, fighting under the
banner OF a small and waning sect, were
the authorized exponents of Christianity
would be as absurd as to accept the claim
OF the three tailors OF Toolcy street to be
the people Of England
ut may be unhesitatingly asserted that
Christianity does not teach in regard TO tbs
final condition of men like Longfellow and
Emerson what Mr.. Ingersol says that IT
does. The Roman Catholic church, which
does mako the broad general
that outside of its pale there is
no salvation comedies that men who have
been baptized and who hold the essential
OF Christianity may be saved al
though they have never formally become
OF the church OF Rome, and Mr..
lngersol will not find a single intelligent
Roman Catholic priest who will assert that
il Christianity is true Longfellow and EN-
erson are in He'll The Anglican church
which includes among its priesthood men
who disbelieve the Athanasian doctrine Of
,he Trinity aud others who deny the e1is- !
,ence Of hell certainly does not give Mr..
Ingersoll any authority for his assertion as
% the fate OF Longfellow and Emerson,
Among the numerous sects OF Protestant
SIN there may be found an occasional
Presby yterian, Methodist or Baptist, who,
nslaking his own prejudices Tor Christ
anity, may crafty Mr.. Ingersoll by con
,eding that because Mr. Longfellow was
lot believer IN the doctrine of the impu.
alton OF Adam sin. or because Mr.. En- |
,rson had not been immersed, or because 4
neither the poet nor the philosopher had
,een Converted at a camp meeting they ]
annot escape eternal punishment; but
dr. Ingersoll will meet with extreme diff 4
iculty in finding an intelligent Protestant
ect OF any numerical importance who will I
Ieclare that unloss Longfellow and Emer- 8
on are in Hell Christianity is an impos.
ure. ]
"The sham sample argument has al
iays been Mr.. Ingersoll's favorite weapon. q
ie recites the horrors perpetrated by GER
ain fanatics in connection with the 1nqui.
ition in Spain, and saws they are are fair '
ample OF what Christianity teaches He /,
epeats the story OF Jonah and the whale, l.
nd tells his hearers that unless the story Il
3 literally true Christianity is false He 8
ties the Catholic doctrine OF trsnsubstan- s
iaton and calls it an essential form OF |,
and then refers to some crime
ommitted by DAVID or jacob and inti n
mates that Christianity requires all men q
0 do Likewise His method is the "sham =
ample swindle in its most offensive and
ishonest form. What would his opinion
e OF the man who would maintain that Il
ecause an occasional camp-follower OF the a
'ederal army stole watch from a non n
ombatant citizen Of the Confederucy the c
var for the Union was organized highway Ii
obbery? How would be characterize the il
IAN who would assert that lawyers have a
o other object in life than TO enable rob &
ers to escape with their booty? Mr.. In h
ersoll knows perfectly well that every i
jhristian church in existence recognizes II
be Apostles creed az a summary Of Chris v
an doctrine When he can find in that Il
reed that either belief in the Trinity or Il
! every single assertion OF the creed is alb. il
,lutely essential to salvation he can hon. g
,tly claim that, unless Christianity is Ii
rue Longfellow and Emerson are in He'll e
and not until then
While on this subject il may not be i'm
roper TO recall the fact that Father Tay. y
,r the sanity old Methodist preacher, u
nee said Send Emerson TO He'll? Why, -
@ would moderate the climate and turn y
le tide Of emigration that way = :,
-. -