The Worthington advance., 1882-09-07

ming through our blood @ - write. and
tho muse looks over our shosldsr and
says tho prayer Of the Church Union
shall DO answered.
We conclude this extended reply 81
republishing IN article which appeared
In the ADVANCE several years ago:
NATURAL RELIGION. 5.....= .z
An Eastern Clergyman, whom 10 %.
teem highly, writes 10 70 follows:
ALLOW me 70 thank you for the copy
OF your paper containing liberal ex-
tracts fr0n svllat suppose is:One Of
your pOetic effuslOns. knew you we're
touched with ETHEREAL dre, but did not
know that the gods had taken you %
entirely Into their confidence. With
this h,gl, proof OF your poetic sense,
S0a may fully surrender yourself to the
sacred indueeoe and appear in some
even more pas4exly production % =
candidate for tho unfading laurel. I
will esteem It 4 special favor if you
will mail 10 xss tho entire poem from
which selections were taken. On tho
permanent questions affecting tho in
terests Of our deathless being wo were
formerly perhaps ~ more perfect sym
pathy than at present. You have chan
ged with regard TO church relation
shin. know not to what extent this
indicates 4 change Of belief. In ~funda-
mental truth. trust, however. that
you still anchor your hope In the atone.
ment Of Christ and that you still hold
some Of his mintsters as worthy Of your
confidence. In the sharp competition of
o0wSpaper controversy many thirRs es.
cape which do not affect the deep and
settled consciousness.
II you should address yourself to some
great poetic achievement, % q life
work, II will concern your fame and
the merit as we'll as the usefulness Of
your work to allow no sentiment that
will not bear the soundest criticism.
As q most sincere friend. should de-
sire to see YOU acknowledged an au.
thor by the bsst and pur1st living
minds and to find your poems = cher
lsl,ed treasure in Christian hOmes.''
We publish the above because 1t
gives us an opportunity to repeat what
we have heretofore said in the Al
VANCE, that the poem entitled ''CCn-
sOlatiOn." which is now recognized rs
having in 1t something OF permanent
life and value, embOtlies our religious
belief. Not, Of course, in u formulated
creed, but in the thought it expresses
concerning Nature, Song, Love aud
Religion. 1t was, III fact, written for
that purpose, or as We heretofore ex.
pressed it, to give expression to our
love Of Nature, our love Of Song, our
love Of Love, our love of God. III short,
the poem is the expression OF our ilM
aud spiritual life, while the ADVANCE,
which is 50 much lnisrepreseMteu and
misunderstood. is the EXPIRE ssiell of cur
outward, everyday, batl leak life. Que
10 just ~ true rs tile other. but their
missions are different. We want no
other religion, shall seek NO other. shall
belp to propagate no other, than is ex
pressed in tho poem, and which We
kn0t0 to be true because it is the ReliY-
ion of Nature and is universal.
And now, behold the beauty OF this
Natural Religion! All these who have
read the poem, whether orthodox or im.
fidel, whether clul ch devUtee Or church
enemy. whether idOlatOr Or iconOclast,
all admire the sentiment of the poem
and say they can endorse it. What
does this prove? That ut heart, that
in God s own religi"n, We harlnonize,
W. all agree. Our differences, our bit
tprness, our blocd.spilling, our religious
wars, all grow out If lna''-,made creetls
and are melted and encouraged by the
creed. .mongers. AS learned Chinese
priest said, nc tavo men aud no two ma.
tions ever q',arreled and fought about
God. The quarrel and the 0ght have
always been ;:bu,t the prophets Of the
ccntendimg part its. each claiming that
his prophet WAS the true prophet Of Gotl.
We answer our clerical friei.d in the
language VI tie poem to which he al-
lu les:
20 loving t;ot, of Mature! who through all,
Has never yet betrayed me to fall,
While. f1lowi:'E crcets Of men. l went astray,
But turning buck IL Thee. found Thee tlate,
And sweet rs w0:,an's love and fresh rs dew!
Henceforth OIL Thee. and Thee slsnle. rest.
Nor warning sccts shall tear he from Thy
brcast!7