New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-08
A GENTLE REFORMER-
Mr. rRorHlxGaAMs STUDY OF AN ENGAa'
ING CHARACTER


sny,rs BnooKs FRo1nlSSHAN 12mo, PIP. All. ho"eh'
toa Mlfnin CO.
Mr.. rockingham hes performed difficult TASK
with conspicuous adrOitncss and success IL was
no easy matter to draw q portra { OF the younger
Charming which should satisfy the frienas and
admirers Of that remarkable man, and at the same
time exhibit faithfully to the general world I"
tcmpcrament Of apparent Inconsistencies, and
rareer which, Judged by secular standards. was
somewhat Disappointing Mr. Frothingham's knowl-
edge. however, Of tho atmosphere in which Chan-
ming lived, the iteas upon which he was nurtnren
md the spiritual agitation of which he was one oil
the most interesting products has enabled him, IN
conjunction with his power OF intellectual sympa
fhy TO make subtle presentmcnt OF fine and elu-
siye mind AMI gentle and beautiful character
Channings emotions were habitually in rebellion
against his reasoned opinions. lie carried ratlon
alism so far that his connection with Christianity
through fragile thread of the most radical Uni
tariapism. was always precarious and often hardly
distinguishable but in reality lie was ncvcIthecss
An ardent mystic soaring toward heaN en- on WINS
of fame. and contemplating the vision OF Christ
with love and rapture Such compound OF Ice
md fire is hard to be understood unless we as
sumo that his religious aspirations were tle gem"
inc expression Of his nature. while his theoosi'",
vievs were only the result of acquired intellectual
habits fastened upon him. against his ms thcS' oy
the associations OF his life The lranscehoeh'a'
period was an era not only Of intense enthusiasm
but of the boldcst sceptcal inquiry and IL seemed
ms IL universal delquescence OF the ola orlhoooA
beicfs must precede the crystaization OF The new
homes and aspirations. Ea nest reformers were go
ing to rchablitate the earth. and 1T cost them III
file 10 extend their operations so as to renovste
heaven. Mr. Charming was born into society
I'm which the badge of enlightenment and culture
was the interrogation mark Not a few OF the
most fervid preachers stimulated spiritual. or al
eny rate mental eXaltatlon by showing how lon-
they could balance on the very edge OF Christian
belief without topping into the abyss OF inndehV.
and delighted audiences. drawing long eFcsh
after the thrilling exhibition. exclaimed, How
splendid - and "What broad mini!
MIR. Channiny's uncle, DR. William Ellery Chan
ming, was not man Of this class. Although
Unitarian OF the liberal school, he chung devout-
ly to fixed beliefs He looked upon Christianity
ss the mghtiest agency in the coming reforms
lie watched carefully and ahechonstely over his
pephew's education, and no doubt he STRENGTHENED
the genuine religious instincts which finally Cd
tanned the mastery over the young mans sceptical
vagaries. Mr. rockingham writes that "by cast
of mind, carly education unremitted domestic and
social influence the insensiblc push of events, the
youth was predcstined TO the ministry and he
adds the very Just remark that the bent OF his In
clination was spiritual rather than clerical, for
he never took liberal view of his profession"
His first essays as preacher were disappointing
not to his listeners much as to himself, and he
had many seasons Of des on en;y. The CHIEF dlf-
fculty seems to have been the opposition between
his tastes and his opinions The trouble was so
far overcome that between 1880 and 1871 he was
settled happily over Unitarian congregation in
Cincinnati but after three years of this duty he
h ero1
in which he had ceased to believe, so he resigned
and returned to Cambridge. His people, whose
hberality in matters of belief must have surpassed
oven his own. appear to have thought his change
OF views no disqualification and besought him to
remain on any terms, "e,c en-, has been wit
lilly said, Offering to ray him no salary" mem
her OF the society being asked afterward why Mr..
Claiming left, declared that he never knew; "hc
thought it was because the minister of opn-
ion that Jesus Christ did not understand his own
religion" This was much nearer the truth than
Mr. rockingham is disposed TO admit. Mr.. Chan
ming believed that Christ. under the influence OF
powerful excitement AMI the impression Of Jewish
associations held exaggerated and erroneous views
of his own mission. He claimed the power TO
work miracles because lis love for man was so in
tense that he wished to work them, and he mis-
took this impulse of bencfccnce for the supelnat
ural gift. His followers were too deeply moved
by his goodness to be accurate reporters OF his
acts The gospels therefore were not TO be trust
ed. Christ not what he was reputcd TO be
Christianity not divine institution There
was no revelation from heaven and no divinely es-
tablishcd church. But MIR Claiming soon Iassed
through this phase of deism and adopted view
of Christianity and the character and work Of Je-
sus much more nearly harmonious with the general
RELIGIOUS sense. Stin he never resumed strictly
n;fa ipic lat bpi
10 Humanitarian religion, free from any dcnomi
national restrictions He expresses his esti-
mate OF Christianity in long letter Of extraordi
nary fervor, which may well be taken illus
traton Of the mystical romantic, poctical. raptur-
Gus emotions that TeIpetually broke in upon his
theological S. EQUATIONS. IL is letter which must
have fascinated sensitive minds, though it would
certainly be hard to draw from it clear state
mcnt Of what the writer did maintain upon any
fundamental doctrine, and impossible to construct
from it a system. But Mr.. Claiming desired no
such definitions. Mr. rockingham wei says that
it is hard to give precise account of his creed.
ut was gloriled version of his uncles faith.
fitted exactly to his own eager, loving adoring.
believing temperament. leading upward from the
naturalistic level of Unitariansm AMI combinin
in singular union the ardors of Platonc ortho-
doxy with the freedom of rati nalistic liberalism
The dogmatical element in it was very small The
critical element not larre. The scientific pre-
tension was modest theological ar pervaded
the scheme, but it was hardly distinct enough to
satisfy strict theologian The CONCEPTION of
Christ was always nebulous, like a sunny cloud
Thought Immersed in feeling. To call the
creed sentimental would be doing ii an injustice
1t was spiritual, rather, dark from excessive
bright" Elsewhere we are tod something of his
peculiar view Of Christ ale did not regard him
as the centre of the spiritual world but as Lord
over oil the chief transactions on this earth, as
the king Of Humanity. centre Of unity for the
Race And this pre- -eminencc was to last only until
the dcstncs of the Race were fulfilled Then he