Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-03-09
whittier as Poet-Preacher.

Daniel Ricketson In New Bedford
Mercury: In a sketch Of Ebenezer FL
lott, written many years ago by the
late William Hewitt in his journal,
there is picture given of an outdoor
preacher, standing under the broad
spread branches of tree, addressing a
large number of both sexes, who are
represented as being deeply interested
"a mother with baby in her arms,
ana young woman bowed over with
her hands on her face as IL in tears,
others with clasped hands and upturned
faces as deeply affected by the words of
the preacher.
have interpreted this scene as rep
resentative Of the effect upon the pub
lie from the stirring poems of 'the
Corn Law Rhymer," by which name
Ebenezer Elliott was known. Agreater
preacher, however, TO the people Of our
own and other lands in the great cause
of human freedom and godliness have
we in our most original and highly
gifted New England poet-preacher,J John
G. Whittier. As son of the soil, / feel
thankful that we have SO noble and de-
vout spirit endowed with the deyine
gift Of song, whose ringing and beauti-
full productions have done 80 much in
the higher culture OF the time for what
ever is good and precious in our land.
Well may New England rejoice and
thank God for SO great prophet and
teacher. Well may the Society of
Friends feel proud of him, and better
would it have been if his noble senti-
ments of liberty of conscience had been
more needed. The time will yet come,
and is, we trust, near at hand, when out
of the fragments of this once strong and
united body of Christians shall be gath
cred together new body, and the god
like work SO bravely undertaken by
Fox and Penn revived, and the beauti-
full name of Friends, i" in spirit and in
truth, embrace within its fold all who
are seeking for practical exemplifica
ton of the Golden Rule"
We have had in our time, that is, il
that Of the writer, who passed his
threescore and ten years, some excel
lent teachers and preachers of the purt
gospel of Christianity, among whom il
our earliest days stands PROMINENT.
the late DR., William Ellery Claiming
the pioneer In the broader and more
liberal and humane exposition Of tbs
doctrines of the New Testament. Sine,
his time Theodore Parker, James Free
man Clarke, and our own fellow-towns
man of Quaker birth, William Jane
Potter, and other co-workers have still
further extended the sphere of pur
and practical religion, the outgrowtl
of deeper interpretation of the teach
ings of Christ and his apostles
Doubtless, also those great sensationa
pulpit orators, Beecher and Talmage
have awakened many to higher vieN
of Christian truth; but to the mind {
the writer, no teacher or preacher o
the great moral and religion
principles of the Old and New Tests
menL mas bOuCneu liIe SrSdb PUN
heart of our people for the beautif'
and true in God and nature deepe
than our own Whittier. No trumpc
. rang louder than his against oppressio
and wrong of whatever kind in OF
land, and none of our poets has {
I sweetly sung of rural life, nor has an
: one, whether in verse or prose, anon
} our most highly gifted sons an
| daughters, so employed the muse in II
: sacred cause of that religion whic
teaches peace on earth and good wi
: to men" Truly, like the great bard I
: '.divine verse;" Milton, our Whitti'
I has drank of ''Silva's brook, that iov
: fast by the oracle of God"
i That years may yet be spared to OF
. poet-preacher, wherein he may eniC
, the calm and beautiful course of natul
: through the rich resources of his we
/, stored life experiences, is the desire
: his friend and fellow-trayeler towa
4 the sunset hour.