Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-17
ROUGH ON JOE COOK.
Rev. DR.. Townsend Replies to the
Attacks of the Boston Divine
ON UNITARIANISM AS IT IS.
Rev. George T. Purves' Sermon on Salt
That Loses Its Savor.
OTHER IDEAS OF LOCAL PREACHERS

Rev. J. G. Townsend, D. D., pastor of the
Unitarian Church, preached yesterday morn
ing on "Joseph Cook and Unitarianism."
The sermon was in reply to an attack Mr..
Cook made recently upon the denomination.
Mr.. Townsend said:
Joseph Cook, who came into the world, as
Mr.. Ingersoll wittily said, ITO teach God His
duty" recently poured broadside of his wrath
into Unitarianism. Mr.. Cook is rapidly wan
ing influence because of his egotism, his arro-
gance, and a certain brutality-not however,
the divine brutality which Heine saw in Martin
Luther. Renan said that there was in Jesus q
certain divine incapacity to see evil. There
must be in Joseph Cook q certain undivine
capacity to see any good outside of the little
peck measure of his theological system.
The speaker then gave short history of the
Unitarian movement in England and America,
after which he said ''Mr Cook makes four
complaints against the Unitarian Church. In
the first place he declares that Unitarianism as
a philosophical system is not worthy of the
attention of thoughtful, intelligent men; the
next charge is that Unitarianism is a cripple
and corpse; thirdly, that UnItarianism does
not provide a sufficient atonement for erring
and sinful men; and with shake of his leonine
name MIR. Cook announces that, fourthly, Uni
tarianism Is merely another name for humani-
tarianism.
SOME BRIGHT LIGHTS.
In reply to the first specification of Mr.. Cook
I say that Unitarianism has been embraced by
some men whose like we shall not see again.
Are not the clear notes of Charming, the cour-
ageous tones of Parker and the spiritual strains
of Emerson more noble music than the disso-
nance which Mr. Cook makes by strumming on
those iron strings of the old creed-namely,
God as supernatural and partial being, Jesus
as the second person in the Trinity, and man
as a ruin of a past creation? In respect to the
second charge-that Unitarianism is cripple
and corpse-1 claim that Unitarianism was
never more alive and vigorous than to-day.
We have built in the last ten years-yea, in the
last five yearS-nore churches than were
erected during the past Is years Of the Churchs
history
In reply to the third accusation that the
Unitarian Church does not provide sufficient
atonement for sinful and erring men, saw
that we do not believe in the idea of a myth
cal fall. and therefore do not believe in myth
ical atonement We think that when a man
has gone wrong departed from the everlasting
ought of his nature. the only way in which e can
be saved is to return to himself and be obedi-
ent to that divine ought of his nature. Educa-
make for salvation. Character, we believe, is
salvation, and we make no attempt to save
men by trick.
AS A SPIRITUAL PEOPLE.
Mr.. Cook says in his fourth charge that the
Unitarians are not spiritual people. In the
past ten years the most spiritual hymns ever
sung have been written by Unitarians. There
is no hymn more frequently sung in the Uni
tartan church than Nearer. MyGou, to Thee"
which was written by Sarah F. Adams, a Uni
tartan. When MIR. Cook says that we are all
humanItarians we answer that we are delighted
to be called humanitarians, for we believe that
the helping of man is the highest worship of
God. We believe that when man draws help
fully near his brother man he draws near to God
ft,af 1,nf hat de dnrlyy in htc
little child is not very far off from the kingdom
of heaven,