New-York tribune., 1890-08-05

rather depressing influence behind II. Icrhaps
this is because it affords so vivid and comprcheh-
sive picture of class Of religlonlstS who' "hlle
regarding themselves in some sort as select 'rate1
than elect. and planning themselves upon ueH
emancipation from enslaving suporstltl0nS' never
theless occupied so illogical and lndeienslpie Il
position that only a conservatism amounting /"
positive blindness could explain their atuIuue'
A more penetrating analysis Of TINS Unitarian
centre as it may be termed, has never peeh unuci-
,alcn and nrobablv never will be. for Mr. Froth-
irebam knows bctt-r than most men the detects
limitations. virtues and sentiments of the class
Of which his father, Nathaniel Lansdon frotA-
incham. was a representative if not quite shlh-
inc Iicbt. To understand this class however, tAe
ora in which il fourished must be studied care
fulIv II WAS before the new and higher criticism
had appeared IL was before implicit falth III uIe
verbal inspiration of the Bible had been seriously
called in question. 1t was a period III "hich
Ipitarianism accepted the central doctrines OF
Christianity. oven while refusing to Tie lheM-
selves to a definite and inelasiic creed
The men and women who formed WHAT we may
call Frothinahaln Unitarianism Ill h"s'oh "ere'
however peculiar people apart from theH IT,
Iieious tenets. They were i'll sense Qule'lS'S'
They represented the culture which so ol'eh
emasculates by putting love OF refinement anu
tranouillity-" sweetness and light IN snort
above duty and principle, which, Tor thc SAKE u
peace is too frequently ready TO make VICIOUS
and dangerous compromises; which rcg'rus Poi-
itics de haut en- bas,n vulgar, noisy aud demo-
cratic which is essentially the accessory OF arls
tocratic tendencies, and which makes men eNclu-
sive massive and cold TO The common interests
Mr. rockingham has described this class &dlnlf-
ably. and from the point of view OF intimate
knowledce They STOOD lie says, for " the Unfair
;onism which lay between William ElleTy than-
ming on one side and Theodore Parker on the
other: the simple ratonaliSm as distinguished
from the spiritualism of the former ana the nat
uralism OF the latter: literary unltaIiGhlsm IL
might he called tie religion of sentiment ic"l-
ing. emotion: the religion of unadorned Soou
sense. They were mot organizers; they were hoI
sectaries; they were rot champions OF any SCHOOL
they were not possessed of any dominant lde@'
they had no passion Tor social reform. IhcH were
simply scholars and gentlemen dgnlticd gracious,
genuine, sweet; fond of elegant stualcs' OIL so'"
Fnclish. of courteous ways. of poetic expressions,
of the amenities of life. They were conservative
of existing institutions in 50 far as they allowed
the free movement of cultivated mind, and desircu
no change except in the direction OF mental
emancipation. They pushed against no barriers
that did not limit the right to walk over all 'he
fields Of literature, unimpeded and unchallenged'
For the rest they contcned WIN
,bincs as they were and dislikcd Innovation
drcadinr the intrusion of untTicd ideas agltauoh'
violence vebemence even i'll the advocacy oi JusU
principles. they deplored. They believed III the
prevalence of sweetness and hight. ouch ineH
are never creators or leaders
In theology they were what DR.. buckingham
describes his friend. DR.. Lunt, 10 have been. Dr'
Lunt." he said stood far on the right wlhg'
THOUGH not on the extreme right, Of the Illtarlah
denomination. Reverence for antiquity ana cs''D-
lishcd belief for the early Church and the sacred
associations of the past wrought strongly wl'llii
him. He loved to hold fast, 50 far as lie could
to the language of Scripture. and 10 the doctrine
literally interpreted, which had come down from
The fathers. lie more ready to accept ulah
anxious to define hallowed phrases "hlic ne
wos onon 10 new light lie was jealous of ihAoVa-
tions. He shrank from all approach TO the sub
ycrsive speculations of the newest criticism
While he rcpcllcd with every power of his intel
lcct every instinct of his conscience, every throb
of his heart. the dogmas of Calvinistic divinity
vet his Puritan soul leaned back, as far as II
dared toward ancient formulas. The author
saws nothing could be more exact than this' 80
far as it goes" but it should be added that lhe
faith referred to here laid stress on the old
virtues of private character-purity, moderation,
kindness, hospitality, generosity, peaceiuihcs''
hopefulncss. humility. truth-rather than on tAe
nhilosophical foundations of belief, the changes
necessary TO perfect society. Its whole purpose
was TO create good men, trusting 10 their influence
for the regeneration of mankind, avoiding WhAl-
ever, by causing disturbance. might allcnate' as
courage or divert men from determination and
self-discipinc. 1t was certain that tie multitude
cared nothing for philosophical speculation. and 1t
ll,. in fbn1 social
themes would arouse disalection"
body holding such views could not but be
offended and perpexed when tho anti-slavery issue
forced itself 20 the front. 1t shrank fastdiously
from the rough downright polcmic of the Abolition
lists. whom it regarded as disturbcrS mainly. lis
deep-rooted conservatism mastered even its sense
of Justice and rather than allcnatc the slave
owners il would have pcrpctuatc slavery. Inc
defect of ilogicaliti which was the fatal wee OF
this form of Unitaranism entered into this question
very plainly. Though the hope OF tie society iOI
the future was in the perfection Of the lndiNldua
il was here made apparent that the whole tendency
of the cult was 10 50 narrow the sphere of ma
vidual example and practical Christianity as 't
hold the members passive and useless in face OF
the greatest crisis their country had encountered
while their attitude. meanwhile, could not but
encourage the slave power and weaken t,le hands
of its opponents Mr. rockingham endcavor
10 palliate this unfortunate outcome, but without
much effect. 1t is only too evident that th'
Unitarian principles in this operated agains
the highest and best interests of the country, anC
it, in fact, became necessary for all who possessc'
more robust fibre and more warm-hoodeC
patriotism 10 withdraw from communion whcl
seemed fitted only for piping times of peace.
We cannot follow Mr.. rockingham in his ac
count Of his fathers generally unevcntful bu
beneGcent life, though it will be found wei
worth reading. We may, however, venture upol
another extract, describing the end Of this form
Of faith:
with DR.. rockingham died virtually hi
type of Unitaranism. 1t the old-fashiOnc
faith with sentimental modification. Tn