The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-20

yersity. Are we 10 be asked to forget the
man OF letters, tho merit of the philosopher in
the effort to use him derrick 70 lift some
church into popular favorf TIE in.imation Will
surely suffice 20 bring Us 20 our better Judgment
on these things II is right 70 judge any man as
70 his scholarship, his craftsmanship or citizen
ship apart from his religious belief Emerson
never suffers so much st the hands OF MS
admirers as when he Is being crowded into the
little sailor jacket and knee breeehes Of Uni
tarianisn.
Emerson, like his friend Carlyle, could be put
into no ready formed mold. When IL - frled,
either the man or the mold must be crushed
That the writings of Emerson were largely
tinctured by the influence OF Carlyle let any one
study carefully the ESSAYS OF Emerson, the
DIAL" and his reviews in the North American
and escape this conviction II he can IL Is as
unjust 10 Carlyle 20 q call him the "lnearnatlon
OF moral heartlessness" as II is 20 designate
Emerson as being tae persontHcation OF sweet
ness.
There Is place for biting irony and vither-
fng sarcasm In the most refined CHRISTIAN Afer-
ature. And so long as We are living in world
that loves 10 parade IN masks: borrow respect
able liveries in which 20 do iguoble deeds, there
viii be place for these uncomfortable wesp-
ons. And il is no diseredit to Emerson or Car
lyle that they knew how 70 bring shaDs to
the light II, indeed, they sonnet mes turned
l4l-et cdGstlc 6S1AASs NNA~F ;" -
still using their rights, and should be allowed
to take their place in the world Of thought &C
cordingy
In Emerson's first sermon are found these
words aimed at the ministry: cit walks In a
narrow round; IL harps on few ancient strings;
it is much addicted TO few words; ii holds on
TO phrases when the lapse of time has changed
their meaning"
And when he thought the occasion opportune
he was not slow to make full and free use OF like
weapons The only difference between him and
Carlyle at this work was that Emerson had tact
and with q profusion of colors better concealed
the sting.
The careful observer will not need to have his
attention called 20 the fact that those who are
80 highly extolling the sweetness" Of Emerson
are these who are on his side Of the question.
Had they been on the other side, and had the
courage TO cross his path once, they would have
received a taste of that which was not ali honey.
As 10 Emerson's championship of human free
dom, there needs 70 be some serious and careful
thought We shall do well TO throw open a few
side windows of history at this point He de-
serves al credit for what he did. History
records that the first voices raised against
human slavery were not Emerson and Parker
and Wendell Phillips. Nor were they raised on
this continent Of course, it is not much to our
credit, but that agitation began IN Europe, and
bore fruits long before Emerson had a chance 10
speak. But Just how does IL come about that
Emerson and Parker and few Others, while
philosophic enough to remain at home and
stalk" during the dark days of orr republic,
and sleep good feather beds, while the boys
were at the front camping on the fed, listening
to the whiz Of lead and smelling gnnpowder-
how does it come about that these champions OF
human freedom could make the most mercIless
attacks upon the administration when their
help was most needed and now more than q
quarter Of a century later they get more credit
for that mighty revolution than Abraham Lin
coin and both OF his cabinets? Besides, IN be-
half OF clear historic facts. did Emerson lift his
voice on this behalf when the church was
silent, or "before single church in America
reyoited against slavery?' This is a question
of too much historic value 10 be treated slightly.
We have q serious obligation upon US to see
whether or not it be true that emerson was
openly opposed 70 slavery when, with the ex-
ception OF the Methodist church, all the
churches OF the land were either silent
against this great crime, or had inpiously
planted its pirate flag upon the Old Testament
as the rock of its defense" The simple
truth Is that all the plain historic
facts are opposed to any such statement
There are scores OF Congregational churches in
New England, with their leaders. to whom this
would be serious injustice. There were also
many among the Presbyterians of the North who
were on record as soon or before Mr. Emerson
began his public career, as anti-s avery people.
ne DdpsisI CuuICQes OF the NOfLl put L1em-
selves on record in such a way that any who
care 10 know their position on this question
need not be in the dark
Nathaniel Colver, q Baptist preacher, organ
lied the fremont Baptist church of Boston be-
fore the world had heard much of Emerson.
And all New England knows wei where that
church stood on the Elavery question in those
early days. In fact 1t was the high privilege of
Mr.. Emerson to stand in that pulpit of freedom
where DR.. Colyer preached and utter some of
his first sayings on the slavery question. Dur
ing these same early days, long before EN-
erson had chance TO endorse John Brown,