The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-09
AN ENEMY OF CHRIST"
Rev. Burchett Makes q Strong Case
Against Emerson.

SEATTLE. Sept s, 1891
To THE EDIroR:-By your permission shall
esteem il favor to give reason for CHASING Mr..
Emerson with the enemies of Christ. And
would say to my questioner in your issue of the
9Th inst. that would not think OF resting such
statement as this upon any one quotation
from a stray letter to some friend; but suppos
ing that broader and more sufficient reasons are
desired, they are here given. And had not these
better reasons been at hand the letter would not
have been mentioned.
And lest be misunderstood let Ii be remem-
bered that there is not the slightest intention of
disparaging Mr.. Emerson as a literary character
in our country. / am candid TO say that am
not one OF his admirers; am rather to be classed
among those who look upon Mr.. Emerson as
yankee pocket edition of Mr.. Carlyle. But
the tact remains that Mr.. Emerson reached
high place in certain literary circles, and il is
highly probable that at least so long as that Pc
culiar type of thought known as transcenden-
talism shall exist, Mr.. Emerson will be held in
highest esteem, almost worshiped by that school.
Mr.. Emerson's private life will hardly make
him friend OF Christ or of Christianity. But
this is not denying that life may have many
noble qualities be admirable in many respects.
There have been infidels whose private lives and
whose lives in public have been wellnigh
models. There is nothing strange about this.
A man who is born in Christian land and re-
ceiyes Christian education, and is surrounded
by the high refinement coming from these things
may be what we call perfect gentleman, and
yet an iniidel. Lord Chesterfield would be a
good example of this, as well as many lesser
lights in our own country.
most seriously object to the definition of an
enemy being one who wishe> TO do a personal
injury; this may be true, and yet, in a religious
sense, one may not desire to do much harm, and
yet do it. The questioner says that an enemy is
one who is opposed TO the teachings of Christ
This is acceptable as a definition. Let us try
Mr. Emerson by this standard.
Christ Jesus taught and claimed for himself
that he was the Messiah; the Divine One That
he was God manifest in the flesh. See Matt /:
y; John xiv:9-l0; Eph. i:20-23; Phil. it'll;
Col. Jig; John i:1-5 And this claim mig ut
be shown by multiplying such statements to
any number. No one accepts the Scriptures
as the word OF God can have
any doubt to the fact that Jesus
Christ claimed to be more than mere man.
His claim is that He was God manifested in the
flesh. This is most clearly claimed for Him to
the very close of the divine writings He
claims that He came out from the Father To
save the werld. And the first herald of His
coming said: "Behoid the Lamb of God which
taketh away the sin Of the world" No man
could do this. He claimed that BY His death
all who were ever saved at all must be saved.
"He that believeth on the Son hath life; and he
that believeth not the wrath OF God abideth on
him" This is more than can be said Of snv
man. All the prayers that were ever TO rise To
The throne were appointed 10 be presented in
his naEle. Surely this could be done for no
mere man. lie claimed To have the resurrec.
ton power. He claimed that he was the resur-
rectlon and the life; and that all power both in
heaven and on earth was in his hands All this
teaching Mr.. Emerson opposes, and not one of
his friends and associates in thought or labor
ever claimed that Mr.. Emerson ever did other
than to oppose these things.
Was not Mr.. Emerson therefore An enemy oF
Christi
In Cabot's life of Emerson, BY Houghton.
AIfin Il Co, and on page III occur these words.
referring 20 Il communion service: Glow these.
my good neighoOrs, the bending deacous with
their cups aud plates, would have straightenad
themselves 10 sturdiness if the pronosition
came before them 20 thus honor q known fell
bowman"
This Is only one of many places where he
shows that he opposes the claim OF Chris; 10 he
ing superhuman. Mr.. Emerson speaks Of christ
as ne would of any great teacher. He is fond of
CHASING him with the illustriOus heather. ana
Is not willing to assign to him any higher place
Dg. Holmes in his life of Emerson in
the American Men of Letters serie. ON
page All. SAYS OF him: "He was willing
To ne cal ed Christian Just as he wss willing 10
be called Platonist" And vet thers sra SIN
living those who seem To think il strange that
Mr.. Emerson should be classed with the enemies
OF Christ; that i, with the opposers of what
Christ taught. ON page Isl OF Cahot's ssTifa nj
emerson is shown decidedly that he did not
allow 10 Christ the working of miracles which
was claimed for Chris; through His entire pub
lie life. To deny this 10 Christ and oyDose the
plain Scripture teachings which 50 anundantly
attribute this to Jesus, is to make Christ the
worst impostor the world has seen. Yet Mr..
Emerson calls this claim sold Irumrsarv.p Read
tais same life Of Emerson, pages SO, 3l5 and Sle,
and Imagine that this Philosopher of Concord
had been ST the raising of Lazarus from
the dead Hear him saying 70 Christ. ssThis Is
oid trumpery. listen 10 your own bosoms"
Then think how lovingly this commissioned
teacher from heaven would have said. aYou
have set aside the proofs OF mr. divinity. Won
say that al nv claims 70 being anything more
Than mere man are al false, and IN giving 10