The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-24
EMERSON, PARKER AND CHRIS
TIA>ITY.

! uit was Emerson Chrlstsa1, VI III enemy OF
Christ? That must depend on what Christianity
| is. If Christianity is a bundle OF statements
about Jesus-a set of dogmas-the interpreta-
tons which the churches have given of the
story OF the life of Jesus that Is one thing: If IL
is a spiritual life-a life like that OF Jesus. d
/ God-like liie-thAt is quite another thing. "God
is Spirit" and 81. Paul, in Rom. WIZ tells us
| of law OF the spirit. Now, law is method
| by which power works. All powers, SO far as
known, are known by their methods OF work
ing: so, whether an electric or q chemical force,
! human passion, selfshness or spiritual power IL
/ manifest, is known by its manner OF working.
AS an electric current Is known in the same
way, in any country or time so IS spiritual force
/ or spiritual life As electric power does not
| depend on any tag that some person, wise or
otherwise, NAV attach 10 IL, or on any set of
| schemes of men or man made dogmas, so neither
/ does spiritual lie thus depend At whatever
| time or under whatever circumstances, or by
| whatever name called, where life works by
/ the law of the Spirit that is a spiritual life.
| And what is the iaw of the Spirit? l perceive
! that it is the law of Love- Surely. this is suf-
| hciently affirmed by inspired writers of the
| New Testament, whom | quote to show how
| spiritual men look at the matter.
Love is of God, aud everyone that loveth is
| begotten of God and knoweth God. For
| God is iove"-I. John, iv:7-s "He that abideth
in love abideth in God, and God abideth in
law"-Rom. xili:lo Then lore Ellis the tdts
(of the spiriD full They are identical. So
Jesus: "A new commandment give unto you,
that ye love one another. By this shall
eli men know that We are nv disciples, if We
have love one to another. xiii:3i-35.
See also Matt v:4S-iS, and further for Jesus
specific illustration see Matt. TWISTS Thus
do Jesus and His apostles settle the question
as 10 what they considered the very substance
OF Christianity aud OF spiritual life. IL Is love
manifest In human sympathies and good deeds.
"By their fruits, not by their labels. "shail ye
know them" This life, like Gods in man, by
which 1.-The spirit searcheth the deep things of
Cod q. Cor lilo, hears the Divine voice
and knows it John x:3), may be called trans
cendental nonsense, but if it transcends tradi-
ton and creed and churchianity, it seems to be
the great truth OF Christ But Christ and 81.
Paul were dissenters from the regular church
and called oabblers, and were prosecuted be-
cause they would transcend the well-worn way
OF outward authority and the accepted ortho-
doxy and, like Peter saw that God is no re-
specter of persons; but in every nation he that
feareth Him, and worKeth righteousness, is ac-
ceptable to Him. Acts x:35.
Now, apply these principles to Emerson and
Parker and it is clear that whatever name
others call them or they call themselves,
the great truth is at once apparent that they
lived by the law of the Spirit They lived,
of many who deny them the Christian name.
They were content to be Godlike men, name
them what you will. The mind that was in
Jesus was in them. They abode in God and God
in them. Christianity is an active, loving life
Such were these men. Such are all men who SO
live OF whatever name or nation.
Such the underlying prnc pies, simp pie,
easy to be understood by the free, loving soul,
by which all Scripture sayings must be con-
strued Thus, and thus only, is Jesus not set
against Himself. Do not these rather than any
doctors or churchs sayings, show us the task
set before US? And are not these standards the
ones by which to determine who are material
istic or spiritual? The many and even bloody
strifes which have arisen between men who fol-
low the "unerring teachings of i'the Holy
Scriptures" show how far short they fall of
realizing the great Scrip.ural truths contained
therein, for which they have substituted
schemes" of salvation which involve material
fortunes and local heaven and imputed right
eousness, instead of personal righteousness and
heaven which depends not on place, but
which is here and Observation-Disclosures
and peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit"
To those who see these great spiritual truths
| all will be clear, but to those who depend on
| what some other person says about them, no
doubt they will appear, as did the gospel to she
Greeks, "foolshness;" and for such a volume
would be useless.
little thought the few words wrote would
| wound DR.. Burchett SO deeply and painfully,
and yet ought not to be surprised. The gospel
OF love is inclusive -unifying. By it is reeog-
! niZed ''neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free;"
but the doctrine OF separateness Ia result of
| lower and conflicting forces, and of course,
| subject all who embody them to tribulation.
See John xvii S. | say this in no eensorious
spirit l have applied the same thought TO my
self and profited by it, and trust DR.. Burchett
may yet reap rich spiritual blessings from aris-
ing above such ideas and feelings. He is Gods
child and my brother, aud in writing l have
most sincerely aimed TO state things just as they
are, and that good may come of il.
Now word concerning my basphemy % in
saying that the real content OF DR.. Burchett's
speech was that Jesus so low as to count
Emerson and Parker his enemies. Now the in
tent and the content OF a speech may be entirely
different. When the scri oes and Pharisees muir
INJURED, saving. This man receiyeth sinners"
their intent was To trsduce Jesus but it has
come to be received great praise; i. e. the con
tent is Just the opposite OF The intent. so / once
heard base man extol another and that for de-
grading acts. Again the tnte1lt and content were
opposites. DR.. Burchetts intent was good, but
the content otherwise. So the twisting was not
at this end of the line, and the "Jesuitical
school disappears, having been only in the
heated imagination of the doctor, and the threat
OF the old material hell OF fire. taken literal,
must no. be expected 20 highly alarm people in
general since il has lost all its power over the
minds OF its believers.
win not attempt to sit in the judgment seat
OF God and pass on the motives of my brother
ministers. Let that be foc those who esteem
themselves able elimination anu the charge
of bis sphemy have often been the favorite
mesus used 10 express the horror of very pious
people ever since the accusers or Jesus set the
the example (see Matt ks and John 3Sl,
when one transcribed the ideas, orthodox at
the time, aud attemp pied to set up living, spir-
itua! faith. II has not yet lost its charm and
has this merit, that any one can use it, but 1t
never arrested the march of the Spirit As well
might one attempt 10 keep the tide back with
the traditional Old woInan's broom. such
thunder rolls on below. but does not essentially
harm its object, but It's subject rather
To further illustrate the Christ-idea, I wish to
quote from Professor Jowett, of the Calvnistic
MethodlstS o; Wales, where he uses APPROX
ipgiy the saying Of leasing, that 'the Christ
ian religion had been tried for eighteen centu-
ries; the religion of Christ remains TO be tried
and he adds, at means" among many other
things, SHAT we should regard all persons as
Christians, even if they come before us
with other names, if they are doing the works
OF Christ"
As, following Dr.. Burchett's illusions, was
printed a gem from Emerson, so I will present
another from Theodore Parker:
Jesus. there IS no deare- name than Thine,
Which Time has written on his endless
scroll:
Nor wreaths nor earlands ever did entwine
80 la-r temple OF so vast a soul.
Ay, every cei set his glow ng seal
Upon lay brow, and gave each human grace,
In a sweet copy heaven 70 reveal,
And stamp perfection or mortal face
Once on the earth, before duh mortal ewes
Which could not half Thy sacred radiance see.
r rb SIS the cmUet cannot read the skies