The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-10
WAS EMERSON AN ENEMY OF
CHRISTI"

SEATTLE, Sept 9, 1891.
To DR.. Burchet: / have read with interest
your defense in this mornings Posr-INTELLI-
GENcER OF your recent public assertion that
Emerson was an enemy of Christ Deeming
the newspaper discussion already long enough,
hesitate to add TO it: but am impelled to take
the liberty, with no intention of presumption
and with deep reverence for the sacred ques-
lions involved.
Reducing as conceive it, the equation to its
lowest terms. yonr postuate is this: Emerson
denied the divinity OF Christ; therefore he is an
enemy of Christ.
believe that something more than the mere
statement is necessary to carry the conviction of
Its certainty. Were you to preach one
series OF discourses ou the interrogatory: as
every one who Is a non-belieyer in the divinity
OF Christ an enemy of Christi i fancy the SUBJ
iect might swell into unexpected magnitude.
Can you not conceive that there may be differ
enee as to what it was written that Christ did,
and what He actually did or said? With the I'M
certain history OF the Scriptures behind us,
is there difference between not believing
them verbally, infailibly, and actually dsbe-
Heving or hating Christ Is there any reason
for condemning one whose construction of the
Scriptures differs from yours? Theology is of
necessity human in its failings. AS it has been
changed or modified in the past, does not charity
impel us to be lenlent with those who NAV be at
variance with us regarding the Interpretation
of the BibleG By the Catholic church you are
regarded a hereto; By the English church as
iisSenter. Assuming that you are not abso-
lutely. literally entirely correct in your theol-
ogy, can you believe that Christ will consider
you His enemy?
The point am trying to make is this: Fmer-
son did not, perhaps, believe in orthodox theol-
ogy. The forms, services, tenets, which NAV for
you largely constitute the Christian religion
were no integral part Of his philosophic mind
lie doubted, possibly, what was said OF Christ,s
miracles. You do not kHotV that Christ per-
formed the miracles: lie never said So You
have faith in what thu evangelists describe ss
His miracles. But the miracles are not proven.
as Christ's existence is proven. Because one
denies the performance Of the miracles he is
not As IA consequence an enemy OF Christ TO
paraphrSse your own words, do not envy the
laws which produce in your mind such eonclu-
sions.
You say that il Christ was not divine. He was
the worst impostor the world hiss seen. VIM
you allow 10 intimate that the inference IA
made by your own human. faulty logic Every
one does not say SO. Ii is not fact; il is not
even a conclusion of sufficient cogeucy to be
classed with facts You are Interpreting Fmer-
son with even more unjuStifsbe manner than
you will allow him 10 interpret the Bible lam
not Unitarian; but do not believe that Theo-
dore Parker, James Freeman Clarke, Emerson,
Or. savage, any single one of their followers
would, In their most sectarisn moments. char
acterizs Christ by the word impostor To your
mind The ep'thet is part of irresistible conclu-
sion; 10 the minds Of inuumerabIe reyereut peo-
pie, OF accurate and deep thinkers, the inference
does NOT follow, even remotely.
Ii is a statement OF simple fact to deny that
Emerson was al his Lie trying 10 degrade
Christ Casually. and occasionally only. he ex-
pressed his disbeie, in certain claims male for
Christ Tie was not svOWei proselyter You
make Christians love for Christ a positive,
active sentiment yet you bcreave hostility 10
Christ OF positive, active. Jealous qualities Why
II IS thar passive, non setting, unf,uitful. So
called love Tor Christ Is deemeI not love, while
equally passive. inactive cor nearly SOY non be-
lief Is called enmify, is beyond the apprehension
OF ordinary laymen who do not eonprehend the
term hOloEy OF theoloclaus
When reaiing Emersou's ESSAYS and addresses
his final utterances on these questions. can vof,
avoid acknowledging their reverence. their al
most sublime appreciation % the uqiestlc char
setter # the saVior9 Are Era=rson.s words tho
words OF an enerlyf apprehend that. with a
large body of linking people not resrhable bv
TIE church, Emerson has done more to dis.
seuinSie the impression Of Christ's unmeasura.
De personality taan could be done by an entire
generation Of cleTgymea; and in saving SO
mean no lack Of respec, To the clergy as a body
In tie effect upon Christianity do vau no; dis
eliminate between Emerson AMI ingersoU. ar
Tom Paine. or Noltaire. or any coarse. vuigsr
h.asphemous enemy OF Christi Ara thew Ali
under the same hAnnerT Yen intimate that
Emerson spent his life trying 10 degrade Christ.
! was not aware that he ever tried anyth.n, q;
tAs Alnd 1os quote one Or two sayings IRON