The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-18
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N. ]. Savage says that be believes that
mo Unitarian can be found who disciaims
that he % . Christsan-"
II IL doubtless srne that Whittier Was .
Unitarian In the sense that ne vas q the
list, who sincerely believed In the imitation
Of chrlst's life and spirit but Whittier
never pretended 10 formally announce that
he vas Unitarian nor did he publicly
meet with the Unitarian denomination
DIR. Hale in the sense that thesis are
UnitarIans could claim Emerson, Mat
thew Arnold, Froude, Carlyle. Dean STAN
ley. George Bancroft and man other very
eminen; men on both sides of the water,
and jet there Is as much religious fefvor in
some OF the poetry Of Whittier. Holmes.
lowell. Longfellow and Bryant as there Is
In that OF Cardinal Newman. Father
Taber. Lyle or Bonar
WhItiier's Immortal Love Forever
Full. Forever Flowing Free" his .'Eter-
nal Goodness 10 instinct with the spirit
OF devous piety, and "Army Hymns" Of
Holmes are full Of the austere, solemn
fervor Of devout Puritan minister.
The overshadowing paternalism of God {;
the divine spirit of the fatherhood Of God
and the brotherhood of man fills the
poetry OF all these so-calIed theistical
poets.
These great men would have all prob
ably declined. as did Dean Stanley and
the historian Froude. 10 affirm their faith
in nediGval metaphysical theology; they
did not trouble themselves about the
dogma OF the Trinity: they doubtless
believed that many so-caIied miracles had
scientific explanation or were of doubt
fni historic authority. bntlike Froude. who
rejected miracles. and like Dean Stanley,
who rejected also the doctrine Of the verbal
inspiration of the Scriptures, they were
all devout believers in God and ali humble
worshipers of Christ as the incarnation of
the spirit of holy living and holy dying !;
Of the spirit of philanthropy; of self
sacrifice and human brotherhood. They
were not cold materiaiists; they were men
instinct with the spirit of devotion and
prayer.
A man like Huxley or Darwin or Fred
eric Harrison could not remain in the
Anglican church; they were sll stern
moralists; all good men and true. but they
we're not poets; they were men
Of the order of Benjamin Franklin;
men Of calm, cold. scientific intellect. lack
ing in high imaginative quality; men of
phiianthrophy, men Of justice; men of
public benefcenee. but they were not
poets. and, lacking the poetic nature, they
could not do as Dean Stanley. Holmes,
Lowell. Longfeliow. Whittier. Emerson,
Bryant and Hawthorne did-iook at the
great unsoIved problem Of mans life here
after with poetic eye.
Perhaps the daily walk of Charles Oar
win and Thomas Huxley was as sweet and
true to humanity as that of Holmes and
LongieIlov and Whittier and Emerson,
but IL IL were it was because of Darwin's
view that while conscious future life was
open TO scientific doubt. nevertheless all
men we're bound to do their duty by them
selves and their friends, whether they ex-
pected TO live again or not
Holmes was q curious illustration of the
poetic mind subjected 20 scientific train
ing Read elsie Venner" and you see
the scientific side of Holmes acutely argu-
ing that II physical defects aud deformi-
ties be hereditary. why not moral taints
But when you turn to Holmes poetry you
find no scientific philosophy; In his poetry
the spirit OF tho Puritan minister breaks
forth into songs of praise concerning ''our
Fathers God" So in his poem After
the Pantomime." he writes OF the over
poweringly sweet and radiant personality
OF Christ as enthusiastically as the apostle
Paul might have done il preaching from
Mars hill 10 the Athenians
The really poetic mind is always instinct
with the religious spirit no matter
whether or no IL accepts all dogmas or
rejects some reported miracles: the spirit
Of devotion which speaks In praise of
Gods grandeur; Gods loving personality: :
His mercy. His peace: His wisdom; of
Christ's gracious humanity. His CON-
passion and self-sacridce. is always cap
tivatsng to the poetic mind and heart,
Alexander Pope Was q Roman Catholic;
Joseph Addison was n devoat orthodox
Protestant. ret Alexander Pope wrote
Vital spark Of heavenly fame.
Gait. on cult this mortSl frama"
And Joseph Addison wrote:
'frhs spacious ornament on high,
Aaa all the blue ethereal AS"
Both Of these deyo1s poetic uttesances
are included today In the PFotsstsnt hymn
hoax. even ss Catholic Cardinal New.
man. Lead, Kindly Light" and Catholic
Father Faber and Catholic Adelaide Proc
tors hymns are found in the Protestant
collection.
The truth r. the poetic soal 1. really q
pioGs soul in its highest and noblest AspI-
rssioaa BysoA. dsrided and eurssd as a
cynsa and snu-Cariss By the English
eharch, had ihls dsvoat spirit in bis
uoblsss moods, There are lines in his
-HseEsw Melodies" that are instinct with
the spirit Of reverence for God. No man
conia have written ''on Jor.fan,s Banks
thai Vas not susceptible % plous inaa.
snces
so with Saakspeass, courtisr that n.
was: man Of the eouviviAi world that Ia
undoubtedly Was ShAkspease. Ike all
other trHe poets. vas Possessed Of a psoas
splrst. There Is 40 line ia shakspea-e
tAsi eenvtets him Of slgosry, of Puritan.
ism. bat be Is fan OF lines that are instiaet
with plssy. lie speaks % These
blessed feet which were nailed to the
hlsfsr cross for cor s3vausaEe TIE
nnss describing the baaished Daks Of
NoFsolk's exploits as soldier Of tie cross