The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-26
"THE HEART OF DIR. HOLMES"

6TdUuT0 anu OItuOuOA1 vi shO LII oo
page, seems to incline to the opinion
that Tennyson, Carlyle and Emer-
son are each entitled to pre- emf
nence before Oliver Wendell Holmes
in undermining the foundations of
orthodoxy in the minds of reading
and thinking people in this genera
ton" This is very largely matter OF
opinion, as there is no possible way of
reaching a general consensus on this
subject. DIR. Hervey doubtless hid
in mind American writer's when he
made the statement from which our
correspondent so pleasantly dissents.
AS between Emerson and Holmes
the suggestion of Mr.. Woolaston
as to the involved and mystical char
acteristics of Emerson's writings
will make the honors easily rest with
the genial "Autocrat, from whose
pen never flowed mystical or in
volved sentence.
As to Carlyle and Tennyson, doubt
less their influence has been more ex-
tensive and influential among Eng
lish speaking peoples than that OF DR..
Holmes, whose writings are less phil
osophical and dealt more with the
ordinary currents of popular think
ing. In both prose and verse DIR.
Holmes could "make his point"
in a more direct and incisive manner
| than either Carlyle or Tennyson
when direct attack was necessary
on the theological demonism of the
early century. Carlyle's philosophy
embraced in uncouth, but fascinating
phraseology, many of the principles
which in their application undermine
Orthodoxy" at its foundations and
will always prove effective in this
way.
Tennyson's poetry is also demon
strative in the golden sweep of its ar
gument against all dishonoring views
of God and inspires faith and hope
in the hearts of its readers. But
neither of these great Victorian writ
ers ever dealt more cogent blows at
particular features of orthodoxy than
did the genial and much beloved
"Autocrat." AS an example of the
direct and convincing style of DIR.
Holmes in dealing with orthodox"
teaching, we may take the following,
which DIR. Hervey quotes:
my creed, as said in my book of ten
years ago, is to be found in the first two
words of the Pater Noster Our Father.
know there is great deal to shake it
ia the natural order of things, but my
faith is strong enough to stand against
all the untowardness of the blind ele-
ments amidst which we are placed here,
and out of which our earthly taberna-
cles are shaped. l see no corner of the
universe which the Father has wholly
deserted
The forces of nature bruise and
wound our bodies, but an artery no
sooner bleeds than the Divine hand is
placed upon it to stay the flow. A
wound is no sooner made than the heal
ing process is set on foot. Pain reaches
a certain point and insensibility comes
on.
Never until the idea of world with
out hope and without Coda world
where wounds did not try to heal. where
habit did not dull the sense of torture
was introduced among men by men, as
you we'll know. was there any impossi-
bility of recognizing the fatherly char.
acter of the Creator. II the Christian
religion is in any degree responsible for
this, you and must change our nature
before we can call it good tidings. We
cannot conceive of father allowing so
limited being as his human child to
utterly ruin himself.
"Can love father who let's me ruin
myself? What if happen to love an
other as we'll as myself? Can love
being who let's that other ruin himself
Il mean go to everlasting torments)?
What if happen to be so human that |
love and pity all my race, and cannot be
happy if they are to be writhing in agony
forever and nobody suffered to go near
them to help or pity? Can l love the
being who has arranged the universe SO
that they shall come to this?
But must love my Creator, for he is
as kind as my father was, and as tender
as my mother was. Otherwise he has
made creation better than himself. ac-
cording to our human definition of bet
ter-which is contrary to all reason. it
seems to me-"
1t was from the sa me kind heart
came the lines:
what If a soul redeemed. spirit that loved
While yet on earth, and was beloved in turn,
And still remembered every look and tone
OF that dear, earthly sister who was left
Among the unwlse virgins at the gate;
Itself admitted with the brldegroom's train,-
What if this spirit redeemed, amid the host
OF chanting angels, in some transient lull