The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-12-03
l5s Mt. Auburn Street,


Dear Sir. do not ordinarily reply
to personal criticism. But will make
brief exception in reply to your courte-
GUS letter and say in reference to the ar
ticle you sent me that it is inaccurate in
many particulars.
LIST. "He has" not "lately changed
his mind and become Universalist Uni
TARTAN" As / have stated in my only
public utterance on this subject, the
modification of my views has been the
work of my lifetime, and my ecclesiasti.
cal relationship is where 1t has been since
l have been minister.
End. l have made no criticism any
where of my "former belief" I have
not held the doctrine of eternal torment
even in theory for so long that | doubt
whether ! ever did hold it, Because l
have regarded these things as more i'm
portant today have not said this until
now. l have lately seen such i'll effects
from belief in this doctrine that it seem
ed to be my duty to speak plainly. But
| only uttered the negative words in or
der to emphasize the positive thought of
the triumph of righteousness and the ON
Impotence of love.
Sd. Some men certainly do teach that
theological opinion is condition of sal
walton. Does your correspondent be-
lieve that sanity Jews or heather 'pass
into glory with true believers l never
said that anyone taught that opinion
alone would save man.
4th. Surely no one could justly accuse
me of making "illiberal and uncharitable
filings" at my former associates" Cam
not man attack demoralizing dogma
and be courteous at the same time The
only public reference l have made to my
"former associates" plumbers of whom
are my present associates as well and
write me the kindest expressions of
good-wilI is this extract from my ad-
dress on 1.-The Mission to the Multitude"
at the Unitarian conference at Saratoga !:
Gone of our gracious reporters, who
sometimes runs, like Ahimaaz, without
his message, has announced that would,
on this platform, point out 'The Cause
for the Failure of Presbyterianism ;
Were L conscious of any, l would as
soon point out the frailties of my sainted
mother. The statement was evolved by
the processes of unadulterated magma
ton; but, rather than disappoint a re-
porter, will devote gentle sentence to
this purpose, and in the same breath
point out the failures of Unitarianism as
well. l would rather point out their
virtues and achievements.
'Presbyterianism' (and by the term
mean the so-called Orthodox church,
was the child of the struggle for liberty
and many time have her vigorous brain
and strong arm helped to turn the battle
In behalf of human freedom. She has
touched myriads of desolate lives with
hope, and wiped away trillions of mourn.
ers' tears. She has rescued from lust
and selfshness countless hosts of sim
ming men and women. In every slum of
earth are found her messengers of mercy,
Her hospitals in every great city worthi-
~ represent her spirit, and upon her in
situations of true learning the sun never
goes down. She has been a pioneer in
her day, and moulded men and nations;
and all men well may covet share of
the Holy Spirit that has animated so
many who have borne that name. Or
thodoxy has failed only as the strong
man grows feeble in his age, and needs
to recover his youth, preparatory to en-
tering upon larger and stronger more
enduring life; and the only real failure
of Orthodoxy is the failure of liberal re.
ligion as well,-the lack of soul, of blood
earnestness, of the warm, personal touch
of the only divine spiritual magnetism on
the hearts of men.
It's life of which our nerves are scant.-
More life and fuller than we want
God forbid that we should think that,
because we do not march abreast, we are
in different professions. There is but
one human procession; and, while we
may be at different points of the line of
march, we are all marching on, and
Where the vanguard rests to-day,
The rear shall camp tomorrow
and then go farther still.
If there is any spirit of hell, it is that
which says, in the matter of religious
fellowship, to any man or woman, Stand
thou on that side, for on this am l."
The reason 1 have uttered no unkind
word, in public or private, concerning
my former associates" is that l have
felt no unkindness and have in my heart
only admiration for their noble charac-
teristics and respect for their limitations
IS well as my own.
We are all in the same procession"
and / want TO recognize it. The only
VI uO SPiiiouoi lCiioWSuip 10 tudI VI I'LL
men. We are all somewhat religious,
none of us as much so as l wish We were
But our real relationship to God and to
one another depends on something be-
sides opinions.
And the world edo move" After my
recent sermon on Hope, a young man
said to me that he was lineal descend
ant of Jonathan Edwards and was now
for the Universalist or Unita
'ian ministry "and," said he, 81 believe
hat is what Jonathan Edwards would
De doing if he lived today" That may
lot be, but as he was known as some-
hing of 'heretic" in his time he might
1t least have sympathy in this better day
with all efforts to advance mans faith in
nan and God, and the unlimited hope
md love we all so much need.
This is ten times what | intended to
write, in extent, when l commenced.
But l long to bid all the people to be-
ieve in God who is both all-powerful
md ALLOWING and that sevil is only the
lave of pride" and shall be its own ius-