New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-08
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PHILOSOPHER AND SAGE.
TON PICTURES RALPH WALDO
EMERSON
SAYS. NOR DID HE HAVE TO sTRUG-
GLE AGAINST SIN


SAYS. NOR DID HE HAVE TO sTRUG-
GLE AGAINST SIN
Before fine audience OF representative New
York men and women Miss Laa Baldwin Morton
delivered her third address I'm her "Repre
sentative Americans at the Waldorf Astoria yes
terday morning Her subject was Ralph Waldo
Emerson. Philosopher and Sage" She said In part
Emerson wanted us 10 be free Intellectually
politically and he himself a soul
singularly free from guile. a soul that never knew
what II was 10 resist temptation. because sin or
the tendency TO It had no part In his life. lie
sprang from long line of thinking and
women. both the maternal and the paternsl
side. who strove all their days to eliminate evil
from their characters Most Of the men became
clergymen. Perhaps this fine ancestry the
for his having had such strong powers Of in
tuition and that he relied fully upon them that
he refused to do anything his own strong convio-
lions did not uphold
when quite young man he preached this doc
trine and displsased the clergy Indeed many said
II was a dangerous doctrine, because II would be
extreme folly for some people TO follow their IN
tuitive leadings And this so, but 1t not go
of young Ralph Waldo because he had white
clear. brave soul. with abnormal tendencies
Sometimes a knowledge OF evil brings certain
benefits. It has a subtle power the power OF its
sympathy and intelligent understanding that en-
tiers the mind Of the you want to help II you
have never been bruised you cannot feel the wounds
Of another: you have never been freighted down
with temptation. you cannot understand the weight
that is crushing anothers soul"
Miss Morton told interesting anecdotes Of
the generosity and heroism Of Ralph Waldo Elmer
and OF his ancestors. One Of his grand
father. who constantly giving away things
though he had little to give. A poor woman called
his house stormy dey and begged for some
shoes and he Immediately responded by giving her
his wifes, the only ones she had. The consequence
that his wife had remain in bed until
other pair procured.
Emersons central subject and the basis Of all
his preaching. Miss Morton said that the
soul grew from within and that the spiritual
nature In each and every one and needed
only developing. Hts objection to observing the
Lords Supper that he felt he not always
in the spiritual condition TO offciate
Referring 10 this, woman In the audience said:
This fact proves that Emerson knew temptation
and succumbed it, for truly spiritual man is
always so, and knows that God wants no more from
him than he is able perform. Perhaps Emerson
would have been of a had he expected
more of God than Of himself and had he put him
self In his true place-that o. n man seeking to
be perfected. rather than perfected man.
Miss Morton pictured Emerson as noble, sim
pe-minded true 10 himself always sym
pathetic and calm. mindful OF the feelings of
others a who understood that his eyes were
In his forehead and not in the back Of his head
Because Of this he always looking forward.
instead OF exercising vain regrets over the mis-
takes Of the past